There is a sign, hanging over a window at Immigration, Cancun, in English, which reads, in part, "Our employees are not to receive gratification of any kind" :whip:
What the sign should say is "gratuities," they are combating corruption and trying to let the public know that there is never a requirement to tip the INM agents. One agent who worked at the airport is serving a 10 year prison sentence for taking a $20 USD bribe.
That always kills me when I see signs with incorrect English.. especially big expensive ones that probably costs big bucks to have made... you would think of all places the INM office could have had someone proof read it... Then again....maybe the folks at INM like things to be confusing... :wink:
DON'T YOU OFFER ME NO GRATIFICATION! Can't accept no, gratification, I can't accept no, gratification, Can't accept no, gratification, Though I try, though I try, hey, hey! :mrgreen:
OVERLY HARSH? The rule, itself, raises an interesting dilemma: if not enforced during off-duty hours the rule becomes meaningless, yet to enforce it at all times seems a bit austere, even for the upright employees of INM.
Federal employees in Mexico are not allowed to accept gifts or tips or bribes, under any circumstances, at any time. They can go to prison for accepting a box of chocolates. Given how bad corruption is here this rule is pretty important. I cannot tell you how many times my Fed has come home and told me that he turned down a tip/bribe that was more than his whole salary for the day amounted to. It's pretty painful to make so little and to have to turn down easy money. But once you cross the line you don't come back. There can be no gray area. If you take a tip for letting a VIP jump the line, you are one step away from taking a bribe to let an illegal into the country without inspection.
For the first 2 years we lived here Wal-Mart in Centro had a large sign at the front of the store that read "Costumer Service". They also would "Not Accept 100 Dollar Bill". Perhaps if Bill had serviced his costume they would have been more accepting.
Of course this thread is intended as a joke, with an allusion to "sexual gratification," as contained in the title, "The loneliest job..." I tried to carry the joke forward, by writing, "The rule, itself [that employees are not to receive gratification of any kind], raises an interesting dilemma: if not enforced during off-duty hours the rule becomes meaningless, yet to enforce it at all times seems a bit austere, even for the upright employees of INM." However, it seems this subject may cut a little too close to the bone for some people to find it funny, especially if they happen to have friends, or family, who work at INM. Those who read this forum, regularly, have read several posts in which I've talked about corruption, and the need to stop it at the grassroots level. They also know about my personal experiences with INM, in which everything has been done by the book- with no hints at any wrongdoing, of any kind- by the staff there. (For those of you who are curious about what I've said, recently, on this subject, please see page four of the thread, "Why do you live in Cancun.") I knew the Mex Gov was doing a lot to try to limit corruption, but what Rivergirl has shared with us is truly amazing, and good news for everybody concerned.
