Dominic Kaye

Green Money

14.3.2012

Green Money
By Dominic Kaye

Dominic Kaye

Green Money

14.3.2012

Defining Corruption What is Corruption? The World Bank defines corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain. Transparency International (TI) defines it as follows: Corruption involves behavior on the part of officials in the public sector, whether politicians or civil servants, in which they improperly and unlawfully enrich themselves, or those close to them, by the misuse of the public power entrusted to them. Asia Development Bank (ADB) goes further to include the private sector in their definition, the abuse of public or private office for personal gain. The extended form of the ADBs definition is: Corruption involves behavior on the part of officials in the public and private sectors, in which they improperly and unlawfully enrich themselves and/or those close to them, or induce others to do so, by misusing the position in which they are placed. (http://www.adb.org/documents/policies/anticorruption/anticorrupt300.asp?p=policies)

Dominic Kaye

Green Money

14.3.2012

Chapter One

The restaurant was simple, and the decoration far from special. The design and appearance of the restaurant had nothing to do with its world class rating. It was what went on in the kitchen that earned it its world-wide recognition. A youthful looking host stood at a podium, awaiting the new arrivals to the fine restaurant. It was still early, and therefore things were rather slow, but the fact that all of the tables were reserved was definitely satisfying. A trio of men entered the restaurant and approached the mahogany podium. The host slowly put on his glasses and eyed the trio, cracking a brief grin at them. Good evening, gentlemen, the usual table I suppose? The three of them all nodded almost in sync before proceeding to their usual table. Owen Davis was a man in his mid-40s, with a fairly well defined cheek-bone structure making his face a memorable one. His two companions, Timothy McKenzie and Daniel Taylor looked quite ordinary by comparison. They were all a similar age. The three men walked over to their table, casually removing their jackets, and hanging them up on the nearby coat stand before sitting down. Owen rested his hands on the table whilst he looked up at Daniel and Timothy, slightly smiling. Well gents, whats on the agenda for this meeting? The three of them chuckled gently at Owens use of the word meeting. Then Owen continued, I think if were going to dine at a place like this, we should at least try to get some work done, dont you reckon? Daniel and Timothy responded with a brief nod before Daniel shuffled around in his seat and then clearing his throat, began, Well, youll recall I sent President Mitchell the annual environment report about 2 weeks ago? Anyway, I got a response from him today, and it was far from happy. Owen arched an eyebrow before signalling for the waiter to come and take an order. Before we get into the boring business, what are we all drinking? Whisky or champagne tonight? he asked. Owen smiled briefly before shifting his gaze first to Daniel and then on to Timothy. Daniel responded, saying, I think a bottle of Dom for the three of us is about right. Owen was surprised by Daniels response. Not exactly the drink for three men out on the town. More appropriate for a celebration, but what was there to celebrate, he wondered. He turned in his chair resulting in him facing the waiter. Get us a bottle of Dom, will you? The waiter smiled, then nodded and returned to the kitchen. Right, Dan, you were saying? Dan nodded at Owen before once again shuffling uncomfortably in his seat, and continued, The annual report I sent showed that our carbon emissions have risen by 20 per cent and we could face danger of being thrown out of the international council if we dont start changing the way we do things, or more like it, the way we get our energy. Owen sighed whilst bringing his palm to his forehead, rubbing it several times. I guess with the position I have as head of energy, I should probably do something about this, huh? Daniel smiled at Owen before nodding several times in agreement and saying, You really should, if you want to stay in the government, trust me. Hell, we all should do something if we want to stay in the government. Energy, environment, agriculture pretty vulnerable areas. If we get thrown out the council, well be the first to go. Trust me.

