And it is being exacerbated by three characteristics that are widespread, though not ideological: first, that fast growth had concealed, or even encouraged, the existence of many poorly run and poorly regulated banks; second, that some Asian governments have been slow to accept that tough remedies were needed to avert banking collapses, instead preferring, like Malaysia, to blame outsiders; and, that in several East Asian countries worries about political instability threaten to make economic uncertainties even worse.
hi i wonder why in the first sentence it is "had concealed"instead of just simple past tense concealed.
thank you very much