By Angela Keller-Herzog

TI Zambia, which has been running the first ALAC in Africa since December 2007, played host to a workshop, which saw TI representatives from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zimbabwe attend to learn from the Zambian experience.

A large media presence covered the start of the workshop, which included a keynote speech by the Attorney General of Zambia, who noted that the effects of corruption are far-reaching and disastrous. Reuben Lifuka, President of TI Zambia and newly elected TI Board member, took part in the proceedings, as well as Goodwell Lungu, TI Zambia’s Executive Director, who spoke of how ALACs can unearth information that can help public agencies investigate cases of grand corruption, in addition to providing a valuable service to Zambian citizens.

True to its history and geography, Azerbaijan showed itself to be a meeting point for people from Asia and Europe. TI participants from Fiji, Georgia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia and Vanuatu gathered for the ALAC workshop, the sheer diversity of which ensured a lively exchange of ideas and experience.

The workshop was conducted in TI Azerbaijan’s Baku office, which serves as the centre for five regional ALACs spread around Azerbaijan. Under the leadership of Rena Safaraliyeva, TI Azerbaijan’s Executive Director, the ALAC operation has become central to the chapter’s work. Not only has the chapter grown in visibility, but it has been recognised as a strategic partner in the government’s anti-corruption strategy.

Almost a year after launching the first ALAC in the Americas, Accion Ciudadana, the TI chapter in Guatemala, welcomed TI representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Uruguay and Venezuela to discuss and reflect on its experiences.

The workshop underlined the courage and energy of the Guatemalan ALAC team –Ana Castro, Manfredo Marroquin, Liza Noriega and Alejandro Urizar – who work in a tough environment to provide such a service. The participants benefitted from hearing about the challenges the chapter has encountered and many innovative ideas for improvement, particularly as some of the workshop participants are set to open ALACs in the coming months.

Many of the new ALACs will be established as part of the DFID-funded Global Transparency Fund project.

By Lydie Gerboin

More than 13% of Greeks resorted to giving “ fakelakia” (or little envelopes) in 2008, paying an estimated €750 million [US $950 million] in bribes to public and private officials in 2008, €110 million [US $140 million] more than the previous year, according to the survey ( Associated Press, AP).

Yiannis Mavris, head of the Public Issue, the polling firm commissioned by TI Greece to undertake the survey, noted that the amount equates to an “average of 1,450 euros [US $1,850] in bribes per family” ( Kathimerini).

The majority of bribes, 60 percent of the total, are “related to doctor's fees, tax evasion and building permits,” said Costas Bakouris, Chair of TI Greece.

Bakouris called on the government, elected in March 2004, to enforce existing laws and create an anti-corruption task force ( AP).

The six-month survey included around 6,000 respondents.

By Michael Sidwell

Numerous TI chapters – including Fiji, Georgia, Lebanon, Morocco, New Zealand, Senegal, Serbia and Venezuela – conducted surveys in their respective countries for the Index, which reports that almost 50 percent of the 85 countries evaluated provide such minimal information that they are able to hide “unpopular, wasteful and corrupt spending.”

According to the Index produced by the International Budget Partnership (IBP), the worst offenders for making budget information available include: Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé e Príncipe.

In comparison, the most transparent countries include: the United Kingdom, South Africa, France, New Zealand and United States.

“Open budgets are empowering. They allow people to be the judge of whether or not their government officials are good stewards of public funds,” says Warren Krafchik, IBP’s director. “Our goal is to promote increased public access to government budget information. We’ve seen how this can lead to concrete improvements in people’s lives.”

The 2008 OBI is based on the 2008 Open Budget Survey, which evaluates whether central governments give the public access to budget information and opportunities to participate in the budget process. The survey also examines the ability of legislatures and auditors to hold their governments accountable.