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The three of them remained quiet for a while before the waiter arrived with their bottle of champagne which successfully broke the silence. He poured each of them a decent amount before fading into the background. The three of them all raised their glasses in the classical cheers position. To the government! declared Owen. Daniel and Timothy grinned, and repeated what Owen had said. They all sipped their drinks before placing the glasses carefully down on the table. Right, so what do we do? Any suggestions? asked Owen, ready to listen. Timothy smiled slightly at Owens question, then proceeded, Well, I cant really do much about energy as Im only taking care of agriculture. But if you want my general opinion, go for something that the public will love. You know, something like solar power or wind power. Daniel pursed his lips, the wary expression on his face showing that he not all that convinced. Owen on the other hand seemed to fall in love with the idea immediately. Theres a lot of money in it too, you know, added Timothy. Daniel sighed, almost glaring at Timothy. How is that good for us? Daniel asked, reaching for his drink and sipping it briefly. Well, do you know how much money is needed to have a fully functional power station that works using solar and wind? Daniel shook his head before looking over at Timothy, who replied with a shake of the head, Were talking about millions. Like seriously, big money. Daniel still seemed to be confused by what Timothy was saying, not quite understanding in which direction he was heading. I dont get it, Tim, he said. Timothy smirked, then explained, Wed have to subsidize, for sure. Owen sighed, taking another brief sip from his drink. I suppose we would, wouldnt we? Thats a given with these renewable energies. They dont produce well enough to pay their own way. Thats what you keep telling us, Tim. But, the public love them, and thats what counts. Brownie points for us. Timothy replied with a nod before shifting his focus to Daniel, studying him for several moments, You alright, Dan? I thought youd be sort of happy to look into this. Good for the environment and all that, good for us, everyone scores. Daniel slowly looked up at Owen, shrugging before taking an unusually long sip from his glass. Im not really happy about taking money from the public to pay for some new form of energy generation that is so extraordinarily inefficient, he said. Owen frowned at Daniel before sucking on his teeth. What do you mean? he asked. You know very well what I mean, Owen. Subsidizing is basically to help. Therefore, in this case, wed be taking money from the tax payer to pay for something with poor returns. Its pure evil to do something like this, Owen, you know that. And I still dont understand how we stand to gain, other than keeping our jobs. Not saying that that isnt pretty important, but I dont get how this will make us money. Owen seemed rather taken back by Daniels comment. Hey, Dan, you havent even heard my whole plan! Daniel sighed before extending his arm towards the neck of the champagne bottle, lifting it out of the bucket and pouring more of the pale sparkling liquid into his glass. Alright, Owen, continue then. Im glad to see youve settled down to listening to me. We live in one of the few countries where registering a company is super simple. Daniel shook his head, eyeing Owen, and asked, How is this relevant? 4

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Dan, Tim, do you guys even know how much some companies would pay to supply energy to a country like this? Millions, Timothy stated proudly. Owen stared at Timothy for several moments before grinning in an excited fashion, and saying, Now, all we - Owen was quickly interrupted by Dan, who seemed to be unhappy with the whole discussion. Owen, how the hell does that have anything to do with us? Dan, just hold on. Theres a way we can make money off of this, trust me. Theres a way we can bring money from the energy deal into our bank account. Its the 21st century, people have to make money, just dont mention the c-word. Timothy jolted upright when he heard our bank account being mentioned. He nodded several times, and listened closely as Owen expanded on his plan, an ear-to-ear smile on his face all the while. Once Owen had completed his outline, they both looked over at Daniel, arching an eyebrow. There was silence. Timothy nudged Daniel, before patting him on his back and saying, Think, Dan, millions. Youll be set up for life. You could buy anything in the world and its not like anyone would find out. Daniel tilted his head towards Timothy, staring him directly in the eyes however not saying anything. He then pushed himself up out of his seat, saying, Ive got to get home to my wife. Timothy and Owen stared at him, watching him as he left the restaurant. They were both confused as they would have expected him to be excited by the idea. Political gain, and money. Ugh, I think Im going to head home as well, Tim. I need to think. You think you can pay for this one? asked Owen. Tim chuckled to himself, shaking his head. Me? Pfft Ill use the government card. This was an official dinner, wasnt it? Owen smiled at Timothy whilst placing his hand gently on his shoulder, saying, Genius, Tim, youre simply a genius. Owen walked over to the coat rack, putting on expensive black jacket before exiting the restaurant. Tim reached into his back pocket, pulling out a black leather wallet. He flicked it open, producing a credit card that was his for official government business. A waiter approached him with a receipt. He placed the small piece of paper on the table. Timothy snatched it up from the table, bringing it closer to his face before casually tossing it down again. Get me two bottles for the road, alright? Timothy raised his left hand, offering the waiter the credit card. Timothy sat at the table in silence for a while, and turned over the idea that Owen had presented to them. He thought about different things he could do with some extra money. It seemed almost perfect to him, without any flaw. His day dreaming was interrupted by the waiter coming to the table, placing the two bottles of Dom Perignon on the table, nodding at him. He placed the credit card on the table beside the bottles, before wishing him a pleasant night. Timothy pushed himself up out of his seat, grabbing the two bottles and slipping the credit card into his back pocket. He walked over to the door, smiling to himself as the host quickly rushed over to it to open it for him. Millions? I could do with some of that.

