Corruption and procurement in latin America

Evaluation of Procurement Ethics and Regulations in Latin America

Abstract

Public procurement regulation and ethics more or less represent paths to stemming out corruption in the property and materials acquisition processes in public organizations , the two control tools are dependent of each other and stand out as the main pillars for achieving solutions for rampant corruption in public institutions and thus , they all require varied approaches depending on the magnanimity of the problems at hand In Latin America , the situation has been worsened by weak law enforcing and judicial institutions as

a result of weak political institutions and poor leadership structures , ultimately providing a recipe for rampant corruption in public institutions . This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the implications of laws and ethics in public procurement in Latin America

Introduction

Public procurement is the process of acquiring operational materials and capital assets which facilitate the day to day management of activities in public organizations (Transparency International Website , 2008 Procurement is an organizational function entrusted to the management of public organizations who are expected to always make judgments and act to the best interests of the public . Different countries all over the world have in place different public procurement laws that seek to govern and streamline procurement processes to ensure that legal and ethical principles are observed by the leadership and management of public organizations . However , the effective administration and application of these laws remain elusive particularly in developing countries . This is because as much as public procurement regulation...