Tipping the same as bribery

Dear Editor,

Re: Tipping and bribery 

The Minister’s comments about allowing and accepting tipping clearly violates on many fronts. His understanding of bribery requirements needs investigation. A clear conflict of interest, it undermines the integrity of whatever department or programme and service, the integrity of the public servant, and the whole country. 

Perhaps we need to define what tipping is.

Rewarding someone (monetary or otherwise) who did a great service for us was usually done out of gratitude or out of the goodness of our hearts. 

We call it in Samoa “alofa” or gratitude. 

This though honourable, has no place in government services or public services provided by public servants to the public. It is a conflict of interest. So gratitude or alofa in public services is out of the question.

Then comes the change in capitalist societies where tipping or rewarding good services was expected by the service provider. 

In other words the service provider is now expecting to be paid (tipped) for services that they should have provided you in the first place as part of their role in paying the employee. 

This also should have no place in government or public services. if it exists in government it is bribery.

So the definition of tipping is now clear. Gratitude or alofa in Samoa, but it is bribery in reference to public servants and public services. 

Yes tipping is bribery and has no place in public services.

 

D.F.R.G.

Samoa Observer

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