Govt bound to ensure expatriate workers’ protection - President

Chaminda Perera

The Government is bound to ensure the protection and well-being of the expatriate community, one of the major foreign exchange earners, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The President in a message to mark the annual convention of the Middle East Expatriate Workers’ Association at the Viharamahadevi Openair Theatre, said Welfare Officers in Sri Lankan Embassies should look into Lankan expatriate workers’ grievances.

The Government will never underestimate the expatriate workers’ contribution to the country’s development and make every possible effort to ensure a better future for their children, he said.

“We launched a scholarship scheme for the benefit of expatriate workers’ children. Over 5,000 children benefit from this scheme, he said.

The expatriate workers’ only aim is to return to their Motherland and lead a pleasant life. Terrorism has been a major obstacle to their expectations, he said.

The Government is successfully handling terrorism while keeping the country’s development efforts undeterred, the President said.

Sri Lankans seeking foreign employment should have formal training in their respective fields. Skilled workers have a great demand in any country. California and Japan are ready to employ Sri Lankan nurses, President Rajapaksa said.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka speaking at the ceremony said the Government will wipe out LTTE terrorism, which has affected development, by mid next year, . The Premier said the ongoing operations in the North are not against Tamils.

Sri Lankan expatriate workers in the Middle East are undergoing various hardships and difficulties. The Government has paid special attention on housemaids subject to harassment in the Middle East he said.

This could be averted by decreasing the housemaids wishing to going abroad. They can earn a better income if they are trained in a particular trade,” he said. “Sri Lanka has received” large number of vacancies for nurses in foreign countries. We can tap that opportunity,” the Prime Minister said.

He felicitated women who had been working for more than 15 years in the Middle East. An appeal calling for the amendment of the Pension scheme for expatriate workers by the Association was also presented to the Premier.

Urban and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana and Association President Ranjith Nanayakkara were also present.