The Jamaican Senate on Friday approved much tougher penalties for illegal employment agencies purporting to provide jobs overseas for Jamaican workers, fleecing them of their money in the process.

This followed a similar move by the House of Representatives a few weeks ago.

The amendments to the Employment Agencies Regulation Act provide, among other things, for a maximum fine of one million dollars or twelve months imprisonment for a breach of a section of the Act. This represents a huge increase from the existing fine of $400.

Senator Floyd Morris, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour & Social Security, in piloting the bill, acknowledged that for too long fraudsters had been able to fleece unsuspecting persons of substantial sums of money with grandiose promises of lucrative jobs abroad.

This, he said, had brought untold hardships to bear on the victims of these fraudulent schemes.

The Minister of State told his colleagues that the programmes administered by the 73 registered employment agencies would be subject to the same level of monitoring and scrutiny as is the case for the labour ministry’s own overseas employment programmes.

Opposition member, Dwight Nelson, urged the government to require that all contracts between recruiters and recruits be in writing, not oral, as is the case, by law in the United States and Ireland, among other jurisdictions.

He also advocated that the Singaporean model – providing victims support services to exploited nationals abroad – be instituted at Jamaica’s overseas missions.

The plight of victims of fraudulent overseas employment schemes figured prominently in the news last year. Scores of persons in South St. Elizabeth, Kingston and Portland were fleeced of substantial sums of money with false promises.

One suspect was eventually arrested in Portland and is now on trial.

That is just wonderful news Earl! Thanks much for posting this.

To Earl Moxam any intrest in runing for member of parliament for the TB. and surounding areas i think you would do just fine i hereby nominate you any one second this motion .

Although Earl might prize his neck too much, the motion is decidedly seconded.

I second the motion.

Thanks for the good thoughts, guys, but the answer is a resounding NO!

Remember the saying: "Palm Sunday is followed by the Crucifixion"!

I have no such desire or intention.

Thank you Earl for bringing this very important issue into the headlines once again. Too many of our citizens have been mislead and robbed of their hard earned wages by these fraudulent schemes. You have my vote as well. Nuff respect.

I'd for you, Earl - and I just got my voter I.D. card the other day!

Its okay Earl were not rushing you being the humble and so helpful person you are i know it could be a simple night of peaceful sleep with you awaken out of a dream you just had one of your beloved TB. elderely nieghbour complaining i cant take the dust from the bad roads anymore and the pipes that are always dry some one please help us. Keep up the good work sir. ps. some one organize a voter reg. drive please.