New jobs for Lebanon expatriates

Irangika Range

COLOMBO: The Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB) has implemented the special programme of re-employing displaced expatriates from Lebanon in other Middle East countries.

FEB Deputy General Manager L.K. Ruhunage told the Daily News that this project is being implemented in collaboration with the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA).

ALFEA will bear all their expenses including medical, airfare and registration fees. "We will pay them Rs. 10,000 to meet the payment of departure expenses," he said.

He said the Singapore Government has already provided 500 jobs for migrant workers displaced from Lebanon.

Interviews were conducted last week at the FEB and 100 people were selected for the first stage.

He said already around 6,200 displaced employees have returned to Sri Lanka.

The FEB expects to re-employ them after preparing a proper framework including appropriate salaries.

"We have negotiated with the authorities to make sure their salary would be U$ 125 which was earlier U$ 100 per each worker in Middle East countries."

Interviews for re-employment will be held at the FEB headquarters next week covering Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara.

The programme would also be conducted at district level for the benefit of displaced migrant workers from Lebanon.