Dominic Kaye

Green Money

14.3.2012

Chapter Two
Maria McKenzie was an attractive woman with a strong heart. She was a highly intelligent woman who acted as her husbands sounding board for his government work. Timothy arrived home from the dinner at the restaurant with Daniel and Owen, and as soon as he entered the house, announced his presence loudly, Maria, Im home! Maria closed her book, placing it beside her on the fine Italian leather couch before pushing herself up, making her way towards the front door. She eyed Timothy fiercely before lifting her wrist and tapping her watch. Youre late, she said. Timothy smiled before lifting up both of his arms. In each hand was a bottle of premium champagne, Marias favourite to be specific. She relieved him of the bottles and walked over to the kitchen with a wide grin on her face. So how was your day? How did the meeting go with the boys? Timothy snorted loudly before following in her footsteps, replying, It was actually pretty good. Listen, I need to talk to you about something, something big. Maria placed the bottles down on the kitchen counter before shifting her vision to Timothy, giving him her undivided attention, sensing some sort of tension in him. Whats up, Tim? He pursed his lips at the question before grabbing her by the hand, leading her into the living room. The two sat down opposite each other before Timothy smiled at her in a reassuring fashion. Owens got a plan. Its kind of risky though. Marias eyes widened as she readjusted her position in the seat. Tim, tell me what it is. Is everything alright? Are you in danger? Timothy smiled before shaking his head, and reassured her, No, no. Im alright. Its a way to get more money thougha lot more money. Maria nodded several times, clearly eager to hear what more Timothy had to say. The McKenzie family was never terribly rich. Timothy was not the son of a rich man, and unlike many in his line of work, had not inherited much from his father, not even his political career. Its to do with the new annual report about our emissions. Im not sure of the finer details of the full plan, but Owens going to find some way of addressing the issue, and make some money off it at the same time. Maria arched an eyebrow, casting off a surprised feeling towards Timothy. What do you mean? The deal is to sign off some contracts with big energy companies that would be entitled to supply wind and solar powered energy to the public. The whole thing would be subsidized, so itd be a huge win for those companies. Maria nodded several times before her whole expression changed. She eyed Timothy for several moments, narrowing her eyes at him as if she was thinking about something. Wait, a deal that would make you guys money? Wouldnt that be a form of corruption? Well, I wouldnt call it tha- Timothy Davis, I did not marry a corrupt, money-mongering man! What have you turned into? Timothy shook his head and attempted to calm Maria down who had stood up and was slowly raging with anger. Timothy, how could you even suggest such a thing! Youre being brainwashed by Owen. Hes a bad influence, I never liked him. 6

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Maria, sit down. Please! The room went quiet for several moments before Maria slowly sat herself down, as did Timothy. You know we need the money. Now I know it could be called corrupt, but Owens got a plan. A plan that is flawless! Maria shook her head at Timothy before standing up again and hurrying towards the front door. She grabbed her coat, slipping into it one arm at a time before getting into her shoes. She looked over at Timothy with disappointment showing in her face. She opened the door, taking one step out and closing it shortly after finishing her last sentence for the evening. Call me when youve come to your senses, Timothy McKenzie. Corruption is no way to make it in life.

