Mark Titus, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

The failure of successive governments to provide adequate job opportunities for the Jamaican people has triggered a massive exodus of the country's labour force to foreign lands in search of greener pastures.

Over the years, Jamaicans have become the mainstay of construction, hospitality and entertainment businesses in the United States and Canada, and their work ethics and personality have made them popular among their employers.

This popularity has created a constant demand for the skills and services of our countrymen and women, which in turn has seen the emergence of hundreds of organisations operating as overseas job recruiters.

The job-placement exercise involves these agencies recruiting and screening individuals for jobs throughout the United States of America. This comes with a price tag of US$2,500 or more.

Operating outside guidelines

While a few agencies have authenticated their operations through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security which is responsible for monitoring their day-to-day operations, a worrying large number of these agencies are reportedly operating outside of the guidelines of The Employment Agencies Regulation Act.

Nevertheless, these renegade agencies are flocked by hundreds of our citizens who are lured by the high-paying jobs said to be on offer. A reportedly large number of these applicants have been fleeced of thousands of dollars through unscrupulous arrangements.

This reporter decided to respond to an overseas employment opportunity advertised in a local tabloid recently. The preliminary enquiry had to be made by calling a cellular phone number that was mentioned in the ad.

When I called, the woman who answered informed me that I needed to register with the company to be considered. She said the registration fee was $3,000 and it should be brought in with my passport and two recommendations - one from either a hotel or a restaurant. These recommendations, she said, must be on letterhead because overseas employers preferred this.

I was told that their clients in Florida urgently needed 200 persons. If I had a visa, the service would cost me US$2,300, if not, I would be required to pay US$3,000.

She asked if I had any hotel experience. I told her no. She then told me I would not be considered for a job without the relevant experience. I suggested that I could 'run a ting', but she stopped me and told me she would prefer to talk to me in person. Seemingly satisfied that my enquiry was legitimate, she directed me to a hotel in one of our resort towns, then instructed me to call the cell number as soon as I got there.

Air of anticipation

On arrival at the hotel there were about 50 persons listening attentively to a smartly dressed man, who was on the outside the conference area fielding questions from persons in the crowd, before walking away. Whatever the job seekers were told seemed to have worked because there was as an air of anticipation thereafter.

Blending with the crowd, I learned that the majority of them had worked overseas before. The first-timers were conspicuous as they listened keenly to the experiences of the more seasoned applicants.

Brenda, who hails from Trelawny, said she participated in the Ministry of Labour overseas hotel programme in 2001. She had, however, decided not to return, as it was not working out for her.

"I prefer to try the private programme; the Government one doesn't work out for me," she said. "The advantage of the Government programme is that they made things much easier because they paid your airfare, but I was restricted to one job so I did not make much money."

Brenda said that most persons will do well, especially if they are allowed to do extra jobs.

She claimed that politicians have too much say in the selection process in the Government programme, as those who are affiliated to particular parties are given preferential treatment because they are recommended by Members of Parliament (MPs) or mayors.

Brenda's claim of political involvement in the selection process was confirmed by a Gleaner report, dated May 5, 2006, which quoted Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Alvin McIntosh, as saying that MPs will now be held accountable for participants who they recommend for the programme who breached their contracts.

While the job seekers took turns sharing their experiences, I called the cellular number of the woman I had spoken with the day before. She stepped out of the conference room immediately.

"You will have to spend a money to get a recommendation from a hotel saying that you were an employee," she said "I have a contact but it will cost you $5,000 to deal with it."

I was also told that I would have to provide US$1,500 as part payment when taking in the required documents. She said the agency has never had a visa application turned down and rarely received complaints from clients.

However, the tone of the conversation changed when I enquired how long the agency had been in existence and if was registered with the Ministry of Labour. The woman immediately informed me that I did not qualify for the overseas programme, as I had no experience working in the hotel industry.

The Sunday Gleaner has subsequently learned that the crooked couple has since left the parish with no forwarding address, after fleecing several persons of thousands of dollars in St.James, Hanover and Westmoreland.