More job opportunities from Israel

By Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Some Lankan workers in Israel

Sri Lanka is to obtain more employment opportunities from Israel as employers are very happy with the Sri Lankan workforce that has successfully completed their assignment. Chairman Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency, (SLFEA) Asanga Abeygunasekera said that the first batch of 300 Sri Lankan workers who worked in Agricultural fields have completed their contract and returned to the country.

“These employees earned an average of over Rs. 100,000 per month and they were also paid overtime and facilities extended to them were of a high standard.”

He said that local employees were provided quality accommodation, were paid overtime and they even had regular off days to see the country. Safety and health aspects too were well looked after.

Even individual bank accounts were opened for each Sri Lankan. The contract further stipulated rest time, food, accommodation, heat, water, kitchen equipment and other basic needs which have to be provided by the employer. As in the case of Israel’s own workers, these workers are entitled to resort to the ‘Labour Ombudsman’ in Israel regarding grievances and violation of employment rights.

“The employer-employee relationship is very cordial and this is why the Israelis are re-calling the Lankan workforce.” He said that due to the successful track record of the Sri Lankan workforce Israel has increased the quota by 200. Deployment of 300 workers to Israel is the third large project handled by ‘Sayuren Etherata’ Programme launched within four months of its launch in June 2010 by the SLFEA. It started with deployment of 40 factory workers to Malaysia followed by fulfilling a job order of 78 factory workers who are waiting to fly in early November 2011 to the same destination.

He said that Israelis were one of the most successful agriculturalists of the world and local employees gained valuable knowledge through them.

It was the Israelis who introduced drip irrigation and several other novel methods to increase harvest in agriculture. This is the first time that Sri Lankan employees have entered the Israel job market in the agriculture sector where, 30,000 workers from Thailand have dominated.

“The Israelis” earn over US $ two billion per month from cut flower exports which shows their potential.” The two governments wish to express thanks to organizations and persons who contributed to the success of recruiting and deploying these workers under a pilot project.

All Ministries of Sri Lanka and Israel, especially officials of the Israel Embassy in New Delhi, Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency and Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment whose tireless efforts contributed immensely to the success of this project.

The visiting Israel Minister of Agriculture, Orit Noked who met Minister of Foreign Employment, Dilan Perera said that they are happy to extend further job opportunities to Sri Lanka because of the success of this pilot project. Such opportunities will not only expand in the same sector but also into many other sectors as well.

The two countries agreed to cooperate to achieve national and international goals of agricultural development, promote exchange of technical and scientific knowledge for the benefit of the agricultural sector as well as to exchange data and experience on agricultural policies and their implementation and extension, research and development system and encourage cooperation between respective associations and the private sector of both countries, said Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane.