This Friday, the diplomatic headquarters closed the first phase of its call. ‘Cubanet’ was there.
A collaborator of Cubanet which was this Friday on the outskirts of the Granada Embassy in Havana described a strong influx of applicants, in addition to restrictions to record or take photographs in the area.
This Friday closed the first phase of The call of the Embassy For Cuban masons and carpenters, which offers a year of work in that Caribbean country with a weekly salary of $ 200.
The collaborator of Cubanet He said that he arrived at 10:00 am and that, although initially there was almost no movement, around 11:00 “a mob of people began to arrive.” He explained that he tried to document what happened, but was warned that it was not allowed to film or photograph in front of the diplomatic headquarters.
According to his testimony, the final stretch of the day was marked by the urgency of the candidates. “They already closed at 12:00 and they were stopped outside, filling gangs, running,” he said about the minutes before closing. He added that “on Monday the calls already begin”, in reference to communication to the allegedly selected applicants.
The collaborator described the predominant profile among the attendees: “Almost all were forties, fifty,” he said, and stressed that “very few people were under 30 years old,” with a large majority of men.
He indicated that the majority did not seem to be from Havana by their accent and that many arrived directly from their work. “In fact, many arrived with masonry clothes.” Among the trades, he said that “almost all were masons or plumbers.”
The process of presenting forms was described as unusually simple. “They didn’t ask for university titles, or photos, they didn’t ask for anything,” he said. “It was a leaf squeezed how you could fill it even right there; you put what you wanted on the sheet.” He clarified that the main instruction was to complete the contact data and stressed that “they did not ask you to put the years of work experience.”
In comparison with procedures in other diplomatic venues, he said: “It is something very unprofessional, different from how it happens in the United States embassies or the United Kingdom, that when they get job offers one has to send a resume by mail. They did not ask for any of that here.”
In addition, the collaborator of Cubanet He denounced the presence of an individual outside the headquarters who, he said, charged the candidates to manage or facilitate forms. “There was a person outside, a man who was charging for that (…). At the last minute he was saying: ‘I charge for this.”
He also reported specific interactions with some candidates, including the case of “a girl” who was not from Havana and who would have been late. According to her description, the young woman acknowledged not mastering any foreign language. “She doesn’t know any language, or English, but wants to go there [Granada] Let’s see how that is. ”
The collaborator said that “he infiltrated each other” to observe details of the process and that he even filled a form that he did not deliver. Despite the restrictions, he managed to take some videos and photos.
This Friday was part of the interview process that, according to the official call, is held between September 18 and 24 at the Granada Embassy, located in 5th. Avenue, between 20 and 22, beach municipality, in Havana. The offer is aimed at Cuban masons and carpenters with experience to work for a year in that Caribbean country.
The announcement released by the embassy sets the “immediate start” after signing the contract, establishes as a “basic English” requirement and offers a remuneration of “approximately 200 USD per week.” The call includes accommodation, transportation and air passages of first leg and return, in addition to the management of labor permits and visas, according to the text published by the diplomatic headquarters.
As for functions and requirements, the call states that the mason’s profile covers lifting walls and structures, working with bricks, blocks and stone, making waterproofing and finishes, as well as interpreting work plans. The carpenter includes setting structures, installing doors, windows and coatings, manufacturing furniture and running fine carpentry works. In both cases, the use of personal protection equipment and the fulfillment of security protocols are required, according to the Embassy document.
The diplomatic mission recommended that interested parties go rapidly due to the limited process and reported that the selected ones would have accommodation, transport and covered air tickets. The call does not require the number of places available.
The independent environment Eltoque He recalled that the salary offered by the Granada embassy exceeds for more than 50 times the average salary estimated by the representative rate of the informal market. For its part, the newspaper 14ymedio He reported that the response to the work supply of the diplomatic headquarters would have been overwhelming.
