World

Top Jobs That are Financially Secure During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Published

5 years ago

June 26, 2020

For most people, when the economy is doing well, job security is the last thing on many people’s minds. But since the emergence of coronavirus, millions of Americans all over the world have suffered job loss due to the pandemic, and finding a new one may be even harder during this recession.

With the emergence of the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control has issued various solutions to reduce the spread of the virus, including orders to stay home. Many Americans are indeed staying home to reduce the spread, but in doing so, it’s heavily impacting their livelihood.

This pandemic has impacted the lives of everyone, from serious illness to death, but if there’s one positive takeaway from all of it is its impact on society’s perception of lower-income jobs. Jobs that were once looked at as “entry-level” or low-paying jobs, have now been deemed as “essential businesses.”

The people working in these positions typically, live paycheck to paycheck and some don’t even have access to sick pay or healthcare… people in these positions are called “essential employees.” But before the pandemic, these people weren’t looked at as essential, they were simply looked at as “regular” workers.

That’s not saying that people in higher-up positions aren’t essential, because certain ones are, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the typical list of jobs that have the most financial security looks a little bit different now. Let’s take a look at the new and improved list of top jobs that offer the most job security since the emergence of the coronavirus.

Top Jobs With the Most Financial Security During the Coronavirus

Grocery Store Employees

When people think of coronavirus heroes, the first people that come to mind are doctors, nurses, and nursing assistants… Not to get things misconstrued, medical professionals are definitely the heroes that have helped keep our nation alive during the pandemic, but there is another group of heroes that has played a pivotal role in keeping the nation alive as well, and that is our grocery store workers.

According to northjersey.com, grocery store workers are the “unsung heroes” of the coronavirus. People forget that the grocery workers are just as much on the frontlines helping customers just as much as nurses are in treating patients.

Ever since the coronavirus has shaken the world to its core, the level of respect and appreciation for grocery store workers has increased dramatically. These overlooked workers are what the government calls “essential employees,” and to have a job in this field, you are very valuable now more than ever before.

Coronavirus has definitely changed the world’s perception of what grocery store workers do, and because of that, the job security in this field will always be in high demand. To all grocery store employees, you are appreciated; you are valued. Thank you.

Physicians

What better time than now to start your career as a physician? Since the emergence of the coronavirus, doctors have been needed now more than ever before. Yes, there will always be a need for doctors but with pandemic going on, there seems to be a shortage of doctors now.

To flatten the curve, doctors are now offering telehealth options now, and there are several doctors that are in favor of digital healthcare options. Yes, certain things can’t be done digitally but for everything else like standard virtual visits and writing prescriptions… those can all be done virtually, while still providing the same level of care.

But, of course, doctors are still needed on the frontlines to aid in testing and treating patients battling the virus. If you are a doctor that wants to help flatten the curve, here is a physician job search engine to find jobs in family medicine. Your assistance is needed.

Pharmacists

The world is in dire need of pharmacists now. Although there isn’t a cure for the coronavirus, there are treatments for some of the symptoms associated with the virus. Everything from inhalers and cough medicines to upper respiratory antibiotics and nasal sprays, the coronavirus takes a major toll on the body, especially for those with compromised immune systems.

Without pharmacists being out on the frontlines providing people with the medications prescribed by their doctors, the fatality rate may be higher than what it already is.

Truck Drivers

If you can recall, there was once a point in time not very long ago where there was an extreme shortage in toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and antibacterial cleaners like Lysol and bleach products… Well, how do you think those products hit the shelves of various stores? It’s from truck drivers.

You see these big 18-wheeler trucks on the road all the time but you never think about just how essential they are to society and the world of retail. The coronavirus has shed a bright light on these “newly essential” employees. Just remember, if it wasn’t for them leaving their families at home to drive overnight to get truckloads of toilet paper and antibacterial product to stores, nobody would be able to practice the sanitizing habits

World

Criminal probe focussed on Mehtas shipping business

Published

3 weeks ago

August 6, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

From Monitoring Desk

DUBAI: An Asian family linked with the shipping business is facing criminal investigation in several jurisdictions including in Dubai and Far East where the family’s companies are under active investigation now, according to the authorities in three countries.

Sanjay and Gaurav Mehta, through their companies Best Oasis Ltd in Dubai and Priya Blue Industries in Gujarat, are facing investigations over money-laundering suspicions and suspected links to the Russian oil sector, sanctioned by the western countries, sources shared.

Sanjay and Gaurav Mehta, through their companies Best Oasis Ltd in Dubai and Priya Blue Industries in Gujarat have projected an image of environmental responsibility in ship recycling. They have tout certifications, attend global summits, and positioned themselves as ESG-compliant but their business practices have come under intense probe now. Their operations reportedly involve dismantling high-risk ships, using cash transactions, and leveraging political connections to avoid accountability, a source shared looking into the companies’ affairs. The investigation is being conducted in Dubai and the Far East.

