ADVERTISEMENT
Music and Art at the Ukrainian Institute of America
Posted by Max on April 22, 2001 at 13:05:11:
In Reply to: Re: How to say no to request for bribe? posted by Amerikanka on April 22, 2001 at 10:02:06:
On researching through the BB I vae come accross stories where a Taxi Driver drives you to the Airport and stops 2K or more short in the middle of no where holds up his hand with a $20.00 sign printed on it and demands payment before continuing to drive on? Is this true. Do officails at the airport try and extort bribes to allow you to proceed and catch your booked flight out. Is it not extorition to feel compelled to hire at an above average rates a "guide" to pick up and drop off or move you around the city for fear of ones safety. Please tell me these things are not true... then tell me that the tourist guides are not profitng form this explotation. If not directly, indirectly.
Then kindly explain why a hire car cost 3-4 times the cost in the USA/Canada or Australia. Why catching a taxi from the Airport is 2-3 times the cost else where.
Then please tell me that these same tourist opperators that clearly benefit to some degree by all this have made represnetations to the Ukraining Government as an industry body to trying and resolve some of these issues.
Please Don't tell me that it is out of your control and that this is the way it is. I want to know that Tourist Agents recognise the lomg term benifits not just to their industry but also to the Coucntry as a whole is some of these issues are addressed. I want to know that as a professional body and not just a group of "We know how its done" these people are seeking to address this issue, have made collectively submissions to the government proposing how this situtation can and should be addressed. Anything short of a collective professional opinion would be only adding to the problem. Where is the Chamber of Commerce represneting Toursim? Is there one? If not then why not create one?
Max
: Unless you are going to Ukraine to do business, you won't run into many situations where bribes will be expected from you.
: Taxi drivers don't ask for bribes. But they do charge higher prices to those who don't know what the fare should be.
: Police may stop a car that is driving too quickly. If you are driving and you don't want to pay a bribe, ask them to write you an official ticket and give you a receipt. You will pay more this way, but you wont have paid a bribe. If you are in a hired car with a driver, it is his responsibility to pay unless you have told him to drive too quickly to get somewhere faster.