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by Chandani Jayatilleke

Sri Lanka is aiming to earn US$ 1.3 billion in remittances from migrant workers this year, up from US$ 1.15 billion last year.

Mid-east bound local workers.

Economic analysts say that this amount contributes about 8% to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which reiterates the fact that foreign exchange earnings remitted by Sri Lankans, mainly unskilled women workers, play a vital role in the economy.

It is no secret that more and more unskilled Sri Lankans leave the country searching for greener pastures, owing to the high cost living and lack of employment opportunities in the island.

In recent weeks some media reports highlighted the hardships these migrant workers have to undergo, pointing out that some even lose their lives while working abroad. According to one report, 23 bodies of migrant workers had been sent back in the first 23 days of October - an astonishing one body a day.

According to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), 185 deaths were reported from January to September last year and 164 during the corresponding period this year. There had been 18 suicides last year and 13 this year, and 45 deaths due to accidents last year and 36 so far this year.

Among the dead this year, 76 are men and 88 are women. The SLBFE says that these deaths were due to accidents, suicides and natural causes. The question arises here is that is it worth risking so many lives to earn US$ 1.3 billion? The figure is no doubt a huge amount of money, considering the size of Sri Lanka's economy.

The increasing number of lives that Sri Lankan migrant workers continue to sacrifice in foreign lands specially in the Middle East is an issue to be prioritised and addressed if the authorities are truly concerned about economic benefits gained through migrant workers.

Although the plight of migrant workers has been discussed for nearly two decades, sadly the measures taken for the benefit of their families in the event of the breadwinner's death or disappearance so far have been minimal. "It's true that over the last two decades, facilities have been improved to some extent, but not sufficient enough, in comparison with our competitors in migrant workers' market, the Philippines," says a spokesperson for CENWOR, an organisation working on migrant women's issues.

Chairman, SLBFE, Susantha Fernando admits that there should be more welfare and insurance schemes for the benefit of migrant workers and their families.

"Currently, we are trying to get more such schemes activated. We have already signed an agreement with the UAE which requires the employer to obtain a life insurance scheme on behalf of the employee. This scheme will be expanded in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in the near future," Fernando says.

The SLBFE is also in the process of launching an improved insurance scheme with more facilities for those who seek foreign employment. "We will make this compulsory for everybody seeking foreign employment," he says.

According to Fernando, exploring job opportunities in European countries may help ease the problem to some extent.

"Our chance to get jobs in skilled areas in the Middle East are limited because such jobs are meant for natives. The Italian Government has already offered Sri Lanka a reasonable quota of jobs in their country. Sri Lanka is also pursuing the idea with Germany. If we can get more opportunities in Europe with a decent working environment, it will be definitely a positive move."

At the same time, there is a need to regularise and continue the welfare and insurance schemes, training and orientation programs for women migrant workers.

What's the responsibility of the employer in the event of their employee's sudden death, we queried. "Depending on the case, they would pay some compensation - basically this is confined to the expenses of returning the coffin home. Nevertheless, there are difficulties in obtaining compensation due to various reasons such as legal systems in those countries, Fernando says.

"There are still many women who go for foreign jobs without registering with the Bureau. In such instances, it is difficult for us to contact their employers and arrange any compensation due for them," he says.

CENWOR spokesperson says that there should be agreements between governments to look into such issues. "Again, the Philippines has imposed rules and regulations to protect their workers' rights, she says. At present, there are one million Sri Lankan migrant workers, of which 70% are females and 30% are males.

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