Rights plea by ALFEA

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

The Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) filed a rights application in the Supreme Court against alleged flawed selection of the insurance provider for the migrant workers travelling to Kuwait.

Petitioners ALFEA and its President W.M.P. Aponso complained to the Court that the first respondent Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) had illegally selected the fifth respondent Al-Huqooq International Insurance to provide insurance cover to migrant workers, although it was only a commissioner agent for Bahrain Kuwait Insurance.

They stated that the selection was inimical and prejudicial to the interest of the migrant workers and the petitioners.

They further stated that third respondent Secretary to the Foreign Ministry had made it mandatory that all the recruitment agents, the members of the petitioner, to obtain insurance policies from the fifth respondent Al-Huqooq with effect from January 01, 2009 and submit the same with the service agreements.

The petitioners stated that the mandatory requirement to obtain insurance coverage from the Al-Huqooq was in violation of the rights of petitioners since the selection process of the insurance provider was flawed and illegal.

The petitioners stated that although they fully backed the insurance policy protecting and safe guarding the interest of the Sri Lankan migrant workers they had made representations against the illegal selection of the fifth respondent as the service provider, including to the President who had ordered to discontinue the same.

The petitioners stated that despite the order of the President the respondents still continue with the scheme.

The petitioners cited SLBFE, its Chairman, the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Al-Huqooq International Insurance and Attorney General as respondents.