est. 2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Nepotism @Customs and Excise Department?

Submitted by Top Cat Recently appointments have been made at the Customs and Excise Department that has displayed the greatest show of nepotism the Public Service has ever seen. The most blatant of the appointments is the one granted to a young lady who was a typist and now has been appointed on promotion to…

,
Submitted by Top Cat

barbadoscustomsRecently appointments have been made at the Customs and Excise Department that has displayed the greatest show of nepotism the Public Service has ever seen. The most blatant of the appointments is the one granted to a young lady who was a typist and now has been appointed on promotion to Custom Officer two. This is most unusual since one has to be a Customs Officer three before one can attain the rank of Customs Officer two. In addition one has to successfully complete the compulsory customs courses in order to be considered for appointment to the post of Customs Officer three. The young lady in questioned was not eligible to attend the course because she was not in the relevant stream.

However it is alleged that the young lady’s child is the grandson of the Chairman of the Board of the Public Service Commission. That seems to have more weight than anything else hence the rapid promotion. Another  ridiculous appointment is that of the Receptionist to Custom Officer three also without any formal training in Customs duties. Incidentally, she is the cousin of the former Minister of Commerce!

36 responses to “Nepotism @Customs and Excise Department?”

  1. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Now we see publicly why the country has been going down hill for decades, the ministers/politicians etc used to lie and deny the practice of nepotism and corruption, they still try to lie and deny but they cant hide it anymore though.

  2. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    They might have done well at the interviews and would have impressed the panel. But there is a reason for that, some persons were given the question and answers in advance. I know that for a fact; I have them in my possession.

  3. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Welcome to Uganda!

  4. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    Wee Well et al.
    What makes the Public Service any different from any other employer? In this country are we not our brothers, and sisters’ keepers? What makes the Public
    Service different from Brankers, or Williams Industries, or Massy?
    Nepotism is defined as:”the act of using your power or influence to get good jobs or unfair advantages for members of your own family”: Has it been shown that the relevant authority USED their influence in any of these cases?
    This happens in the private sector all the time.As Caswell Franklin says they might have ….
    You people are too petty.

  5. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Alvin

    Are you really that silly or is it an act?

    I pointed out that some people were in possession of the questions and answers in advance of the interviews which would account for some people passing the interviews with flying colours. I also stated that I am in possession of the questions and answers which came to me from someone who had them in advance.

    Sent from my iPad

  6. abajanhowe Avatar
    abajanhowe

    As usual Caswell is right on the money. Those actions ensure a very “fair” election for the right price. They are flooding every agency with the best incompetents not suited for the jobs, but we must know that they are party faithfuls that will get out the voters and maybe doing the payouts so we cannot accuse the big heads of any impropriety relating to vote buying.

    The tilt of Barbados is so precarious that it seems as though we will never recover from the serious slide and perpetrated on this docile people by serious criminals in our dishonorable Parliament.

    How the BU community can seriously read much of the piffle from some of the YARDFOWLS here is way beyond me. Let’s try as I do to totally ignore the likes so that they won’t get the attention that they so crave.

  7. abajanhowe Avatar
    abajanhowe

    When is Customs going to take action because of these injustices?

  8. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Alvin…you are such a jackass…nepotism is a crime in developed and developing countries…it’s a crime in Canada and the US…dumbass, try it in Canada and see if you are not hauled away in handcuffs…..if it was ever possible for you to serve in the highest offices of Canada.

    Not surprising you have no sense of ethics…you condon crimes against Barbados and Bajans, as long as it’s your government committing them using scam artists, crooks and white criminals from Canada…your are useless.

  9. In and Out Avatar
    In and Out

    Over the years dramatic attitude changes are noticeable at Customs and Immigration (previously manned by the police) . There was a time when those agencies were seen not heard and went about their duties with dignity and quiet friendly efficiency. The officers were known for having a few drinks when off duty probably because of access to duty free. That didn’t subtract from their effectiveness.

    Of late Customs and Immigration are fixtures in the news costing the state millions in lost revenue by incessant industrial action, never ending go slows, unlawful refusal to be part of central collection at BRA ,the list goes on. Immigration’s perception as an agency which mistreats certain visitors surfaced within the last two decades is bringing disrepute to the country. If the Myrie type claims by some travelers are true or untrue were this perception to continue it eventually will hit the island’s only money earner tourism in a catastrophic way.

    Caswell and the antigovernment stooges who dominate the blog need to wake up and read the tea leaves. To leave the situation at Customs and Immigration unattended places the entire society at risk. The rampant gunmen and illegal activity will increase. We are not there yet but intervention must take place immediately . Stock taking is urgent the petty political point scoring and irrelevancies of a typist who lands a job must take a back seat to national emergency.

