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| Friday, 25 July 2003 |
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by Ananda Kannangara Italian Ambassador for Sri Lanka Salvatore Zotta yesterday confirmed that out of 1000 job quotas offered to Lankan workers by the Italian Government last year, 200 have found jobs during the past few months in a legal manner. "Our Government last year allocated these 1000 job quotas in response to a request made by Employment and Labour Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe during his visit to Italy recently," he said. He said that the Italian Government is highly satisfied with the steps taken by the Sri Lankan Navy and Police to prevent human smuggling from Sri Lanka to Italy and this prompted their Government to grant more job quotas to Lankan workers annually. While denying several newspaper reports published recently over the delay of sending workers, Ambassador Zotta said that although the jobs are available in large numbers, the Embassy has to attend to other important official duties such as securing proper job agents and insurance agents and also preparing visas for workers before they are sent to Italy. "Although it is a long process we are committed to provide jobs to your youth in large numbers," he said. Zotta also commended the steps taken by Interior Minister John Amaratunga to stop all human smuggling and bring the victims before law enforcement authorities. When asked what nature of jobs are currently available for Lankan workers in Italy Zotta said that a large number of vacancies are available in hotels, guest houses and construction firms located close to Milan and suburbs. Meanwhile, the SLBFE, Chairman Susantha Fernando said that Sri Lanka will be the first Asian country to receive job quotas from the Government of Italy. "With the implementation of the new security programme doors will be closed automatically for human smugglers who frequently mislead people and ship them to Italy without considering any risk to their lives," he said. |
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