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Chapter Three
Owen rested his hand on the armrest of the couch, and waited for his guest to arrive. He was facing a large painting of a French vineyard, and eyed it with admiration. He liked to keep it up on display because it reminded himself of his childhood summers in France, along with the fact that its price was remarkably high. He leant back in the black leather couch before lifting his arm up and taking a quick glance at his very expensive watch. His guest was late. Owen of all people disliked people being late, or rather people who werent punctual. The thought of giving his guest a call crossed his mind, however he didnt want to risk coming across as needy, let alone desperate. He continued waiting, occasionally changing his position in his seat, until eventually the doorbell rang. Owen rose from his seat, brushing down his jacket before approaching the door. He placed his hand on the brass handle and opened the door. A gush of cold air from outside entered the house. Youre late. Timothy looked at Owen, shrugging slightly before proceeding into the house and taking his jacket off. Sit down. Weve got a lot to talk about. Timothy nodded, and quickly made his way to the living room. The living room was large and decorated luxuriously. Three leather couches were arranged around a mahogany table. On the table was a pot of tea, coffee, two cups and saucers as well as various snacks. Timothy eyed the pot of coffee and looked up at Owen, awaiting his nod of approval, and poured a cup each. They sat down opposite each other, both sipping their hot beverage. There was an air of expectation in the room. Owen carefully placed his cup and saucer down on the table before reaching for a green folder. He opened the folder and placed several pieces of paper on the table. Right, so Ive thought it through. Were going to have to each register a company. Timothy frowned, confusion evident on his face. Owen was quick to pick up on the fact that Timothy was struggling to follow. Just hear me out, Tim. We, through our companies, are going to own the contracts and rights that entitle us to supply the energy. How would that be of any use, Owen? Once we own the contracts, we then go and sell them on, for as nice little profit! Listen carefully. I dont usually go into this much detail. The government will need someone to manage the business of selling the contracts to the energy supply companies. We, as the government, will outsource that job to one of our companies which well approve, of course. That company will sell the contracts to another of our companies, and then that company will in turn sell off the contracts to the energy companies at that small profit of course. Theres nothing exactly wrong with this the government will have to pay someone to do all this, it may as well be us! In fact you could almost say well be saving the government a packet as there wont have to be any tender process which we all know costs a fortune, with all those approvals and meetings and consultations. This is so much simpler, and its all in the name of green energy, which we all know the public loves. How it happens is mere detail to them. No-one pays much attention to this kind of stuff when the end-result suits public interest. Theyre too busy focusing on the good news. Anyone who questions anything about renewable energy automatically becomes the bad guy. Huh, thats actually quite brilliant, Owen. I know, said Owen modestly. So well need to register the company under an assumed name or something, but that should be quite easy, wouldnt it? 8

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Oh no, Tim. Im shocked! Nothing illegal like that! The companies are being set up, real companies. Thats the beauty of it. Our legal system allows for it. Ive got a guy doing that, no-one you know, absolutely safe, does this kind of thing all the time totally legit. Off-shore accounts, proxy signatories, share certificates in the name of the bearer, no-one would be able to trace anything even if they tried to do so. Thats how these things work. Theres nothing dodgy about it. But then why isnt everyone doing this? Ah! But they are, Tim! Once youre in the right seat, you can call the shots. Thats where you have to be clever. Central control, central regulation, keep it all in the family! A few moments silence followed, while Tim chewed over this. Something was still nagging at the back of his mind. He frowned, and asked, Can I put one question to you? Sure, Tim Not that Im not really grateful, but why did you include us? You, Owen Davis, could have done this alone. I knew youd ask that. Theres no-one I trust more than you guys, we go back a long long way. Between us were all involved in this energy thing anyway. It might be my portfolio, but the implications for environment and agriculture are huge. Bring in all the interested parties, and weve got it sewn up. That was my thinking. Besides, I didnt want to keep all the good news to myself. Timothy brought his hands together, interlocking the fingers and looked up at Owen, eyeing him with a very serious look. And this is fool-proof? Nobody will figure this out? Owen smirked, shaking his head. No, no. This is completely safe, and hey, its good for the country and were simply making some extra cash on the side. And anyway, like I said, everyones doing it. Look at the defence deals, we all know what goes on there. This time its in our patch, this time its our turn. Timothy nodded slowly before reaching for one of the snacks, and asked, So what do I need to do? Owen shrugged before casually shaking his head. Nothing, to be honest, Tim. Nothing? Like, not even one thing? Owen shook his head again and reached for one of the sheets of the table, bringing it closer to him. He stared at the paper for several moments before looking up at Timothy. Actually, there is one thing you could do. Timothy looked at Owen, eagerly waiting for an answer, wanting to take a role in this scheme, needing action. Well? What is it? What should I do? Owen chuckled gently before taking another sip from his drink. You can think about what were going to spend our money on.

