“透明国际”指出建筑业容易出现贪污现象

 

Transparency International Says Construction Most Vulnerable To Corruption²

“透明国际”指出建筑业容易出现贪污现象

 

A new report says construction, more than any other segment of a nation’s economy, is prone³ to corruption. Transparency International says the corruption is often so bad that it “plunders⁵ the economy…and ravages⁷ the environment.”

 

In its Global Corruption Report, Transparency International says, “The scale of corruption is magnified by the size and scope of the construction sector⁸.” Muzong Kodi is the group’s director for Africa and the Middle East.

 

Muzong Kodi: It’s estimated that the construction sector is valued at about three point two trillion dollars per year.

 

The report says, “Corrupt¹ practices are found at every phase in construction projects.” It says they are vulnerable for several reasons. These include “fierce competition, numerous levels of official approvals and permits, and large number of sub-contractors. It also says some projects are unique, making them prone to delays and cost overruns.

 

Muzong Kodi: What we notice is that most of the contracting processes that are used in this particular sector are not transparent⁹. So, this gives the possibility for corrupt activities to take place. It’s more so in this sector than most others.

 

The Transparency International report lists what are called “Monuments to Corruption.” They include several African projects, such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project in which two million dollars in bribes¹⁰ were allegedly paid. That case is currently in the courts.

 

Mr. Kodi praises Lesotho for taking action.

 

Muzong Kodi: This is the case study that has shown that it’s possible even for very small countries to tackle this scourge¹¹ of corruption in the construction sector.

 

Also listed is the Bujagali Dam project in Uganda, which is being investigated by the World Bank and four different governments for bribery¹².

 

Mr. Kodi says corruption can lead to environmental damage because bribes are paid to “ignore environment and social hazards.”

 

Muzong Kodi: Corruption is a big, big obstacle to sustainable development. We’ve seen in many countries resources being diverted from very crucial and basic sectors¹³ like education and health, which are needed by the population. And therefore, changing the whole economy and shaping it in a way that would make it possible for corrupt activities to continue and to thrive in countries.

 

The Global Corruption report makes a number of recommendations.

 

Muzong Kodi: We’re recommending that the authorities ensure that contracts are subject to open, competitive bidding. We’re also recommending that a blacklist of companies that are caught bribing¹⁴ be put in place. We’re also recommending public disclosure of the entire process of procurement¹⁵ and ensuring that monitoring by independent oversight¹⁶ agencies and civil society takes place.

 

The report also says, “The challenges faced by conflict-affected countries are formidable…and…the need for anti-corruption measures is particularly acute in the first years after war.” For example, Transparency International calls on the international community to ensure there’s transparency in the rebuilding of Iraq.

 

Joe De Capua, VOA news, Washington.

 

注释：

construction [kEn5strQkFEn] n. 建筑，建筑业

segment [5se^mEnt] n. 部分

be prone to 有……的倾向，易于

plunder⁴ [5plQndE] v. 扰乱

ravage⁶ [5rAvidV] v. 毁坏

scope [skEup] n. 范围

trillion [5triljEn] num. 万亿

overrun [7EuvE5rQn] n. 超出限度

bribery [5braibEri] n. 行贿，受贿，贿赂

hazard [5hAzEd] n. 冒险，危险

blacklist [5blAklist] n. 黑名单

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

4 plunder   

vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠

参考例句：

• The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
• Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

5 plunders   

掠夺，抢劫( plunder的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It promiscuously plunders other languages and delights in neologisms. 它杂乱地掠夺其它语言，并以增加新词为乐。
• The most formidable trade union system attacks a city throughout history plunders in you grasp. 有史以来最强大的工会系统，攻城掠地尽在你掌握之中。

6 ravage   

vt.使...荒废，破坏...；n.破坏，掠夺，荒废

参考例句：

• Just in time to watch a plague ravage his village.恰好目睹了瘟疫毁灭了他的村庄。
• For two decades the country has been ravaged by civil war and foreign intervention.20年来，这个国家一直被内战外侵所蹂躏。

7 ravages   

劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹

参考例句：

• the ravages of war 战争造成的灾难
• It is hard for anyone to escape from the ravages of time. 任何人都很难逃避时间的摧残。

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

9 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

10 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

11 scourge   

n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏

参考例句：

• Smallpox was once the scourge of the world.天花曾是世界的大患。
• The new boss was the scourge of the inefficient.新老板来了以后，不称职的人就遭殃了。

12 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

13 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 bribing   

贿赂

参考例句：

• He tried to escape by bribing the guard. 他企图贿赂警卫而逃走。
• Always a new way of bribing unknown and maybe nonexistent forces. 总是用诸如此类的新方法来讨好那不知名的、甚或根本不存在的魔力。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻

15 procurement   

n.采购；获得

参考例句：

• He is in charge of the procurement of materials.他负责物资的采购。
• More and more,human food procurement came to have a dominant effect on their evolution.人类获取食物愈来愈显著地影响到人类的进化。

16 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。