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Sri Lanka eyes more jobs for professionals

Sri Lankan Ambassador to Qatar S. B. Atugoda said on Friday that Sri Lanka was seeking more opportunities for its professionals in various fields in Qatar.

Speaking to Gulf Times on the eve of the arrival of a Sri Lankan trade delegation, the envoy said in view of Qatar’s rapidly growing economy, he expected opportunities for professionals in various sectors like construction, health, engineering and the hospitality industry.


S.B. Atugoda

The ambassador said there are more than 76,000 Sri Lankans in Qatar. Atugoda said though Sri Lankans had expertise in a number of fields, they had not been able to capitalise on their strengths.

Asked about the lack of interest among Sri Lankans in entering the country’s growing retail sector, the ambassador said he had spoken about this to representatives of business houses in his country and “some of them are already exploring ways to enter the retail sector in Qatar.”

Atugoda said Sri Lankans had a good reputation in the hospitality industry and the country was looking forward to more opportunities in the region, particularly in Qatar where the sector was flourishing.

He said two top officials from Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector had recently held talks with their counterparts in Qatar. They included the principal of the School of Tourism from which more than 150 students graduate annually. He said the local officials had agreed to hold a recruitment drive in Sri Lanka. The team also visited Kuwait.

The envoy said he had requested officials in his country to look for opportunities in Qatar’s health sector too. Sri Lankan paramedics had earned a reputation for hard work and their services were widely appreciated, he said.

Though the majority preferred to move to Western countries, the country should still be able to send a number of doctors and nurses to the region to meet its growing requirements, he added.

Atugoda said the the booming construction industry could also create greater demand for quantity surveyors from his country.

When it was pointed out that Sri Lankans had very little representation in Qatar’s growing shipping and logistics sector, the ambassador said projects being carried out in ports like Hambantota and Mannar had generated a lot of domestic demand for such workers.

“However, in view of the developments coming up in the region in the shipping and logistics industry, many of our nationals may seek opportunities here,” he said.

On the possibility of Sri Lankan banks managing financial exchanges in the country, the ambassador said he had spoken on the issue to some banks in Sri Lanka but the huge overhead costs involved were a deterrent.

However, the envoy said he had asked a local bank to consider starting operations in Sri Lanka.

On the chances of drawing more tourists to Sri Lanka from GCC states, the envoy said the increased frequencies being considered by Qatar Airways could help boost the number of visitors from Qatar.

“Hopefully, more people from the region may spend their vacations in a scenic nation such as ours in the near future,” said Atugoda. Gulf Times Newspaper

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