Labor Force in Guinea-Bissau

Video Transcript

“In the city the salaries of government [employees] is like ten, twenty dollars a month, which is nothing for them. That’s why they base themselves on commission. So if you’re there to sell a product they will ask you to, they will come to an agreement with them. They will start first with the indirect way like, OK, the product is $10,000 cost, you come, but you come already OK, you tell them $11,000 or $10,500 and ‘If you help me, if you help me get this deal your family will be happy.’ Or, once you get to ‘How much for me?’ ‘$500 once you pay me, you will get your $500.’ So you start with the indirect, but then at the end, when the relation [continues], there is an understanding. If you give me that information, I need that information you will be happy, so you give him something. Everything is based on commission.”

In this video, a Guinea-Bissau expert discusses common practices when dealing with business transctions.