CORRUPTION QUIZ

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Download PDF Are you corrupt? Before you answer that question, here’s another: What is corruption? The OIG Charter states that the role of the OIG is, in part, “to undertake investigations of potential fraud, abuse, misappropriation, corruption and mismanagement.” In principle, that’s fine. But where should the OIG draw the line when deciding what to investigate and report on? And by extension, where should…

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ABSTRACT Is there a possibility that you are corrupt? Bernard Rivers asks. Try the corruption quiz to help you sort it out! Use Aidspan’s new Comment feature to respond.

Are you corrupt?

Before you answer that question, here’s another: What is corruption?

The OIG Charter states that the role of the OIG is, in part, “to undertake investigations of potential fraud, abuse, misappropriation, corruption and mismanagement.” In principle, that’s fine. But where should the OIG draw the line when deciding what to investigate and report on? And by extension, where should each employer draw its own line when deciding what activities to reprimand or fire its employees for?

These are not trivial questions. Here is a Corruption Quiz to help you think them through.

Consider the following activities by Mr. X, a fictitious person who is employed by a fictitious Global Fund grant implementer:

1. Mr. X stole large amounts of cash from the office safe.
2. Mr. X claimed expenses for an event he didn’t attend.
3. Mr. X went to a conference for work purposes, stayed an extra day to see a friend, and claimed expenses for the extra day.
4. Mr. X booked a plane ticket for a work trip using his favourite airline, which cost more than the cheapest one.
5. Mr. X used his employer’s car for a work trip, in the course of which he diverted to visit a friend.
6. Mr. X helped himself to a few pens from the office supplies cabinet and took them home for his children to use.
7. Mr. X copied a few pages on the office photocopy machine for personal purposes.
8. Mr. X spent the occasional 15 minutes of work time sending personal email and chatting with colleagues about non-work issues.

Questions:

1. Have you ever done any of the above activities? (Yes, and so have I.)
2. For which of the above activities, if confirmed, should Mr. X’s employer reprimand him?
3. For which of the above activities, if confirmed, should Mr. X’s employer fire him?
4. Which of the above activities should the OIG look into if a whistle-blower alleges that they have happened?
5. For which of the above activities, if confirmed, should the OIG demand that grant money be refunded to the Global Fund?

Give us your answers through our new Comment feature (see link below).

Bernard Rivers (email) is Executive Director of Aidspan.