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Chapter Four
Owen paced up and down the room, glancing at his watch anxiously. He was in a hurry and Daniel still hadnt arrived. Timothy on the other hand was relatively calm, and instead took the time to enjoy his single-malt whiskey. Unlike Owen, he didnt have a must-attend meeting lined up that afternoon. Tim, where do you think he is? Timothy looked up at Owen, starting at him with a blank, almost carefree expression before casually shrugging. Owen took out his cell-phone again, calling Daniel. He waited and waited, allowing the phone to ring. Still no answer. He pocketed his phone and dropped down into the seat, mumbling to himself. Was Daniel in on the plan or not? What were the consequences if he was not? The two of them sat there for several minutes, not a word said to each other. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the door to the room finally opened and in walked Daniel. Daniel looked to be in some discomfort, or at least appeared to be slightly nervous. He briefly nodded at Timothy and Owen before taking a seat in one of the couches. They all scootched to the edges of their seats, crowding around the small coffee table. Daniel stared at Tim for a few seconds before shifting his stare to Owen, whom he stared at for slightly longer. He proceeded to speak, taking sips from a glass of water every now and then. Well, I guess I should start off by apologizing for being late. I was just doing something down the road. Anyway, Ill just get to the point. Im really not too sure about all this. It just seems like a very risky way to get some extra cash. Timothy shook his head, taking a brief sip from his whiskey. Extra cash? Cmon Dan, its a lot more than some extra cash. Its enough money for the each of us to be set for life! Yeah, but is it worth it, Tim? You know, I did some research over this and we could be facing some serious jail time if someone was smart enough to notice what were doing. And what makes you think someone would be smart enough to do that? Nobody in the government other than ourselves and President Mitchell should even be looking at any of our files regarding energy. Its a fool-proof plan, Dan, and were good to go ahead. Ive already drawn up the contracts, and one of my buddies across the border said that these contracts are worth several million each. Daniel pursed his lips, staring at Timothy with a look of great concern. Owen observed the look and quickly presented Daniel with the contracts. Daniel took one quick glance at them before quickly grabbing the glass of water, consuming the contents all at once. He then pushed himself up from his seat and shook his head at the two of them. Boys, Ive known you two for a long time but not once have I ever doubted you as much as I do right this moment. I dont know what the hell youre thinking trying to subsidize something and then make millions off of it, but I hope you think it through really damn well. You know why? Money doesnt mean anything to you when youre in prison. Daniel left the room on such high moral ground, even Owen felt bad about the whole plan. At first it seemed almost perfect, but perhaps Owen was simply flying too high and now Daniel brought him back to reality. Timothy stared at Owen with a look of disbelief, clearly awaiting an answer to the whole situation. Well go ahead with the plan. We only sell our contracts. Dan has taken himself out of the equation. But, what if - ? Dont you worry yourself about Dan, Tim. Hell look so good in his position in Environment after this goes down, he wont dare ask raise any doubts. Hell be basking in the sunshine, cloaked in glory, 10

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doing the right thing. Carbon emissions its so hot, hell be a hero! I knew he has a strong moral view on this sort of stuff. Leaving him out would have been dangerous. Inviting him in was key. He wont squeal. So we go ahead with everything? When are we meeting the energy companies? Tomorrow, 9 oclock at the usual place. Timothy nodded pushing himself up from his seat before making way to the door, leaving Owen alone in the room. He rested his elbows on his thighs, leaning slightly forward. He rubbed his chin with his palms. He released a deep meaningful sigh, before leaning back in his seat. He glanced down at his watch for several moments, clearly calculating how much time he had until his meeting. Many things crossed his mind throughout the next few minutes, but not once did he think about what hed do with the money. All he was thinking about was how to protect himself from getting caught. Was he really sure that Dan posed no risk? How was this going to pan out? What should he do now?

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Chapter Five
Despite all the worrying done the night before, in the morning Owen had high hopes for the occasion and for the deal as a whole. His morning routine was as usual; he would get out of bed, have a shower, get changed, have breakfast whilst reading the morning newspapers from all over the globe. He particularly liked the newspapers that revolved around finance, despite him dealing largely with the environment. He wore his finest suit. Now, unlike earlier, Owen was thinking about the money. His taxi honked three times, signaling its arrival. Owen grabbed the necessary documents that were all kept together in one special folder. He got into the taxi, and the final step of the whole plan was in the making. The drive to the meeting point was not a long one, nor was it a short one, far away enough to shake off any unwelcome attention, yet close enough not to be inconvenient. They had organized to meet at the curb of a street and then would proceed to finishing the deal inside one of the CEOs limousines. The taxi driver pulled up at the curb, where Timothy was already waiting, Owen got out of the taxi after paying the fare and casually greeted Timothy. The two stood at the corner for several minutes, anxiously on the lookout for a black limousine. You ready for this, Tim? I guess I am, Owen. No backing out now, huh? Owen chuckled at Timothys remark before giving him a very serious look. Thanks for sticking with me, brother. Timothy cracked a grin at Owen before shaking his head casually. Youre the genius. Owen shrugged, clearly trying to not make too big of a deal out of the compliment. The two waited for a full 35 minutes, creating small-talk and standing in silence until the first limousine arrived. A driver dressed in a tuxedo got out of the car and opened the door for the Timothy and Owen, motioning for them to enter. Inside the limousine sat the CEO of E-World, one of the countrys largest energy companies. The CEO was an older man, dressed in a fine suit. He had a cane rested on his lap and was holding a glass of what appeared to be orange juice. He nodded at Timothy and Owen as they entered, and motioned for them to sit down. Owen extended his arm towards the CEO, offering him a formal handshake. He dismissed it, however, and seemed to be far more interested in the deal. I guess you just want to get the business over and done with. He nodded at Owen, keeping very calm during the whole situation. Owen nervously opened the folder, pulling out the first set of sheets from it. He rotated them before offering them to the CEO. He took the contracts and placed them on his lap, looking up at Owen. I dont want to read all this. My guys have been talking to you already. I want you to tell me in person what it entitles me and my company to. Owen chuckled lightly before keeping silent for several moments, collecting his thoughts and formulating them. These contracts basically entitle you and your company, E-World, to 20 years of energy supply to the whole nation. Guaranteed. Oh? Mhm. You and your company will be able to supply this country with energy for the next 20 years. All youll need to do is set up your own production plant and the route, and then youre good to go. Not bad, huh? No, not bad at all. How much are you asking for? 12

