Normal in Africa. Will post the Police Hotline numbers as soon as they are available. If you do have to pay a bribe just to get on, please make sure that you get the bastards name and send ZATSO a report. It comes to a joint, police/tourism working group and we can deal with it.


REPORTS OF CLIENTS BEING ASKED FOR BRIBES WHEN PROCESSING IMPORT PERMITS FOR FIREARMS

The Committee have received a couple of reports of clients being solicited for bribes by officials when entering and leaving the country with Firearms.

Please would you advise your clients that there have been 3 incidents known to us.

The procedure is not difficult when entering with firearms. They declare their weapons and ammunition to Customs upon arrival. Customs then issue a Temporary Firearms Import Permit which they must keep safe. Upon departure they produce their copy of the permit, the Customs official checks the serial numbers, and clears the weapon for departure.

IF ANY CLIENTS are solicited for bribes please will they try and get the official's name and/or number from the badge he should be wearing. You should then send ZATSO a report containing all details of time, date, names, place, and what the official said and how much was asked for and/or paid. Our e-mail is zatso@mweb.co.zw.

We need these reports to make a report to the Chief Customs Officer in Harare to stop this growing habit.

Many thanks
Sally Bown

Mrs. S. G. Bown
Administrative Officer

For further information when visiting Zimbabwe contact our Associations:-

Zimbabwe Association of Tour & Safari Operators
Inbound Tour Operators of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Professional Hunters & Guides Association

18 Walter Hill Avenue, Eastlea, Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: 263-4-702402 Fax: 263-4-707306
E-mail: zatso@mweb.co.zw

Another potential problem is being charged with some crime for bribing or attempting to bribe some official.

It is just bad practice all the way around.

Zimbabwe was one of the few countries I have been through that no official has ever taken anything from me as a bribe.

But, I think this is what one expects from the lower ranks, as they see how those higher up are doing it.

It is bound to filter down.

In some countries, whoever you are hunting with will tell you that a certain amount is required to "smooth" things out during your arrival.

I just ask them to take care of it, and add it to my bill at the end of the hunt.

Works like a charm, and we have never had any problems.

Of course, in principle I do agree with Peter, but, being in a third world country with firearms changes the equation somewhat.

And if a few dollars are going to make everyone happy, I don't mind paying it.

The amounts involved are generally small anyway..

Peter, it is not just tourists or whites that have to pay bribes at all. Even the local people pay bribes when they need something done. Or a very good example are the over loaded bus drivers who are always getting stopped and you can bet they pay a bribe to get out of their trouble. So, it is not just singled out to tourists at all, and is just an expected way of life and more commanly known as "tea" money.

Sheephunter, I agree with you in pricinpla as well and in a perfect world or country no bribing would be great, but that is simply not the case is just a way of life. I pay bribes right here in the good old USA as well!!

The guy at the gun office in the departure area at J'burg airport asked me for a "tip" Tuesday, to make sure my guns were gotten safely on board.

I told him I would mail it, c/o his commander officer, when the guns arrived safely in the US, and left. Well, they arrived quite safely...now I wonder if I should make good on my promise???

"If I get stopped at a road block in Tanzania, I politly greet the policeman and hand him $2 "



I shall focus on this true statement to point the light at the problem of bribes or "tips".



Before I do,please take it that I agree pretty much with all statement in a practical view,meaning its far easier to pay then to argue and arguing will make things more expensive and complicated.



The problem with bribing - in any fashion- is that one educates people in the art of extortion.In the above example: more roadblocks.

Look at Mexico.

Required bribing is extortion for that reason.

On the other hand,to be fair to all societies:it is far cheaper to bribe a Mexican policeman than to pay -in a legal fashion- the US system of a speeding ticket,as a result of a 100% legal radar unit set up in a 100% legal fashion behind a bush.

"More civilized" governments dont allow bribes that grease the wheels,they institutionalize larger fees and make them appear "legal" and appropriate.

Still one walks away with disgust and anger in both scenarios,because one recognizes what it is:extortion by somebody that has the ability-by government decree- to scr*w us.