  10. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    Well Well;
    You say “…nepotism is a crime in developed and developing countries…”

    Tell Bill Gates or Warren Buffet they should not give their relatives a senior job in their organizations and threaten to arrest them. See how stupid your comment is?
    It happens all over the world, all the time. Are you telling me that if YOU had the authority, and your daUGHTER WAS IN NEED OF A JOB OR A PROMOTION AND YOU HAD THE AUTHORITY YOU WOULD NOT “PULL STRINGS” TO ATTAIN THAT OBJECTIVE? BULL!!

    EVERY DAY HERE IN TORONTO I read about these events. You may refer to them as ;scam artists, but this is the way business is conducted; it is called reality, and cannot be avoided at all levels.

  11. Anonymouse - TheGazer Avatar
    Anonymouse – TheGazer

    Even a blind man could have seen this coming. One morning these guys would wake up and realize that they are the law makers/enforcers. The buck stops at their doorstep; they are not answerable to anyone.

    They can change the rules by making a phone call.

    Guess, there really is no need for a university education as it is who you know and not what you know.

    At least they are making the effort of having the chosen ones ‘prepare’ for the exams. In time, they will make this inconvenience will go away

  12. bajans Avatar
    bajans

    If you have to be a three to become a two, and if you have to be customs trained to become a three, then whether you have the questions and answers or not, you do NOT qualify for an interview. Those persons should have been weeded out at the pre-screening. Nasty is as nasty does and Alvin Cummins cannot compare family owned businesses to the civil service where tax payers foot the bill.

  13. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @WW&C
    Alvin…you are such a jackass…nepotism is a crime in developed and developing countries…it’s a crime in Canada and the US…dumbass, try it in Canada and see if you are not hauled away in handcuffs…..
    +++++++
    I “learn” something new on BU everyday, could you point me to an instance where someone was hauled before the courts for “nepotism”?

  14. Anonymouse - TheGazer Avatar
    Anonymouse – TheGazer

    Sargeant,
    There is some merit in what WW&C said.
    I am a part of the interview process in my department. I am given areas to examine and at the end of it, I must submit my notes to HR. I suspect that no-one look at these notes, but if there is a court case, I suspect the company’s lawyers will be reading them. You can always find ways to work a system, but companies are very careful in how they do so.

    WW&C might have stated it in too simple a manner for BU.

    I suspect that the two examples that AC gave are not good examples of men who would engage in nepotism. It seems as if AC world’s view has corruption and scams as part of its norm. It may be best for him to be quiet and to make way to a next generation as he has nothing worthwhile to offer the country.

  15. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    the govt is discouraging nepotism in favour of cronyism

  16. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Alvin Cummins. Nepotism is illegal in the public sectors of USA, Canada, UK etc. There are no laws against it in private companies unless there is racial discrimination (boss hires only the same race, religion, national origin, etc), sexual harassment (boss promotes only individuals who have engaged in sexual relations with her), or if it is a publicly traded company and the boss fails to disclose potential conflicts of interest.

  17. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Sargeant…ya really close to the examples….so google it, I have come across cases in the US.

    When you interview at corporations, they do not hire husbands and wives for the same department, unless they have recently changed that policy……. unless the company is family owned, I am going by memory here, but as recently as 8 years ago, you were asked on your applications if you have a relative who worked or used to work for the Corporation….my daughter was asked that when she was hired at a Corporation I once worked for……they do have to protect their interests from any conflict.

    I will not get into the non-disclosures….but they do nothing halfassed.

    Now if ya talking about Barbados…that’s a completely different lesson to be learned.

    The crap Dennis Kelman did recently, hiring his nephew’s wife to the taxpayer payroll by stealth, then lying about it, should have seen him fired for nepotism. …but Fruendel is weak and would have done the same thing……..they are steaming in crap.

    Alvin…you are so dumb am surprised you do not ache….family businesses do not have that problem, but they too must be careful, government agencies and publicly traded companies that are not family owned have to comply with set policies…..

    …..my daughters and sons are intelligent enough to get jobs on their own merits, they do not even need to work in the family owned business….they network using their University connections….they know how to be independent. …so use another example….besides…you may not have been, but you are trained in North America to use networking as the main tool for job searches…only weak people like you would use nepotism.

    I have a friend been at JPMorgan for 30 years, they always layoff periodically and to stay in the bank you have to continually network within the bank.