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Owen pursed his lips, clearly feeling awkward about asking for a price. Well, we were hoping for something between fi- The CEO quickly interrupted Owen after scanning the cover page of the contract. How about 12? Owen arched an eyebrow, clearly very impressed with the offer. Sign at the bottom and we have a deal. The CEO reached into his inner jacket pocket, withdrawing a blank ink pen. He uncapped it and brought the tip of the pen to the paper, signing in the necessary gaps. I believe you gave my secretary your bank details. Owen nodded once, extending his arm, offering the man his hand. He once again stared at it before the door to the limousine was suddenly opened. Once again, Owen and Timothy were motioned to leave the vehicle, only this time they were twelve-million richer. They once again found themselves waiting at the curb, talking about minor things that really didnt matter at the time. This progressed for a short 10 minutes until another limousine pulled up. The same procedure occurred in which they were motioned to enter the car. Owen and Timothy found themselves sitting in their second limousine of the day, accompanied by Bayside Energy CEO, staring directly at them. He was somewhat more firm, however more friendly at the same time. Owen, right? Owen nodded as a response, smiling at the CEO. You can call me Mr. Calhoun. Owen cracked a brief smile at Calhoun before proceeding to present to him the contract and the offer. Ill put it in simple terms, Mr. Calhoun. We, representing our energy firm, will sell you the contract we currently own after obtaining them from the government, entitling one to a full 20 years of energy production, without questions. Mr. Calhoun arched an eyebrow when the phrase without questions was mentioned. So my company would supply the nation for a good twenty years? Of course, itll be subsidised? You know it. Ill give you ten plus a conditional five if things go smoothly. Mr. Calhoun smiled, nodding. He took the contract papers from Owen, signing where needed. He then handed Owen a several papers related to the method of payment. The car door was opened, and it was dj vu. The two found themselves even richer than earlier and couldnt help but smile. It just gets easier and easier, said Owen. Timothy turned to Owen, giving him a quizzical look. Where do we go now? I dont know about you, Tim, but Im going to head to the bank and pick up my hard earned money. Timothy chuckled, placing his hand on Owens shoulder. You just used the system in such a way, it almost makes me proud to know you. Almost.

