Fresh immigration jobs: broaden net for cheats

Opinion/Editorial 

 

In Summary

These are virtually predictable in a situation where the gap between available jobs and those chasing them is alarmingly wide................................................

The cancellation, last July, of 70 job offers in the Immigration Department, was a huge embarrassment for the government. The decision, communicated through the parent ministry of Home Affairs, was a culmination of a highly-publicised alleged scandal surrounding the recruitment process.

It was alleged that, 29 out of the would-be 70 new entrants into the sensitive department were a combination of children and close relatives of senior officials there.

Nepotism and other forms of favouritism negate good governance and the government should be in the forefront in setting example by promoting good employees and punishing the crooked.

It is thus understandable why, as a damage control move, it cancelled the recruitments, formed a team to probe the matter, and is now conducting fresh recruitment.

Nearly 230 posts are now on offer, split between corporals and constables—very key personnel.

We earnestly hope that, the Immigration Department and the ministry at large, will ensure that it isn’t messed up by misdeeds like nepotism and corruption.

These are virtually predictable in a situation where the gap between available jobs and those chasing them is alarmingly wide.

It may be recalled that, the earlier job adverts had attracted over 20,000 applicants, whose screening had to be conducted at the National Stadium, for no single office space could cope with the figure! Our safe guess is that, this time around, interviewees, interviewers, and potential facilitators, will be careful and avoid being tempted to cheat.

But the likelihood of a few characters applying dare-devil tactics can’t be ruled out, given pressure by desperate youngsters, and anxious influential relatives to enter, or facilitate entry into the job market.