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1.4 billion dollar translation fraud on the U.S. gov't from Afghan languages contractor
Thread poster: Bryan Crumpler
Bryan Crumpler
Bryan Crumpler  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:15
Dutch to English
+ ...
Sep 13, 2010

Interesting story from this weekend...

Agency allegedly falsifies proficiency examinations and gets awarded 1.4 billion dollar translation/interpretation contract in U.S. taxpayer monies.

The reporter indicated that these translators make over $200k a year to "just make things up".

Article & video here:

http://bit.ly/9ypz1E

[Edited at 2010-09-13 14:48 GMT]
 
RominaZ
RominaZ  Identity Verified
Argentina
English to Spanish
+ ...
Thanks for sharing this news Sep 13, 2010

Hi Byan,

Thanks for sharing this news. There is also a similar story on the same published here .

Romina

P.S. You can follow ProZ.com Translation News on Twitter using these hashtags #Translation #News
 
John Rawlins
John Rawlins  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:15
Spanish to English
+ ...
Battlefield fraud Sep 13, 2010

War is hell.
 
Edward Potter
Edward Potter  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:15
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Lots of lessons here Sep 13, 2010

Interesting situation.

Here we have lots and lots of government money available for a desperate situation.

The current talent pool simply cannot cater to the U.S. Government's demands.

If the Government were to approach me and my company with all these riches, charging me to meet their needs, I would enter into negotiations. I would never promise to meet their entire supply needs. I would explain that this would not be possible, then make a counter proposa... See more
Interesting situation.

Here we have lots and lots of government money available for a desperate situation.

The current talent pool simply cannot cater to the U.S. Government's demands.

If the Government were to approach me and my company with all these riches, charging me to meet their needs, I would enter into negotiations. I would never promise to meet their entire supply needs. I would explain that this would not be possible, then make a counter proposal along these lines:

I would set up a school and accept promising students who might become qualified interpreters after 1-2 years of intensive training. I would give them a fairly exact number of interpreters to be produced after starting the process. This number would not be close to their demands, but perhaps if they found other capable companies, such as mine, they might come closer.

Of course, the Wizards of Smart in the Government went to the guy promising the moon on a stick, and gave him the millions.

The government official who awarded the contract should go to jail, along with the president of the company. I predict neither will.

[Edited at 2010-09-13 23:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
Bryan Crumpler
Bryan Crumpler  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:15
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Hahaha... Sep 13, 2010

Edward Potter wrote:

Of course, the Wizards of Smart in the Government went to the guy promising the moon on a stick, and gave him the millions.




The moon on a stick... That is a new one for me. Utterly hilarious, in any case.

I was thinking the same. If they needed to fulfill the demand, why are they not training people internally with the lingual capacity to achieve the desired level?

I wonder how many of these people came out of DLIFLC.

[Edited at 2010-09-13 23:30 GMT]
 
urbom
urbom
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:15
German to English
+ ...
Language Log discussion Sep 14, 2010

Issues concerning interpreters and interpreting in Afghanistan were discussed recently on the mighty Language Log:

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2618

The lengthy comment posted there by Ted McClure is particularly thoughtful and well-informed.
 


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1.4 billion dollar translation fraud on the U.S. gov't from Afghan languages contractor







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