BLACK MONEY PROBLEMS

Acer.  Do you really advocate following the "adopted ways of Spain" and thus breaking the law?

It is incredible that if a person who has been open enough to declare they are former police officers say anything there are people out there who can’t wait to jump in with both feet to make such a comment and in doing so put their feet in their mouth.

If you read what I have said, both on this post and all others,  you will be well aware I have never said one should break the law.   However, if they do, especially  ‘as a matter of culture’ /  ‘accepted general practice’ etc then I would never condemn them. 

Many people break the actual law, albeit in ways which they may think are OK.  Not getting IVA bills for work done, exceeding the speed limit, illegal parking, maybe driving when ‘just a little over the limit,‘  walking across an empty road  but on a red pedestrian light. and for those who have been here a while (befpñre the crash in 2007) under declaring purchase values, openly in front of the notary handing across the table the cash balance for the seller to count  etc.    It’s  all a matter of magnitude in the eyes of the perpetrator..  

I've never been offered or requested a receipt from the window cleaner or gardener, they were hard enough to get in the first place, I wouldn't wish to scare them off.

Whilst in Spain last month we had our bathroom converted into a wet room, we know the guy well so paid cash in hand, and saved a tidy sum by doing so.

My hypocricy only goes so far, I know a couple of now retired head teachers, who bought school supplies from the firms that bunged them the fattest brown envelopes, however they classed themselves as pillars of the community. They also gave building work and car maitainance work to school teacher collegues in the school holidays on a cash in hand basis, whilst criticising the great unwashed for doing the same.

Harold MacMillan once said that whenever a dinner guest lectured fellow guests on his/her honesty, he was minded to tell his butler to check the silver prior to them leaving. 

Johnzx,

You seem to have forgotten your comment, which was "I think it is impertinent for people coming from outside Spain to try and inflict their ways on the indigenous Spanish or even those who have adopted Spain as their home country"...

No I do not advocate breaking the law - quite the reverse!  But if you follow your suggestion of not being impertinant and following the Spanish culture that what you'll do.

Some aspects of Spanish culture are lovely.  Other aspect make sense and I'll happily follow them, but there are a few things like the brown envelopes on house deals, mistreatment of animals, a bit of racism, plus some business practices where I prefer to keep my own values.

Hi Acer.

       I think I have said enough, so I am otta here, unless something worth commenting on comes up..

Only politicians can be legally corrupt.