I enjoyed your leader on the perils of corruption in the less developed parts of the world (16 April, page 3)

It brought to mind the image of the British contractor as an Edwardian matron propositioned by a man with moustaches, gold teeth and a Mexican accent. This was rather spoiled by the anecdote about Balfour Beatty paying the Serious Fraud Office £2.25m in order not to be prosecuted, which made our government sound like a mafia boss demanding his cut.

A wicked world indeed.

John Davidson

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