The ministry promises developers that they will benefit from the “publicity” generated from the app
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is calling for developers to build an app that would serve foreign workers.
This app would be used to disseminate important information to foreign workers, such as employment rights, work responsibilities, and societal norms in Singapore.
But the purpose of the article is not a call to action, but to highlight the fact that the MOM, with its vast pool of resources, is asking for this app to be developed on a pro-bono basis.
MOM will provide developers with all the content, including publications and instructional videos, survey findings and publicity platforms to help developers launch the app.
In return, the developers will get “an attractive launch-pad among foreign workers with MOM-related content.” They will also receive help from MOM to publicise the app. This, MOM says, will boost advertisers’ reach on the app.
Beyond building the app, developers are expected to update content in the app “when required”.
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They also need to operate, maintain and market the app to foreign workers as well as translate and forward all of the foreign workers’ feedback to MOM.
Once again, I reiterate that the developers have to do all of these for free. They basically have to be on a retainer and expect no remuneration.
Do the powers-that-be, who are, ironically, in charge of the nation’s manpower policies, expect labour to be free? Do they think free exposure feeds mouths?
The creative industry is often bombarded by such inane requests. For example, some shameless clients expect photographers to charge insultingly-low fees because it is part of their “passion”.
But this is the government, who must be held to a higher standard than a cheap husband who wants to save a few bucks on his wedding photography.
If you want something done — be it an app built or a series of portrait photos taken — have the decency to compensate the provider with a fee that commensurates with their skillsets and time.
Recently, a Twitter chat between a programmer and a client went viral when the client demanded that the programmer wrote 40 hours worth of code for free.
MOM’s new request represents a new low. Build an app and maintain it for free? Hell no, mate.
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Image Credit: MOM
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