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| Sunday, 21 July 2002 |
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Foreign remittances top the $ 1b mark by Elmo Leonard Sri Lanka is in the process of implementing a range of strategies to make its labour force more competitive in the global job market, and thereby increase foreign exchange remittances. In 2001, Sri Lanka earned US$ 1,125 million by way of foreign remittances, from 183,888 persons employed overseas. Foreign remittances have been the island's biggest foreign exchange earner in the past few years. In 1997, foreign remittances worth US$ 921 million were recorded. Housemaids make up the bulk of Sri Lankan migrant workers, numbering 102,811 last year. The quality of Sri Lanka's migrant workers can also be improved, by teaching them English and other necessities. This way, the present overseas labour force could bring in a third more of foreign remittances to the country, Minister of Employment and Labour Mahinda Samarasinghe said. Schemes are also under way to keep out unscrupulous persons from getting hold of foreign remittances. Minister Samarasinghe will present Sri Lanka's first National Employment Policy shortly. Through this policy, a human resources pool will be formed to recruit people to be employed overseas. The Labour Minister promised that this pool would be free of political interference. The Minister will also present the proposed National Productivity Policy to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on July 31. He referred to Sri Lanka's overseas workers as `unsung heroes,' doing yeoman service towards the economy of their motherland. The Bandaranaike International Airport will soon operate a departure lounge for Sri Lankans leaving for, and returning from foreign employment. "Ours will be the first country in the world to offer such facilities to its migrant workers," the Minister claimed. The overseas workers would be provided meals and other facilities free of charge. The country has 1,900 foreign employment agencies, of which half are not very active, Chairman, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Susantha Fernando said. In mid-October, a National Awards Scheme for Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies will be held to honour excellence in their work. The brainchild of Minister Samarasinghe, this scheme is also intended to motivate foreign employment agencies to reach excellence in the recruitment of personnel. The panel of judges would comprise representatives of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing, Institute of Chartered Accountants, representatives of the Ministry and professionals. The awards ceremony is organised by Patrick Amarasinghe Associates. The Labour Ministry will also enhance its database on where the workers are posted overseas, and look into their health problems. Migrant workers in the Philippines are given a training, including competency in English and Filipino workers receive much higher wages than their Sri Lankan counterparts. Under a UNICEF scheme, the Labour Ministry has commenced monitoring the health and other needs of children of women working overseas in the districts of Galle, Kandy, Kurunegala and Kalutara. This scheme will later be extended to other parts of the island. The Labour Minister has initiated an international labour ministers' conference, which will be held in Sri Lanka next January. It is also intended to bring up such issues as abuses suffered by migrant workers by their masters, Minister Samarasinghe said. |
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