Job Agents Taking Youth For A Ride

Job Agents Taking Youth For A Ride
Unscrupulous Middlemen Shatter Dreams Of Working Abroad
Preetu Nair

Panaji: Salvador and William Rodrigues were on could nine when they entered the office of a recruiting agent in 2005. They did not mind parting with a large sum, for they were on the threshold of having their life’s dream realized — a job in the Gulf. Or, so they believed.
It soon turned into a story of unending woe. Three years later, they neither have the promised jobs nor a receipt for the money paid, nor documents of any kind to prove their plight.
It’s a story many Goan youth have to tell, the story of the great foreign dream gone sour as starry-eyed youth are cheated by unscrupulous fly-bynight recruiting agents who promise them the earth and then vanish into thin air, leaving their dreams shattered.
In the last three years, 17 cases of cheating have been lodged with the police. In Goa, there are about 20 registered recruiting agents, but there are many ‘illegal’ fly-by-night recruiting agents. They offer blue coloured jobs to the youth in the Gulf or on ships.
“The government should come down heavily on unauthorized recruiting agents, who advertise and fool the youth. The youth fall prey to them becasue they promise high salaries, along with free recruitment offers,” said Iqbal Mohideen, recruiting agent and member of the Indian Personnel Export Promotion Council, Mumbai.
Mohideen added, “There are more than 20 fake recruiting agents in the state, who advertize with phone numbers and give no proper address.” TOI checked up on a few recruiting agents in Panaji, against whom complaints have been filed and learnt that not only have most of them disappeared into thin air, but their offices and sign boards have done the vanishing trick too.
The state government has now woken up to the problem. “A number of travel agents double up as recruiting agents. The government is considering amending the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1820 to impose a bar on travel agents from doubling up as recruiting agents unless they are registered with the Protector General of Emigrants under the Emigration Act, 1983,” said Director of NRI Affairs UD Kamat.
Police say the favourite destination of Goan youth are the Gulf countries and the most popular destination is Kuwait.
Even Salvador and William had lodged a police complaint in 2007 against one Santano Clement from Guirim, Bardez. Santano in turn blamed one Sebastian Baretto, who had his office in Anjuna and is now absconding.
Alarmed by this emerging trend in Goa, the protector general of emigrants, under the Union ministry of overseas Indian affairs, has written to the director of NRI affairs, Goa, drawing attention to the rising number of unregistered recruiting agents, who dupe innocent persons by promising to provide jobs.
Even the state-level Committee for NRIs of Goan Origin met on Wednesday and expressed concern at the slow progress of cases filed against errant recruiting agents. “About 20 such cases have been registered in various police stations in Goa and are pending for several years. The protector general of emigrants had urged the Goa police last year to take necessary action under the Emigration Act. But, the progress is slow,” said commissioner for NRI Affairs Eduardo Faleiro.
Case Studies
Complaint: On November 23, 2001 Lourenco Kenni, an agent for Zarina Travel Services, Miramar, promised Francisco Sequeira of Divar a job in Kuwait and asked for Rs 50,000. He never delivered, A police complaint for cheating has been registered. Status: Case under investigation
Complaint: On March 24, 2005, Alian Fernandes from Mapusa complained to the police that in January 2005 an agent dishonestly induced him and others to deliver cash of Rs 1,25,000 and fraudently forged visa document as genuine on pretext of providing employment to him and others at Dubai. But he failed to do so. Status: Case under investigation
Complaint: Olga Pinto complained that she had attended the coaching classes with Y-Axis Overseas Careers, Panaji after they had advertised that they are looking for nurses for USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand without having license from Protector General of Emigrants. A complaint was lodged on May 16, 2005 and police investigations revealed that though they had applied for license and the matter is under consideration, they have not yet been granted the registration certificate. Status: Case under investigation
Complaint: Socorro D’Souza from Cansaulim complained that on June 2005, M/s Gemine Travel Shop, Miramar, without license from recruitment agency collected money on the pretext of sending him abroad for a job and didn’t send him and cheated them of the money to tune of Rs 7,19,500. Status: Case is under investigation
Guidelines for prospective emigrant workers
Ask to see the recruiting agent’s registration certificate issued by the Protector General of Emigrants, Govt. of India. Do not deal with him unless he is registered and the registration is valid. In case of doubt, check with any of the offices of the Protectors of Emigrants (POEs) or the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE).
DO NOT deal with sub-agents as they are not permitted under the Emigration Act, 1983 and Rules.
Ask to see the demand letter and power of attorney from the foreign employer. Also carefully go through the employment contract detailing the salary and other service conditions.
Do not pay the Agent anything other than the service charge of Rs 2,000 for unskilled workers, Rs 3,000 for semi-skilled, Rs 5,000 for skilled workers and Rs 10,000 for other than the above.
Preferably pay by demand draft or cheque and obtain a receipt. Complaints of overcharging or cheating can be lodged with the concerned POE or with the PGE.
The Law On Recruiting Agents
Section 10 of the Emigration Act 1983, states that no recruiting agent shall commence or carry on the business of recruitment except under and in accordance with a certificate issued in that behalf by the Protector General of Emigrants, the registering authority. Violation of section 10, is an offence and is punishable with imprisonment of a term of two years and with a fine, which may extend to Rs 2000.
“Entry into the market in the Gulf is tightly controlled and heavily legislated. There is an information gap between the employer in Gulf and the prospective employee in Goa, particularly in the unorgansied sector and therefore both heavily depend on the agent. The less educated labourers are ready to invest the family’s savings and borrowings in order to get a job abroad.”
Alito Sequeira | SOCIOLOGIST, GOA UNIVERSITY

“Although people are aware that they shouldn’t approach people who don’t have a license, they do. When they get duped, they come to us. By then its too late.”
Bosco George | NORTH GOA SP

“I prefer working abroad because there exists better prospects and endless opportunities in the Gulf. Even the salaries provided abroad are much higher as compared to those in India.”
Reuben Quadros | YOUTH ASPIRING TO GO ABROAD

2008 May 18 Times Of India Goa