Migrant workers to be felicitated

by Ananda Kannangara

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) will celebrate the National Migrants Week in all 24 districts in the country from December 11 to 18 by launching felicitation ceremonies, educational, health and welfare programs with the participation of the kith and kin of the 1.7 million Sri Lankan migrant workers.

The National Migrants Week will be commemorated by the Bureau alongside the International Migrants Day on December 18.

A similar program to help the children of Lankan migrant workers was also conducted by the Bureau in Colombo last year under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the invitation of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera.

An electronic credit card was also introduced for the first time to Sri Lankan migrant workers last year.

Commenting on next month's program, Minister Perera said the objective of conducting such programs every year is to felicitate the family members of migrant workers and to encourage skilled youth to find employment opportunities in foreign countries.

In addition to the main ceremony in Colombo, events will also be conducted in all districts including Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Matara, Hambantota, Kurunegala, Kandy and Ratnapura.

SLBFE Chairman, Amal Senadhilankara said under the proposed program, Lankan migrant workers and their families will be entitled to massive health care benefits from private and State hospitals.