The investigators are looking at the Mehtas operations dating back to 2006 when they came to attention of the law enforcement for the first time. Priya Blue dismantled the “Blue Lady” in 2006, a vessel containing over 1,200 tons of asbestos and radioactive waste, despite protests and objections from Greenpeace. Later, the “Exxon Valdez,” notorious for a major oil spill, was renamed “Oriental Nicety” and dismantled by the Mehtas in Gujarat, drawing international attention. In recent years, their transactions have become less conspicuous but reportedly more hazardous.

In 2025, Best Oasis allegedly acquired and dismantled at least four vessels linked to sanctioned entities, including Iranian and Houthi-controlled networks. These weren’t obscure ships; they were designated under U.S. terrorism sanctions for their involvement in oil smuggling and arms transport. According to investigators, here are the details of the sanctioned ships dismantled by Best Oasis in 2025: IMO: 9155808, Name: NOLAN (SOLAN), Sanction: SDN (SDGT), Beaching: 31 Jan 2025, Plot 16; IMO: 9221657, Name: BLUEFINS, Sanction: SDN (SDGT); Beaching: 26 Feb 2025, Plot 16; IMO: 9105085, Name: CONTRACT II, Sanction: SDN risk, Beaching: Arrived mid-2025, Plot 27; IMO: 9209300, Name: GAMA II, Sanction: SDN (SDGT); and Beaching: Pending/Planned, Plot 34

All four vessels were reportedly dismantled in Alang on plots leased by proxy firms connected to the Mehtas. These short-term leases, approved on a ship-by-ship basis by the Gujarat Maritime Board, reportedly make regulatory oversight nearly impossible. Once dismantling is complete, plot registrations often lapse, leaving no long-term record, according to documents shared by the investigators in Dubai.

Rahul Mistry, a shipping compliance researcher, noted this as a growing pattern: “This is a pattern we’ve seen more frequently in the last two years sanctioned hulls arriving under the radar, processed fast, with no digital trace.”

Payments for these vessels reportedly bypassed normal financial channels. According to sources familiar with the deals, transactions were settled in cash, either on-site or through offshore handlers. One source described entire ship values being paid in foreign currency bundles, avoiding Indian and Dubai banking disclosures, said one of the investigators familiar with the matter.

A retired port official Mr. Akin Yadav, familiar with Alang and Gujarat Maritime Board approvals stated that short-term leases are routinely used to avoid scrutiny, adding, “It was never meant to be a permanent workaround. But it’s become one.”

Political connections also reportedly play a role. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat State Minister Jitu Vaghani have been linked to approvals granted for Best Oasis and its proxies. While there’s no direct evidence of personal gain, sources allege that both men used their influence to expedite approvals, slow down inquiries, and shield the companies from enforcement.

Despite these activities in India, Best Oasis is expanding under new branding. A recent joint venture in Japan with Hiroshi Abe is being marketed as a clean, regionally responsible recycling partner for Japanese shipowners.

Mariko Fujita, a Tokyo-based maritime consultant, observed, “They’re presenting themselves as a new entity with no reference to past controversies. But none of the underlying ownership or structure has changed.”

In Alang, the situation reportedly remains much the same. Plot numbers are reassigned, cash continues to circulate and the same network of breakers and handlers is reportedly involved. Individuals like Jayant Vanani (also known as Budhabhai Patel) and Ramesh Mendapara are frequently named in connection with specific beachings, including “Contract II” and “GAMA II.” Both have been previously linked to other shadow transactions involving distressed or sanctioned tonnage.

Several yards allegedly connected to Best Oasis, including Shantamani Ship Breakers and Sai Baba Ship Breakers, reportedly operate with minimal inspection, despite numerous reports of irregularities in worker safety, hazardous waste disposal, and compliance with Indian scrapping codes.

This system, according to multiple sources, appears to be intentionally designed to operate in plain sight with just enough paperwork to pass basic scrutiny but not enough to trigger meaningful enforcement. There is no indication that regulatory bodies including customs, port health officers, or environmental oversight panels have conducted full inspections of any of the sanctioned vessels listed. Most were reportedly cleared and dismantled within days of arrival.

Rahul Mistry said: “This isn’t merely a loophole; it’s reportedly a business model. Best Oasis and Priya Blue are allegedly running a high-volume, low-visibility operation that filters sanctioned, end-of-life ships through legal instruments to appear legitimate on paper. This reportedly involves routing untaxed funds and shielded actors through a well-connected political and industrial network. As global scrutiny of ESG practices intensifies, many of these activities are allegedly being whitewashed through new partnerships and branding, but the underlying mechanisms reportedly remain unchanged.”