Sri Lanka's first 24/7 migrant call centre opens

Rasika SOMARATHNA

Sri Lanka's first Migration Resources Centre (24/7 call centre) was opened at the premises of Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) head office at Battaramulla yesterday.

Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera called the newly opened facility a non sleeping e-ombudsman for the Sri Lankan migrant worker fraternity.

"I call it as an e-ombudsman because the centre listens to grievances, settle disputes and caters to all migrant worker needs from all corners of the globe 24 hours, 7 days a week using the latest communication technology available," the minister said.

The 24 hour state-of-the-art, migrant worker information centre would cater to the needs of local foreign job aspirants and also those already employed abroad.

SLBFE Chairman Kingsly Ranawaka said that the newly established facility would help to establish a closer rapport between migrant workers and local authorities. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge welcomed the move while calling it a timely intervention to further help Sri Lanka's biggest foreign revenue earners.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Chief in Sri Lanka Richard Danziger called the facility an important step in further helping Sri Lankan labour migrants. The EU has supported financially to establish the centre.

The public can contact the new information centre as follows: T.P: 0094 11 2879900 up to 902, Fax: 0094 11 287903, email: [email protected], skype: inforcenter_slbfe, web: www.slbfe.lk