  18. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    In and Out
    Let us get the 40% who did not vote in 2013 and we will show you how to run a country fair and without fear of the lowlife politicians such as yourself.Sumsabeeches.

  19. Topcat Avatar
    Topcat

    The point here is that border control is crucial it is a specialize area where training is paramount. One has to complete the relevant training before one is appointed a Customs Officer. A civilian can’t be appointed to the Police force the same goes for a Customs Officers. That is the point I am making about the typist automatically becoming a Custom Officer two which is a senior rank in the department. You can’t become an Inspector of Police without being a corporal. She move from Typist straight to a high rank officer because she is the mother of the Chairman’s grandson. And you all are wondering about guns and all sorts of things being smuggled into this country!! Give me a break fool who said that an untrained inexperience person being appointed to a senior post in our security department is not relevant!!

  20. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @The Gazer

    Gov’ts and Corporations may discourage nepotism but there are no laws against it, check out the Police or Fire Depts in most major cities and see who is employed. I used to work with a guy at a private Corp who screwed up all the time and everyone would roll their eyes because he was a VP’s son until one day even his father couldn’t save him. I came across many sons and daughters of top officials in companies who were “fast tracked” to senior positions, sometimes the relationship is hidden e.g. nephew or niece with different last names but it is all the same, sometimes executives use other executives in a quid pro quo arrangement I’ll take on your favourite as a mentor if you would do the same for me.

    As for interview panels, when the decision to hire is up to the Head of a Dept. the interview panel may indicate their preference as to which individual is the best candidate but the Dept. Head is not obliged to take it when he/or she is already fixed on their preferred choice.

  21. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Alvin is just being the idiot that he is….

    Who cares if nepotism is illegal or not?
    IT IS WRONG.
    Obviously lawmakers who do it all the time will not make it ‘illegal’….
    …but it is still WRONG, immoral and inefficient.

    …and if the Custom Officers allow it …then they deserve to be wronged…
    …and should all be made to wear BRAs …especially the so-called ‘men’….
    …who should be issued with panties too.

  22. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Exactly, what are we expecting to come about after this exposure? Sweet- F- all. Was not the Minister of Housing,instrumental in securing his sister-in-law , a senior position in his ministry over, a career public employee who was acting in the position for a while? And bugger all was done to address this blatant exercise in nepotism,except for the same minister making the asinine remark that his sister-in-law, “had come first in the interview.”
    Has it not sunk in that we are living under a dictatorship?

  23. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Well Well & Consequences September 11, 2016 at 6:53 PM #

    “The crap Dennis Kelman did recently, hiring his nephew’s wife to the taxpayer payroll by stealth, then lying about it, should have seen him fired for nepotism. …but Fruendel is weak and would have done the same thing……..they are steaming in crap.”

    @ WW&C

    Remember in May 2015, Michael Lashley attempted to hire his relative (by stealth) as a Clerical Officer at the Transport Board, which resulted in employees staging industrial action.

  24. TINGS DAT RING BELLS Avatar
    TINGS DAT RING BELLS

    The mind simply boggles particularly at those who feel that this behaviour in the public sector paid for by the taxpayers of the country is just fine. Please note I said public sector. Private businesses can invite their 100 year old grandmothers to head their companies if they so wish but the public sector? It does not take a rocket scientist to even begin to understand that this out of order. Anything else? Exactly what have we become when one can open mouth and just spew out nonsense.

  25. Anne Avatar
    Anne

    I hope the workers at Customs stand their ground. This behaviour is obnoxious. And we wonder why our young people have no standards. This has been going on for a very long time. It has to stop, that is why the morale in the Civil Service is at an all time low. The whole thing stinks.

  26. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Art…I heard about that…they are corrupt and believe themselves unanswerable to the taxpayers, believe they can spend taxpayer’s money on whomever they please, give it away to whoever bribes them….

    ……their yardfowls like Alvin are cursed with corrupt minds and love corruption.

  27. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Art…I heard about that…they are corrupt and believe themselves unanswerable to the taxpayers, believe they can spend taxpayer’s money on whomever they please, give it away to whoever bribes them….

    ……their yardfowls like Alvin are cursed with corrupt minds and love corruption.

    Some city and states have passed anti-nepotism laws, I dont know where Sargeant was looking, small businesses do not take it seriously but public sector and large corporations do.

    http://ow.ly/BwcV3047Wdy

  28. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Sargeant….when you google certain things, you must use key words, particularly if the same law or uniform codes are different in every state.

  29. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    http://ow.ly/tLIo3047YhF

    Anti-nepotism rules in Canada.