Peter,

I am not really sure how this all started, but I am a bit annoyed about the idea of "tipping" anyway.

It seems to have become a requirement, not just in Africa, but everywhere one goes.

You ride a taxi, and you are expected to tip the driver. You go to a restaurant, and now most seem to ADD a service charge to your bill, it makes no difference to how good or bad teh service is.

In fact, in a 5-star hotel here in Dubai, we had dinner once, and the service was pretty atrocious. When the bill came, I crossed out the 15% they added for "service". The manager came over to ask why I have done that, and basically told him if I was his boss he would be looking for another job.

He accepted my reduced payment, and I promised him I will not eat there again.

"Tipping" as it relates to this post is extortion, plain and simple.

Tipping your PH and his staff after serving you 24 hour a day for 2 or 3 weeks is the least I can do for the service they have provided.

At least that has been the case in my own experience.

There are bribes then there are bribes.

I've no problem with paying for a little help at the airport. Particularly when traveling with guns.

On the other hand when hunting in the Selous I was told that if an animal is wounded and lost or a female is shot (can easily happen with zebra for example) that one simply pays the game scout half of the normal trophy fee and everything is happy. That left a bad taste in my mouth.

Regards;
Brett

After travelling month after month in some of the most corrupt west and north african countrys, we quickly learned that a few simple things often smoothed the way without paying bribes. Even with aggresive and openly hostile, armed militia, police etc. This was acomplished with a fair bit of self-deprecating humor, and openly showing or pretending that we had all the time in the world. More time than them even.



The humor part varied on the situation, depending on what they were after; money, food, my cap and so on. The clue was to make yourself the joke, giving them a good laugh at the whiteman. A few laughs with yourself as the "dunce" can ease a lot of tension and lets them "come out on top" which is important in a lot of cultures where keeping ones "honor", not loosing face in front of the foreigner and so on are vital. I personally couldn't give a rats ass if a few Chadienne militia are still laughing at me a year later. However, this way of dealing with this type of corruption got us out of some potentially not so nice situations. Without paying. And thus without leaving them thinking that all Europeens(whites) are wandering moneybags... which is becoming a bigger and bigger problem in much of africa. The begging/bribing mentality seems to me to get worse if one automatically gives in and pays up. If not for yourself, then for the next guy that comes along.



It's not that I'm against tips for services rendered, but I'm not for giving tips without reason. Or giving unreasonable amounts either. For example; When entering Chad from Niger, the customs officer in the first "town" we reached was at home because we didn't make it through the no-mansland until just after closing time. A small boy went to fetch him (it was right around the corner), and when he arrived, he said that this overtime work would cost 20 Euro. A dutch guy we crossed with automatically gave the offical the equivulent of 20 Euro, not realizing that the sum was meant to be split between us... We were too late to stop him, and he was too quick to fork out the cash... Thus, the customs officer after his initial surpise of how easy it went, demanded this sum from me too. Bare in mind that it was probably the same as a couple of months wages. Or more. I tried to get around it by repeating "yes, the 20 was for all of us...". It was to late however. The ball had been kicked and the game was in motion. The point is that he would have been more than happy with 20 in total (and most likely a lot less, as haggling is the norm even when it comes to bribes). Although we appreciated him walking 100 meters back to work to deal with us, the dutch mans actions undoubtably gave the guy the impression that it's easy money to be made. Which in a sence created corruption where there was non from before...



IMO, even if paying for services rendered, it's wise to get a feel for what the local economy is like. Throwing them a 5 or 10 $ bill instead of a 1$ is actually not such a good idea perhaps...



Ps. I do realize that when trying to catch a plane or pick someone up from the airport is a bit differant, since bluffing with that you have lots of spare time can be harder to act when in a hurry!



We also found out that after lengthy discussions with police where we had violated some BS traffic rule or simular (the type were only we as white were pulled over and all the locals drove on...), if we said "yes, I see that we have done so and so, and I think we should go to the police station and talk to the police chief to see if we can clear it up..." they usually gave up pretty quickly. Basically because they obviously didn't want to split the money with the cheif, or waste time, thereby perhaps missing some other white guy.



Erik D.

I have two zippered pockets on my traveling shirt. In one I keep several one dollar bills. In the other I keep a couple five dollar bills and a ten. I'm spending more on a hunt in Africa than most of the people I'm dealing with make in a year. I want them to like American hunters. I am polite, don't argue with them, and in particular don't tell them how we do _______in the USA. If a five or ten dollar bill TACTFULLY exchanged makes things go smoothly, then so be it.

I've had charges show up on taxidermist, freight forwarders, and custom brokers that were not much more than built in tips (or extortion!).

I've given money to get a room in a USA hotel. I've given money for good seats close to a dinner show and better seats at a ball game. I've given waitresses an upfront tip and made it clear that me and my group never wanted to be looking for her when beer was running low.

So I'm not going to begrudge giving to some black guy in Africa. If they get greedy then people won't come, and they will be killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Like most of you, I have travelled the world to most of the bad places (Pakistan, old Russia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria) in the oil business. We don't pay bribes, this will get you in jail under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. We pay "facilitation payments" to expedite the movement of documents, passports, visas, entry permits, customs clearing, etc.

I tend to agree with Ray A., that most of the world is dirt dog poor, has no hope for anything other than rice and a ball cap. They all want to be like us in the USA, have the cash and the toys but not the stress we go through to acquire the toys.

I agree with tipping and enjoy giving a tip. I never feel pressured to give a tip and I only tip when deserved. Example, my barber seems to expect a tip. I never give one for a $25 haircut. The price is above the norm and service is no big deal.

In 3rd world countries, tipping or paying the customs guys a few bucks does ease the strain and time of getting through the tape. I try not to do it and use an agent to handle this stuff. I am sure he pays someone something. I am glad he does as this is part of the deal.

Russia, Nigeria, Indo were the worst.

I wish it weren't this way but we are not going to change the world.

On the way in, I'll pay whatever it takes. If they catch me on the way out with the tip to make sure the gun's get on the plane, they are SOL. I've told them, I don't care if they get on safe since they are insured. Sure enough the guns always have returned to their home. From what I've seen it is an empty threat.

The real Problem is one of escalation. $5 dosen't do it any more and hunters are being blackmailed for US$1400 for the last case we had real evidence for.

Most African countries I have traveled through $5 or R10 gets problems solved but unfortunately the problem is growing. By all means pay up to save thre or four hours of hassel, just please help us to throw the crooks onto the steet. And no , this isn't a ZATSO initiative. Its Parks and Police. ZATSO are just collecting the info from "their" clients.

A tip is a gift AFTER satisfactory or good service has been performed.

A bribe is a payment BEFORE to ensure the service is performed or in a satisfactory manner, or to ensure other actions are not undertaken.

VAST DIFFERENCE!



Better not to have tips then there is less opportunity for bribes.

Hey isn't it time that someone asks what is the "correct" amount to tip on a safari. Don't think I have seem one of those for a month

Ganyana makes a good point, there are extreme cases and they probably should be reported, but most extreme bribes are more than meets the eye...like if you shot the wrong elephant or the tusks were light or something on that order, bribes have a lot to do with the circumstance!!

My most hilarious experience was that I was about 35 pounds overweight on both suitcases, returning from Tanzania, as the bags were packed with brochures..I told the ticket agent and his supervisor that I was indeed sorry about that and could I perhaps buy their grandmothers some tea to settle the affair as the cost was $320 extra dollars and that was an awesome amount and would require my unpacking and throwing so much stuff, thus holding up the line and argrivating people..They conflabbed between themselves and allowed that if I would give them a percentage, that percentage being $32.00 that I could be on my way and they were very sorry for the inconvience..I paid quick..I was getting on the plane and one of them came running out to the bording are and was yelling Mr. Atkinson, (aw s--t),but to my releif to say the least, he presented me with a receipt for $32.00 worth of tea for his grandmother, shook my hand profusly and with a grand smile departed. Since that time everyone has referred to tea as a bribe in my circle of friends..I have that receipt framed..

Is that a neat story or what??