SLBFE branch offices in Jaffna, Vavuniya

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment will set up branch offices in Jaffna and Vavuniya on President Mahinda Rajapaksa's directive, Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda said.

These offices will be made use of for awareness raising and help foreign job seekers, migratory workers and public, in addition to their routine service, the Minister said at a ceremony at his Ministry, Colombo 5 to receive 245 bicycles gifted by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment for distribution among the resettled. Cases of harassment of migratory workers at the hands of touts are on the increase, he said.

The setting up of Foreign Employment Bureau offices will save Northern migratory workers from unscrupulous touts, the Minister added.

The bicycles have been purchased from proceeds of the Hands of Brotherhood Extended to the North Fund established at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment with assistance of the migratory workers to help those rescued from the LTTE. Rs. 2.1 million has been spent to purchase these bicycles that will be distributed among those who have resettled.

The bicycles are fitted with special luggage carriers to assist those engaged in self-employment ventures. Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Chairman Kinsley Ranavaka said migratory workers helped the displaced from the North consequent to the humanitarian operation and the fund Hands of Brotherhood Extended to the North, was launched at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment with their financial assistance.

Through this fund assistance had been granted to the displaced in earlier occasions. Monies received to this Fund will be utilized for the welfare of the war displaced in the North, Ranavaka added.