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Chapter Six
Timothy was sitting in his new black leather armchair whilst sipping on a glass of whiskey and simply enjoying life. He leant back in it and crossed his legs, continuing to gaze upon his grand fireplace. It was one of the first times in Timothys recent years where he could literally just sit back and enjoy life. The amount of money sitting in his bank account increased by several zeros, and he was happily spending it on whatever he deemed necessary. The only catch was, because he knew his beloved wife would not approve the source of the money, it was only in this city apartment that he could indulge himself. She never came here, it was his city place close to the office in the city centre, which he only used when there wasnt time to get back to the family home on the outskirts of the city. He turned in his chair and reached towards his brand new cell phone which was positioned on a nearby table. He tapped away at the screen for several moments before bringing it closer to him, clearly awaiting a response from someone at the other end of the call. Owen, where are you? ... Aha, well try and get here quickly, the food that Rosetta has prepared is slowly getting cold. He ended the call and placed the phone back on the nearby table. He swivelled the glass around, giving his undivided attention to the sight of a couple of ice cubes going around in circles, almost creating a whirlpool effect. He did this for about a minute or two before actually realising how ridiculous it was. He quickly pushed himself up from his seat and made way to the kitchen where a table was beautifully laid out for two people. Timothy rested his hand on the back of the chair and looked upon the table, smiling at the beautiful sight of limited edition china, silver cutlery, Cartier glasses and of course the food. He paced up and down the room, waiting for his doorbell to ring as a sign of Owens arrival. He was abnormally unpunctual, as for something like this he would usually arrive relatively close to the given time. Timothy found himself constantly checking the time, and he was quickly growing impatient of all the waiting. He grabbed his phone and redialled Owens number in the hope that hed pick up. Come on Owen Where the hell are you? The phone continued to ring, no sign of Owen answering the phone. He ended the call and sat down at the table. A giant feast of food laid out on various platters stared back at him, almost teasing him and asking him to have a bite from it. Timothy looked away as the temptation to start eating grew larger. Timothy pushed himself up from his seat and walked over to his living room, where an arguably beautiful fire was being contained in the fire place. He walked around the room, admiring all the new furniture he recently purchased. The majority of what he bought came from Italy or the middle-east. Some thirty minutes had passed since he initially called Owen, and the food was cold by now, and the champagne was warm. Suddenly, the sound of the wood burning was interrupted by the doorbell. Timothy walked over to the door with a somewhat disgruntled look on his face. He opened the door and to his delight it was Owen that stood opposite him. Where in Gods name have you been, Owen? He cleared his throat before pushing past Timothy. He hung up his coat, removed his shoes and looked at Timothy with a concerned look on his face. Tim, we need to talk. Somethings up! Timothys general facial expression turned blank. He nodded once at Owen before leading him to the dining room area. Timothy sat down at one head of the table, and Owen at the other. Owens face lit up at the sight of all the food, especially at the large chicken roast in the centre of the table. My word Tim, you certainly got some good food right here. Yeah, its cold now anyway. But uh..-Talk. 14

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Owen frowned at Timothy before reshuffling in his seat. He looked nervous, almost embarrassed to speak. Well, you know how we made all this money and everything? And now how were pretty much living th- Living the dream, yeah. What about it? Its perfect, isnt it? What do you think of my rug? Straight from Persia! And my couch, thats proper Italian leather you know. And the cutlery is proper silver, and the glasses are from France! Did I show you my fireplace? Owen cracked a forced smile, shaking his head at Timothy. No Tim, you didnt. But listen, something has come up. Oh sure, whats up? Well, I set out from my house today. And when I saw driving down Main Street, I stopped at a red light, and my phone began to ring. It showed that an unknown number was calling me. I was sort of hesitant to pick up, simply as I hate not knowing whos calling me, especially if it shows unknown. Journalists usually do that. What did you do, Owen? I obviously left it. I didnt want to answer to an unknown individual, especially if it was a journalist. Anyway, I kept on driving, just forgetting that it ever happened. I then got a text message from some random number, saying pick up the phone. I sort of got a bit freaked out, but I quickly just dismissed it again. The unknown number called about four more times before I finally answered it. On the other end of the phone was a man with a husky voice. He sounded older, like in his mid-50s or something. I asked him what he wanted. The call dropped, though. Timothy pursed his lips whilst frowning. I dont see what he was trying to achieve. He called you so many times only for him to end a call when you finally picked up. Im not done, Tim. He called back and I asked the same thing. He then said, I know what you did, and I know how you paid for everything in that goddamned house of yours. Timothy gulped and widened his eyes. Y-You mean, he knows about this? Timothy, he not only knows about this. But he knows about everything. He knows about the deals, the restaurant conversations, the amount of money we earned..- the whole lot. Timothy began to breathe heavily. A stream of sweat started to show on his forehead. What do we do now? I dont know Timothy, but were not safe here. Timothy lowered his head and nodded several times, sniffing. There was complete silence in the room, neither one of them said a thing. Suddenly, the silence was broken, the gate bell rang, someone was at the door.

