Government plans to send more workers to overseas

 

Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says the government has commenced a programme to send more Sri Lankans workers to developed countries.
Accordingly, more Sri Lankan migrants will be sent to Japan within the next six months. The government will also enter into agreements with Israel and Poland shortly to dispatch more Sri Lankan workers.
The minister in response to a query made by a member in parliament this morning further said Sri Lanka has earned a revenue of 2.8 billion rupees from migrant workers this year. Minister Rambukwella further said the government has taken a policy decision regarding reducing the number of housemaids sent to foreign countries. Accordingly, the number of housemaids to be sent within the next three years will be reduced to 30 percent.

Minister D.M. Jayaratne answering a query of another member said plans are underway to distribute 100 million coconut plants throughout the island.

Member Ravi Karunanayake has requested to suspend the sending of Sri Lankans to foreign employments. He argued that release of workers for foreign employment is an obstruction to local economic development. Member Joseph Michael Perera has intervened to say that the stance of the UNP is that there is no harm in sending excess labour to foreign countries.