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by Ananda Kannangara

A record sum of Rs. 87,697 million was remitted to the Government coffers by Sri Lankan migrant workers last year, a recent survey carried out by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) revealed. Approximately 853,000 Lankan workers are currently employed in foreign countries and out of this total 583,000 are males while the balance 270,000 are female workers.

"There has been a significant development in the foreign employment trade since June 1995 and more than Rs. 376 billion worth of foreign exchange had been remitted by our migrant workers during this period", Chairman, SLBFE Jayasena Perera told the Daily News yesterday.

He also said the percentage leaving the country for foreign employment by our female workers has dropped since June 1998 due to a number of welfare facilities offered by the Bureau for the wives of male migrant workers. A special bank loan scheme is also included in this welfare facility package. "Accordingly Rs. 47.9 million worth of loans were granted to 292 persons between the period from 1998 to 2001 and 8 percent of the interest was paid by the Bureau out of the total interest of 24 per cent."

"A scholarship scheme for children of migrant workers was also launched in 1996 and during this period nearly 12,000 schoolchildren received school equipment worth around Rs. 100 million".

He said "under the migrant workers welfare program initiated in 1995 a number of health camps were conducted at Ratnapura, Matara, Matale, Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Kandy and Galle districts at cost of Rs. 8 lakhs".

"Under the Suraksha Insurance Scheme during the period between 1995 to October, 2001 about 29,591 migrant workers had been paid compensation worth around Rs. 398 million".

We have also constructed a fully fledged hostel " Sahan Piyasa" near the Katunayaka Airport at a cost of Rs. 35 million for the benefit of Sri Lankan workers arriving in the island after their stint abroad.

"During this period Rs. 1.25 million was paid to 125 Lankan worker's families who lost their lives while serving abroad."

"Meanwhile 2682 persons who faced numerous hardships while serving abroad were airlifted to Sri Lanka on charter flights by spending Rs. 43 million during last two years.

During January 2001 to November 2001 about 931 workers who were stranded in countries for non granting the respective jobs they applied were also brought to Sri Lanka by the Bureau under the Suraksha Insurance Policy scheme.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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