Libya seeks Lankan consultants for Tripoli health centre

Rasika Somarathna

The Libyan Government has sought Sri Lanka's assistance to man an ultra modern healthcare training centre in Tripoli, which also involves providing adequate training to its manpower.

The latest decision by the Libyans to recruit consultants from Sri Lanka's health sector comes closely on the heels of its decision to open doors for Lankan migrant workers.

According to sources, the decision has been arrived at after being impressed by the quality of the Lankan healthcare sector, and the message has been personally conveyed by Libyan Prime Minister Dr. Al- Bagdadi Al-Mahamudi to Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Keheliya Rambukwella who is currently in Libya.

A high profile delegation headed by Minister Rambukwella which also includes Foreign Employment Bureau Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka is touring the Middle East to garner support from countries in the region, for better employment opportunities and effective protocol on migrant worker rights and welfare.

As a result of the delegations' efforts, a major share of the country's foreign job market has been offered to skilled Lankan labour, according to a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two countries last Sunday.

According to the MOU signed by Minister Rambukwella and his counterpart in Libya Prof. Mathoon M. Mathoon, Lankans would be offered lucrative opportunities mainly in the construction, port, oil and tourism sectors.

The Libyan Government has also decided to appoint a special envoy to its embassy in Colombo to handle matters pertaining to recruitment and other issues, sources said.

According to SLFEB sources, the recruitment drive would be handled by the Bureau, and private agents would not be a part of it, like the Korean job offers in a bid to clear malpractices.

Emphasis has been laid in promoting skilled manpower in accordance with Sri Lanka's recent policy change of giving prominence to such workers with better perks in an attempt to discourage the common practice of sending untrained labour.