Letter: Fight against corruption

Sept. 30, 2002
It is with great amazement that I read your article (OGJ, Aug. 26, 2002, p. 20) on corruption. Although many western nations try to effect how other countries deal with this issue, perhaps we should modify our own behavior first, to demonstrate leadership and integrity in this area.

It is with great amazement that I read your article (OGJ, Aug. 26, 2002, p. 20) on corruption. Although many western nations try to effect how other countries deal with this issue, perhaps we should modify our own behavior first, to demonstrate leadership and integrity in this area. Of particular note should be:

•Political contributions. How can politicians maintain an aura of independence when their entire campaigns are funded by people with their own agendas to promote? The poor decisions that result cost western countries billions of dollars every year.

•Entertainment. Just think of the lavish, tax deductible entertainment that has been spent in our industry, all in the name of trying to influence decision makers who purchase everything from oil field tubing right through to huge offshore platforms. Show me one person in the oil and gas industry that has not enjoyed a fine lunch or sports event compliments of a potential supplier. By not utilizing the best technical or economic supplier for our company's needs, are we not corrupting our own organization's success?

•Government subsidies. Have you ever tried to compete fairly on an international EPC bid only to find that the host country has just received military or industrial aid from a competitor's head office country? Naturally, the host country ends up paying more for the project, may receive inferior technology, and all the other strings that go with the total project often mean that the facility is not viable at all in the world market.

•More government subsidies. Western governments lead the charge when it comes to misdirecting wealth from one sector (i.e., taxpayer) to another. Subsidies and tariffs on steel, agriculture and foodstuffs, lumber, and the grand-daddy of them all, ethanol, makes one wonder who came up with the expression "free market economy." Is this corruption of one taxpayer's wealth for the benefit of another acceptable?

Now we have corporate scandals, CEOs of companies taking home over 2,000 times the total dollar package that their shop employees do, executives invoking the 'fifth amendment,' and we have the audacity as a society to try to modify the behavior of countries that are perceived to be corrupt by our standards. I hope that the people and companies trying to enlighten the world can look in the mirror and not be tainted with any of our own corruption.

Dean Milner
Falcon EDF Ltd.
Calgary