The National Defence Forces F-FDTL New Recruits Commission is being blamed for failing to realize that a new recruit attending military training was an ‘illegal’ who had faked another candidates identity to get in.“This candidate is illegal and managed to get into the Training Centre in Metinaro and attend training because we failed to check names against documents when we called their names to get into the vehicles. We did not properly confirm the identities of the candidates against the official lists. So when we called the candidates’ names, the ‘illegal’ candidate raised his hand and got into the vehicle. That is how he ended up at the Metinaro Training Centre on 30 August just past,” said the Director General of the Secretary of Defence, Joao Cortereal, last week (01/09), at the Government Palace, in Dili.
According to Director Cortereal the illegal candidate was caught on 1 September after the candidate whose identity he stole complained to the recruitment commission.
“Based on the complaint, the commission contacted the Metinaro Training Centre to confirm the illegal candidates’ identity and he was since been removed. The legitimate candidate who passed the selection process went into the Training Centre that same day to start his military training.”
The Commission acknowledges there was a failure within the commission’s process for not confirming each of the new recruits identities against the documents submitted.
“But this also happened because there was a change in the schedule to take in the candidates to the training centre. They were supposed to go in together with the new officers in May,” said Director Cortereal.
Seven youths complained about the recruitment process and the results posted by the recruitment commission based on medical, psychological and physical tests undertaken by each of the candidates.
“Our names were in the lists the committee posted in all the districts but when it came to calling out the candidates names, our names were no longer in the list,” said Tome Freitas a representative of the seven youths who filled complaints due to their names not being in the final list called out.
The seven youths were from the Districts of Baucau, Ainaro, Dili and Manatuto.
In relation to the complaints received the spokesperson of the selection committee Cortereal said the results posted on boards around the country were based on the selection of documentation as well as medical, psychological and physical tests.
“In terms of the names of the seven being in lists in the districts and not on the final list, I do not think that information is correct,” said Cortereal.
He added the complaints received by the commission were already forwarded to the Secretariat of State for Defence, Julio Tomas Pinto, but so far there no notification has been sent back.
