Faud Khoury, Peru’s comptroller, estimates the state loses at least 6 billion soles ($2.15 billion) per year due to corruption, newspaper Los Andes reported.
During a presentation for Congresses Regulation Committee, Khoury said that in 2009 there were 1,306 public servants reported to the comptroller for allegations of irregularities.
The majority of the employees continue working for the Peruvian government, he said, adding that the comptroller’s office needs the authority to impose sanctions.
“We aren’t going to create a super-comptroller. What we want is to have a comptroller at the same level of other countries,” Khoury said, pointing to Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia as examples.
“This reform would result in a deterrent to acts of irregularities on the part of public servants and implement a direct and efficient system in the determination of administrative responsibilities.”
There is no such thing as a direct and efficient system in Peru and it seems that almost anyone can be bought-off. At every level I’ve dealt with, which have all been non-political, government offices such as RENIAC, Registry Publico, varios municipalities and several banks, they all seem disjointed, inefficient and unorganized. You can ask three employees the same question and get three different responses.
The corruption problem stems in part from poor hiring practices, low pay and poor training. Recruit and hire the right people. Pay them a good wage and train them properly. Improvement in these areas will reduce the problem. In the meantime, if someone is reported as being corrupt, soliciting or accepting bribes, they should be investigated and if found guilty punished to the extent of the law and most assuredly, at the very least they should lose their job.
Roger Rodriquez description happens in the U.S. too…hmmmm.