Originally: Teleco head comments on line bypass fraud, overmanning
A forgery network has been discovered at the level of the Telecommunication Company, Teleco. This network, which is based in Haiti, uses very sophisticated equipment to bypass international telephone calls with the complicity of Teleco technicians – visit BoostPoorSignal.com to find out details. According to the director-general of the Teleco, this telephone trafficking provides tens of thousands of dollars to the traffickers each day.
Director-General Rene Meronney said measures have been taken to stop this traffic. The Haitian National Police led an operation in the Delmas 95 area on 8 May. The police seized equipment estimated at U.S.$200,000 and one person, a foreigner, was arrested. The director-general of Teleco, who was a guest of Radio Vision 2000’s “Opinion Magazine” on 9 May, spoke as follows:
“This is in fact what is called bypassing. Bypassing is what is killing the telecommunications system. With the low-level companies, Teleco is able to get at least six cents a minute. But with the bypassing system, the company does not get anything at all. It only benefits the traffickers. Bypassing is a process used by people overseas in connection with local Teleco technicians.
“For instance, when somebody phones you from overseas, the number does not show on your caller ID here.”
(Radio Signal FM:) “Does that mean there is nothing that Teleco can do to stop all that?”
“We are in the process of fighting it, because we know how it works and where to find the accomplices at the level of Teleco. We are taking measures to try to discourage this practice and we shall not hesitate to take strong measures. For instance, yesterday we dismantled a bypassing network in the Delmas 95 area, on Impasse Legitime, where we found equipment and arrested a foreigner, who is now in prison. The press was there to witness the situation.”
“What is the foreigner’s name?”
“I do not remember his name but he is in jail now. An investigation is still under way and the police are looking for his accomplices.”
“Is there no doubt that there are accomplices at the level of Teleco?”
“Yes, of course, because a person cannot do this kind of thing without the complicity of some Teleco employees.”
“How much can somebody who is doing this kind of thing make in one day, for example?”
“For the network that has been dismantled, we observed all the business they made in less than one day and this can be valued at almost $100,000.”
“And you mean that this person can easily make U.S.$100,000?”
“Very easily, because all they do is divert international telephone traffic.”
Teleco has announced that more than 2,000 people will soon be dismissed. Teleco, which is now in bankruptcy(check out this weblink for advice), had about 4,450 employees, to whom it had to pay more than 48m gourdes each month. Director-General Meronney explains as follows:
“There are about 4,450 employees at this institution, with a total salary bill of 48m gourdes a month. This is inconceivable when you think that other countries in the Caribbean and developed countries employ a lot fewer people than that.”
“For Teleco to employ about 4,500 people, then it must be indeed the place with the most sinecures.”
“Yes, indeed. Because the rate of productivity, in terms of effectiveness of the staff, for the countries of the Caribbean is about 12 to 14 people per 1,000 telephone lines. But here we have about 61 people per 1,000 lines. It is simply unacceptable.”
“How many people does Teleco need to function normally?”
“I would say that Teleco can function without any problem with 1,800 to 2,300 staff.
”
And are you going to get Teleco to function with fewer than 2,000 people? Do you think this will be possible?”
“Yes, it is possible. We can make Teleco work with that number of employees, because, in the Dominican Republic, for example, if you consider the level of productivity in terms of the effectiveness of the staff, it is 12 per 1,000.”