[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

the project's architect and builder were paying bribes to get approvals for completion.

Uhhhh....

Well....

Hmmmmm

Since that is standard operating procedure for 99% of the world, someone should have explained it to him. I would have started by quoting Proverbs 17:8 "A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds."

[nerdwithagun]

I was going to say it is too early to tell either way, but yeah, unfortunetly this is just business in most places of the world.

[riverrunner]

Maybe they are mad that they didn’t get a cut.

[G Larry]

I see....and you believe this is an endorsement of the practice?

Proverbs 17:8 “A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.”

[Lee N. Field]

I would have started by quoting Proverbs 17:8 "A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds."

The Bible elsewhere condemns bribery. I would take this as an observation, not a prescription.

[Tainan]

Amen.

[count-your-change]

There’s a lesson here. Don’t be a pest when you’re only a guest. Telling folks they’re engaging in bribery (what they call “gratuities”) doesn’t work well. The fellow was a missionary not a cop.