Editorial

Security

Politics

World

Letters

Sports

Obituaries

Archives

Boost for Sri Lankan migrant workers

by Don Asoka Wijewardena

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka and Lebanon to be signed next month is aimed at improving the working conditions of over 80,000 Sri Lankans employed in Lebanon. The MoU to be signed by Minister of Employment and Labour Mahinda Samarasinghe and his Lebanese counterpart Assad Handan, will also strengthen bi-lateral relations between the two countries.

Minister Samarasinghe who made an official visit to Lebanon recently met several senior government officials and the Lebanese Minister of Labour and discussed the working conditions of Sri Lankan workers there. He said that of the 80,000 workers, about 10,000 were employed illegally and that 197 Sri Lankans had been imprisoned due to various unlawful activities. He added that the Lebanese government had agreed to release those workers after the successful discussions, he had with those officials.

According to the minister,the contents of the MoU include: Accrediting and upgrading training centres in Sri Lanka and educating prospective Sri Lankan employees about the working conditions, culture, rules and regulations of the government and traditions in Lebanon; making training certificates mandatory for those who complete training courses;making it compulsory for training centres to obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Labour in Lebanon for setting up such centres; making medical and life insurance compulsory for work permits for Sri Lankan workers with one or more insurance policies provided in accordance with the law in force in Lebanon.

The MoU will also help prevent illegal employment of Sri Lankans and employment of under-aged workers with forged documents by making mandatory for the Sri Lankan Embassy in Lebanon to provide the necessary documents along with the application.

Meanwhile, Chairman, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), Susantha Fernando, said that five training centres in collaboration with Yamen International (Pvt) Ltd would be opened in Kurunegala, Kandy, Anuradhapura and Colombo districts to train housemaids before they leave for Lebanon. Mr. Fernando also said that it would be compulsory for all those seeking jobs as housemaids to undergo the required training programmes with effect from July 1.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager