Fresh jobs for Lebanon victims

by Ananda Kannangara

The Governments of Singapore, UAE and Jordan yesterday agreed to provide employment opportunities to all Sri Lankan workers who had to return to the country from Lebanon following last month's Israel air raids.

In addition, three other countries in the Gulf region have also pledged their support to find jobs to Lankan returnees in the near future," SLBFE, Foreign Relations Manager L.K. Ruhunage told the 'Sunday Observer', 600 jobs are available in Singapore.

About 5,500 workers have already arrived in the country and another 750 are still waiting in Damascus to return home. They are expected within the next few days. He said that the war has not affected the Northern part of Lebanon where the majority Lankans work and therefore no one from that part suffered," he said.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Government has asked expatriate workers not to leave the country as the situation is returning to normal.

Ruhunage also said that the passports of 60 per cent returnees from Lebanon have expired and the Government has agreed to waive off the Rs. 10,000 registration fee from each worker who wished to go back overseas.