http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/01/2614136.htm?site=news

Pocketless pants to combat airport bribery

Nepal’s anti-corruption authority has come up with a novel solution to rampant bribe-taking at the country’s only international airport - the pocketless trouser.

The authority said it was issuing the new, bribe-proof garment to all airport officials after uncovering widespread corruption at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport.

“We sent a team to observe the growing complaints about the behaviour of airport authorities and workers towards travellers and we discovered that the reports were true,” a spokesman for the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Ishwori Prasad Paudyal, said.

“So we decided that airport officials should be given trousers with no pockets. We have directed the ministry of civil aviation to implement our order as soon as possible,” he said.

“We believe this will help curb the irregularities.”

Paudyal said CIAA investigators had observed theft as well as bribe-taking by airport officials, who would lose their jobs if the situation did not improve.

His comments came a day after Nepal’s new Prime Minister Madhav Mumar Nepal expressed fears that corruption was tarnishing the airport’s reputation.

Hmmmm….so, do they have pocketless shirts, vests and jackets too?

And dont wear shoes, socks or underwear either?

Where do they carry their wallets?

What they need is either make them be nekkid (which would add other problems, and even then wouldn’t get rid of all possible hiding places. . .), or give them something like those old brass and rubber diving suits.

People in prison seem to utilize the crack in their backside to hide things like drugs or cell phones.  Maybe they could just wrap them up in plastic wrap.

I have a novel idea!

how about you just fire anyone caught stealing or taking bribes?   there are HUNDREDS of applicants for each and every position in that airport.  Two or three “examples” such as that would go a long way to solving the problem.  (Though to be honest, some of the applicants might drop out if they found they were no longer going to be able to line their pockets so easily.)

As far as attire goes, maybe issue them single piece jumpsuits?  And spot searches.  They do it to passengers, I don’t see why staff should be immune. .

DavePrime - 05 July 2009 03:49 AM

I have a novel idea!

how about you just fire anyone caught stealing or taking bribes?   there are HUNDREDS of applicants for each and every position in that airport.  Two or three “examples” such as that would go a long way to solving the problem.  (Though to be honest, some of the applicants might drop out if they found they were no longer going to be able to line their pockets so easily.)

As far as attire goes, maybe issue them single piece jumpsuits?  And spot searches.  They do it to passengers, I don’t see why staff should be immune. .

How do you fire them?

They’ll bribe the people doing the firing!

If I were the president of the airline, I would start with the guy on my left and work my way down from there.  You just ahve to make sure that keeping their job is a whole lot more appealing than taking bribes and going to jail for a couple of years.  (Have you ever seen pictures of the jails over there?_

DavePrime - 06 July 2009 05:47 AM

If I were the president of the airline…

Airports are not run by the airlines.  Generally by a local government.  At least here in the U.S.  In Nepal it’s probably the country’s government since they reference federal government agencies and officials trying to stop things.

But first you have to find out where the corruption is starting.  It’s not going to do much good to fire the second in command if the top dog is corrupt and taking bribes.

Pull a Regan and fire everyone.

Tah - 06 July 2009 12:39 PM

DavePrime - 06 July 2009 05:47 AM

If I were the president of the airline…

Airports are not run by the airlines.  Generally by a local government.  At least here in the U.S.  In Nepal it’s probably the country’s government since they reference federal government agencies and officials trying to stop things.

But first you have to find out where the corruption is starting.  It’s not going to do much good to fire the second in command if the top dog is corrupt and taking bribes.

It’s Nepal. They’re ALL taking bribes