Listening Brief

Good governance and sound policy are under continuous threat from political corruption.  No country is totally free of it. This week’s guest, Elizabeth David-Barrett, has made this area her specialty and discusses with Charles not only the different forms it can take, but also various anti-corruption “counter-measures” in areas ranging from political donations, ministerial diaries, and lobbying to the “revolving door” between public office and business. Elizabeth has recently made a special study of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which aims to reduce bribery by mining and oil and gas companies in their dealings with the governments of resource-rich countries.  Here she describes how even countries with a history of serious corruption can be motivated to sign up. Elizabeth lectures at the University of Sussex, and has prepared reports on corruption issues in the UK  for Transparency International.… Read the rest