“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.”............ Helen Keller
Bribery from a security perspective is a form of corruption that severely undermines both public
and national security. It often acts as a facilitator for insecurity by allowing illegal activities
to flourish, such as smuggling, human trafficking, arms trading, and enabling terrorist movements.
Bribery of security personnel at checkpoints or borders can provide safe passage for criminals
and terrorists, compromising the safety of citizens and entire states.
The Bribery Act 2010 comes into force in April 2011 in UK, and it is important we are all well-informed about it. The Act creates offences of individuals or commercial organizations giving or receiving a bribe. If a commercial organisation has committed an offence, any senior officers who have consented or connived are also liable.
The Act creates a new, separate offence of bribing a foreign official. It also creates an offence of failing to prevent bribery.
The offence of bribery can be committed by anyone associated with the company -- this will capture employees, subsidiaries, agents, joint venture partners and anyone who provides a service for the organization. The bribery can take place anywhere in the world and the Act specifically makes no allowance for local custom or practice in foreign jurisdictions. It is a strict liability offence, and a statutory defense is only available if the organization can show it had "adequate procedures" in place to prevent Bribery.
Consider the recent events in China.
GSK CORRUPTION
China has barred a GlaxoSmithKline executive from leaving the country as it turns up the heat on the drug maker over allegations of corruption.
Steve Nechelput, finance director for GlaxoSmithKline China, has been prevented from traveling outside China since June.
The U.K. drug maker has been accused by China of using a network of more than 700 travel agencies and other firms to channel bribes to health officials since 2007.
It would be an interesting terrain to observe.
Bribery also facilitates corruption within political, military, social, and economic systems,
weakening institutions that uphold security and rule of law. This corruption creates
vulnerabilities that criminal and insurgent groups exploit to further violence and instability.
In many cases, the misuse of public funds and bribery in security sectors leads to diminished
accountability and increases opportunities for organized crime and terrorism
I Wish You Great Success
