by Ananda Kannangara
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has launched a massive operation to crackdown fake job agents who advertise in newspapers promising lucrative jobs in the Middle Eastern and non- Middle Eastern countries.
The Bureau statistics reveals that many individuals are also in the habit of advertising in newspapers on foreign jobs with lucrative remunerations. Chairman, SLBEF, Kingsly Ranawaka told the Sunday Observer that steps have already been taken to raid illicit job agencies which advertise fake job vacancies in newspapers and also obtain money as advance from innocent persons.
The Bureau Chairman said during the last two weeks over 15 persons were nabbed for obtaining money illegally from persons. A 37- year old woman from Kegalle was recently produced before the Magistrate for receiving Rs. 450,000 from three ladies promising jobs in Hongkong.
Meanwhile, the license of a foreign job agency at Maradana in Colombo was cancelled by the Bureau for presenting a forged medical certificate of a woman who was also infected with AIDS.
It is reported that a person at Kesbewa in Piliyandala had obtained over 30 lakhs from two women and a man promising jobs for their sons in England. Another bogus job agency which was operated in a building at Peoples Park, Colombo was raided by the Bureau investigating officials last week on tip off given by a person who was also mislead by the agent. The SLBFE, therefore requested all foreign job seekers to consult with the Bureau on the accuracy of jobs prior to give money to the job agent.