Housing scheme for disabled expats

Dharma Sri ABEYRATNE

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) will offer houses to those who become totally disabled while being employed abroad.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by the Chairman of SLBFE Kingsly Ranawaka and NHDA Chairman M. Rafeed at the SLBFE Auditorium yesterday.

Under this, a housing project has been scheduled to be commenced in due course aiming to hand them over to handicapped expats. The SLBFE has taken initiatives to identify appropriate foreign employees.

“This will benefit those who are permanently handicapped as a result of an accident that occurred while they were on duty abroad. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is really keen on the issue since most of our employees go abroad with the intention of fulfilling their need for shelter.

This is the first time such a programme has been implemented even though Sri Lankans have been going abroad for employment for over 30 years,” that Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

He pointed out that the Government is not ready to send employees for unfair conditions though foreign employment brings a considerable amount of foreign exchange.

“At the same time SLBFE has taken steps to reduce the percentage of women who go abroad for employment after considering the fact that most women employees are helpless unlike male employees,” the Minister added.