  30. BaJan boy Avatar
    BaJan boy

    I have difficulty understanding why you guys would insult a jackass by put Alvin Cummins in the same category..
    He is a total ra$& hole who would say and do anything in Defence of this incompetent,uncaring,disrespectful government as long as they stay is in office without regard for the repercussions on your average man in this country.
    He should be relegated to the garbage they refused to collect and left along side the road.
    How can some one truly despite which party they support if they the slightest bit of decency the slightest bit of nepotism when it will obviously have a negative impact on other lives. Give a break..

  31. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Dealing with Nepotism in the UK.

    http://ow.ly/DkF23048cTV

    “Legalities

    As of 2011, there are no standard national business laws that address nepotism. It is ultimately up to each state to determine nepotism laws. A common anti-nepotism measure is the anonymous application, but this is usually only used for state employment. As such, some businesses — especially family-owned companies — may openly embrace the concept. Other companies may outright ban nepotism, prohibiting family members from working with one another. Depending on the state, victims may legally combat nepotism when it is tied to racial, sexual or religious discrimination or wrongful termination. However, if consequences wrought by an act of nepotism are not illegal, the victim may have little legal ground to stand on.”

    ” Considerations

    Sometimes, nepotism and discrimination are closely tied in a subtle fashion, resulting in morally ambiguous situations. In a 2009 case against the City of New Haven, black firefighters argued that only white firefighters had been promoted via a test. Adding shades of nepotism to the case, all the black firefighters were first-generation firefighters while some white candidates came from firefighting families, giving them access to better study materials. Anti-nepotism sometimes occurs as well, putting qualified workers at a disadvantage due to company policy, such as when a seasoned employee is fired for marrying a co-worker.”

    References

    Criminal Law Lawyer Source: Nepotism
    Care 2; When Nepotism Means Discrimination…; June 2009
    “The Journal of Legal Studies”; Discrimination and Nepotism…; Chaim Fershtman, et al.; June 2005
    Employee Issues: Nepotism

    Nepotism in the public sector breeds corruption, incompetence and inefficiency, it’s a blight that enlightened countries are trying to control. Something is very wrong with a blighted mind that sees nothing wrong with it….

  32. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    What bothers the hell outta me is, Barbados has at least 1100 lawyers, parliament is riddled with lawyers….yet none of them even bother to research precedents or check under international law to see if they are doing anything morally or ethically wrong….they just do whatever they like and do not expect any consequences because they do not accept blame or responsibility for their actions no matter how destructive to the people or the island……and all of them have that same pack mentality.

  33. ac Avatar
    ac

    @bajan boy i have difficulty understanding how you can regulate any one jndividual to a garbage dump when your leader of the BLP Mia has been accused by one of her members in court records accusing her as a thief and voting scams. Idiot you have no moral authority to condemed or judge any one opinions on political matters. First you should check your political household and those than dwell there in

  34. Anonymouse - TheGazer Avatar
    Anonymouse – TheGazer

    @Sargeant
    Sargeant September 11, 2016 at 9:06 PM #
    @The Gazer

    “Gov’ts and Corporations may discourage nepotism but there are no laws against it, check out the Police or Fire Depts in most major cities and see who is employed.”

    That was true in the past, but now, in most big cities, there are standards that have to be met. and exams that have to be passed. In a smaller city, they may not be as rigorous….

  35. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    In other jurisdictions you actually need to SIGN a document that you are NOT related to anybody hiring you or anybody in your ministry/department.

    These are the jurisdictions GETTING money for treasury bonds, not PAYING interests. There is a certain reason, why international investors PAY(!!!) money for treasury bonds. Because the know that the masters of the public service in these jurisdictions rule with IRON FIST.

  36. BAJAN THAT AIN;T VOTING FOR SHITE Avatar
    BAJAN THAT AIN;T VOTING FOR SHITE

    This is the reason why Ministers want the vote of the poor people. Not to make decisions in the best interest of the country that will make it better for the poor but to create positions for FRIENDS AND FAMILY. On both sides its a damn shame. Permanent Secretaries and Chairmen of Boards do the same shit. Once they have the poor people tick on that they they go to the ballot to france with the poor. Tax them and show them who is boss. Raise cost of living make them choose between food and bills. Do give them back any income tax make them wait three years or more. Ministers, chairmen and permanent secretaries take your friends and family to expensive dinners and wine and dine have board meetings and talk about policies and document them then file them away make it look like you all are doing something then collect the big fat pay. Use government vehicles to do your private business use out the taxpayers money because more will appear out of thin air/.

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading