"PARDON SENOR, THE SPECIAL PERMIT IS HERE IN MY WALLET." BRIBERY ETIQUETTE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Aug 20 '01
The Bottom Line I won't be accepting collect calls from Uzbekistan at 3:00am if this advice doesn't work.
There are certain things that those who travel a lot either for business, pleasure, or both often have to contend with. Airport delays, airline food, exchange rates, and unfamiliar languages and customs are only a few minor hassles one experience.
One that seems to often crop up, especially when visiting "developing countries" is the etiquette around supplementing the income of various low level officials.
That's right when and when not to grease someone's palm to either expedite your passage or get out of a potentially hazardous situation.
I've had some first hand experience with this subject over the past few years. I'd like to share some examples and some suggestions that may assist you in this situation should it arise.
Another guest at the hotel I was staying at in the Dominican Republic had a rather nerve wracking experience one evening. Rather than walk back to the hotel through unlit streets he flagged a moto concho, a motorcycle taxi. The "taxi" ran into a police check point and the local cops took him and the driver to the station. Here they explained to the now thoroughly frightened man that the driver's license had expired or some such. The driver had the choice of paying the fine or going to jail.
They then explained that because he was on the bike too, he was equally responsible. Naturally the driver couldn't pay the fine, so the poor soul had the choice of paying it for him, or spending the night in jail. Guess which he chose. After he was safely back in the hotel and recounted his story it occurred to us that it probably was a shakedown. One wonders how many unsuspecting tourists that taxi driver drove through that roadblock each night and what his cut was. I had a similar experience in South America, and am sure it was the same type of scam.
Coming through Santiago De Cuba I discovered a new variant on an old scam. Once I cleared immigration, but prior to the customs barrier, I was approached by a "porter" who offered to carry my bags. As it was only a few more feet to the airport entrance and taxi stand, I declined. Next thing I knew I was being directed to the red channel for customs where I was submitted to an extensive search. Comparing notes afterwards with other from my flight, we all discovered that everyone who had declined the porter was diverted to be searched. The choice was obvious either part with a couple of dollars or submit to an inconvenience.
Incidentally this seems to work to your advantage in a reverse situation. I've used a porter from the curb to bypass extra airport checkpoints when checking in at Cartagena and Baranquilla airports in Colombia, and when leaving Margarita Island in Venezuela.
Leaving Cienfuegos in Cuba, was pulled aside by a customs officer. After pleasantries were exchanged and hints dropped, I unzipped my carry on bag to reveal a six pack of ice cold beer. I made some comment about working in this heat, and without a further word he opened a drawer and slid the beer in. He bade me bon voyage and I left. I think he was supposed to be looking for black market cigars and I guess resembled the profile but I wasn't searched. By the way, no I didn't have any black market cigars either.
I guess its become so bad in Cuba that they've posted signs at Havana's Jose Marti Airport advising travelers that there is no charge for passing through customs and immigration. That is aside from the official fees for tourist cards and departure tax of course. Not that I really blame any Cuban officials. They are forced to live on impossible wages and see their making countrymen money off tourists in a variety of ways.
Other nations too have made serious efforts to curb this. Mexico, once a source of regular tales of this sort of behavior among tourists has really cleaned up its act. Special highway patrols actually help stranded foreign motorists rather than see them as a source of additional income. In Acapulco there are special tourist police who also realize their sole purpose is to aid tourists not scam them. Cartagena Colombia has taken a page from Acapulco's book and formed a force of special tourist police too. Their insignia is a little disconcerting though. Four dolphins formed in a cross which from a distance resembles a swastika.
How one is tagged as a potential mark is subjective. Usually they seem to steer away from veteran travelers and zero in on those first timers. This is not always the case though. I was traveling on a new passport and eased past an immigration point in Camaguey Cuba, while someone on the flight was stopped and interrogated until he decided to end it by introducing his travel companion "Andrew Jackson" (the President on the $20.00 bill). His passport was well used and covered in stamps.
Here are some tips on how to deal with this, or at least determine if the "tax" of "fine" you've just been asked to pay is legitimate. Please use with a certain degree of caution, and remember there is some risk involved:
1) Ask for a receipt. Actually demand one. Odds are if they don't offer one it's not a legitimate fine/tax/fee, and if you keep insisting politely they may give up and go seek an easier mark.
2) Offer to pay in a useless currency. Most would prefer the funds be in either local bills or US dollars. By handing over a pile of bills from another country left over from a previous trip and implying this is all you have, they may leave you alone. I carry a pile of Pesos, Bolivars, Dirhans etc. in my Passport case. This one may back fire so be prepared to pay up if needed.
3) Look important. I don't suggest a business suit when everyone else on the flight is in Hawaiian shirts and shorts, that's just asking to be singled out. The correct attitude, body language may make them think you're too important or too much effort and drive them to easier pickings. Dark sun glasses and that "cop" look help. Careful this one can back fire, especially in Latin countries.
4) "No hable," an old stand by. Keep failing to understand what they want because of a language problem. Even if you speak the language, don't let on. They may get frustrated and give up.
Hopefully the above may be of some use to you in your travels. Better yet, the opportunity to try it never comes up. However if you do try it, and it fails, e-mail me from your jail cell and I'll update this article.
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