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Green Money

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Epilogue
Owen, already very wealthy, grew wealthier. No-one noticed any changes. After all, how much can one show? But it did rather alter his relationship with Tim, who started to wonder where all that original wealth came from. Were there other deals? What really corrupt practices had he possibly been involved in in the past? Despite seeming to be on the best of terms, there was always a niggle of doubt. At the same time, there was the constant fear of confronting journalists, or simply anyone else who suspected his actions. From the time of that knock at the door, he never felt entirely at peace again. Daniel, as predicted, basked in the glory of being a superhero, the renewable energy improvements during his term of office being held up as an example of what a truly dedicated politician can achieve if he sets his mind to it. Both Owen and Daniel sang his praises publicly on every possible occasion, feeding the myth and thus guaranteeing his silence. He never grew wealthy in the way of Owen or even Dan, and this made him feel a little self-righteous, but he didnt dare to show it for fear of the consequences. Tim grew wealthy, but was never able to enjoy that wealth, not even with his soul mate, his wife. He found walking on eggshells an uncomfortable lifestyle, and gave up politics before very long. Last heard of, he was teaching at a small college in a minor provincial town. The real moral of the story has to do with The Public, that faceless mass who believe what they are told, especially when it is dressed up to look like A Good Thing, and dont ask enough questions. They ended up paying 20 per cent more for their energy because of the subsidies (and other unknown hidden costs), and lived in blissful ignorance thinking they were doing The Right Thing. And all the while, Al Gore grows richer. *

Note from the author: Corruption exists all around us, in all forms. It only takes one small error on the part of one of the involved parties for the whole deal to become a worldwide public scandal; however, unfortunately not enough of these errors are being picked up, or simply not enough people can notice corruption when they see it. Corruption could easily be considered one of humans evilest evils, as fundamentally one person gains at the expense of another, often innocent, person. Despite the story being completely fictitious, one can think of too many similar cases where corruption might be happening. The theory behind war is corruption, as are many other things, and very notably that of global warming. Greed is the fuel for corruption, and only once we learn as a human race to live with what we have and not always ask for more will we find ourselves living in a corruption-free world. Then again, maybe Im asking for a little too much.

* see articles in the appendix

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Green Money

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Appendix
1. 2. 3. Information sources : overview Selected articles/case studies Corruption index Corruption in the energy sector Corruption in tenders Carbon trading and corruption

Personal research on experiences of corruption

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Dominic Kaye

Green Money

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Appendix 1. Information sources:

No specific books or articles were used to compile this story, and any similarity to actual people and/or events that may have happened is not intentional. It was written purely from imagination, but with background knowledge of corrupt practices in countries around the world gained from reading up on the subject, and from many hours of discussions. I have included several articles on the subject in this file in support of the story. Background information/reading on the subject of Corruption, Corruption in the power and other sectors, Corruption in government There is no shortage of information on corruption, both general and specific, on the Internet, including articles, news stories, institutional reports, books, blogs, videos and the like. There are many expose style books and movies, thrillers, documentaries, even spoofs. People write about corruption, they film it, they even sing about it. Internet searches using Google Chrome (updated 07.03.2012): Search terms: Number of hits (given as approximates by Google)

TENDER* CORRUPTION = 44 200 000 INFRASTRUCTURE CORRUPTION = 63 700 000 ENERGY CORRUPTION = 137 000 000 Green+ energy+ corruption alone gives 28 300 000 hits, and for Solar+ energy+ corruption the number of hits is 5 070 000 ENERGY SECTOR FRAUD = 24 500 000 ENERGY FRAUD = 269 000 000 POWER SECTOR FRAUD = 4 250 000 POWER SECTOR CORRUPTION = 19 600 000 GOVERNMENT* CORRUPTION = 668 000 000

Analysis of books currently in print on the subject of corruption that can be bought from Amazon www.Amazon.com ) There were 15802 titles retrieved on the keyword corruption on 9.1.2012 Analysis of the Library of Congress collection on the subject of corruption (www.loc.gov) The Keyword Corruption retrieved more than 10 000 titles. The earliest publication on the subject of corruption is dated 1695 (England and Wales. Parliament. Supplement to the Collection of the debates and proceedings in Parliament in 1694 and 1695 upon the inquiry into the late briberies and corrupt practices. 1695). In 2011 alone, 357 titles on the subject were added to the Library of Congresss collection. 18

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References to selected books on the subject of renewable energy supply: Bryce, Robert. Power Hungry: The Myths of "Green" Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future. New York: Public Affairs, 2010 Forde, Fiona. An Inconvenient youth : Julius Melema and the newANC. Johannesburg: Picador Africa, 2011 Plimer, Ian. Heaven and Earth : global warming, the missing science. Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade, 2009 Wishart, Ian. Air Con : the seriously inconvenient truth about global warming. North Shore, New Zealand: Howling at the Moon publishing, 2009. And, of course, The video Gore, Al, actor. An Inconvenient Truth : a global warning. Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Paramount , 2006.

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