Another, unofficial, proposal is for traders to increase their provision for bad debts until a public-education programme persuades people to behave better.

ECONOMIST: Bouncing across Arabia

Banco Fator, the investment bank advising the government on the sale, insists that adequate provision has been made for any remaining bad debts, plus any liabilities for staff pensions, tax arrears and other hidden horrors that often come to light when a Brazilian company is sold.

ECONOMIST: Brazilian banks