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COPE asks SLBFE to repatriate stranded Lankan workers with its cash pile

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/28

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has instructed the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) to explore the possibility of repatriating migrant workers affected by COVID-19 by using its own funds.

COPE Chairman MP Dr. Charitha Herath made the suggestion when the Committee met to discuss the special audit report on the current situation in the field of foreign employment.

The Committee inquired whether there were any legal impediments to the repatriation of Sri Lankan workers from various countries by using the funds of the SLBFE, amounting to Rs. 14 billion.

SLBFE Chairman Kamal Ratwatte said that there was no obstacle to repatriating foreign workers registered with the Bureau at its expense.

Approximately 34,721 workers who lost their jobs due to the fall of oil prices in the Middle East (ME) and the COVID-19 pandemic have already requested the SLBFE to repatriate them. The COPE Chairman said the Bureau needed to have a strategy for the repatriation of migrant workers as the airport was already open.

It was revealed that Rs. 800 million had been spent in 2019 on welfare officers attached to Sri Lankan embassies abroad, and the Committee informed the officials that they should look into whether the expected services were being rendered by the welfare officers.

The COPE also focused on the training courses required for those leaving for foreign employment. These training courses are conducted by the National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), the National Vocational Training Authority (VTA) and the Sri Lanka Youth Corps and the SLBFE.

The COPE said a formal methodology for identifying training needs should be developed in line with the current job market and that an action plan for the next five years should be prepared and submitted.

It stressed the need to enter into agreements with the relevant parties and the importance of an insurance scheme that would ensure their safety and job security when sending Sri Lankan workers abroad. The COPE further stressed that the SLBFE should work together with the Foreign Ministry ensure the security and welfare of workers sent for foreign employment.

The COPE directed that a formal procedure should be followed in recruiting officers to work in Sri Lankan embassies abroad and stressed that various irregularities had taken place in the past due to noncompliance. It also directed the Ministry Secretary to obtain a suitable recruitment procedure from the Department of Management Services for the purpose.

Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera, State Ministers Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Indika Anuruddha, Members of Parliament Patali Champika Ranawaka, Nalin Bandara, Eran Wickramaratne, officials of State Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotions and Market Diversification, officials of State Ministry of Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovations, and officials of the SLBFE were also present at the meeting.

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Cabinet approves construction of new 300 bed Base Hospital in Deniyaya

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to relocate the Deniyaya Base Hospital after constructing a new hospital with a capacity of 300 beds at an estimated cost of Rupees 6,000 million.

The Southern Provincial Department of Health has acquired a plot of land in Handford estate which is approximately 03 kilometres away from the town for this purpose.

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Cabinet nod to legally empower methodology for implementing the ‘Praja Shakthi’ poverty alleviation national movement

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill to legally empower the implementation of ‘Praja Shakthi’ (Strength of the Community) poverty alleviation national movement

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NPP not under Indian pressure to hold PC polls – JVP

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

Tilvin Silva

…preliminary work started on new Constitution

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva yesterday (17) maintained that the NPP government was not under Indian pressure to hold the long delayed Provincial Council elections.

The top JVP official said so appearing on Sirasa Pathikada, anchored by Asoka Dias. Tilvin Silva said that neither the devolution nor terrorism issues had been discussed during his meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, in New Delhi. This was Tilvin Silva’s first visit to India.

Declaring that politics hadn’t been on the agenda, the JVPer said that the Indian focus was entirely on economic development and technology.

The JVP General Secretary visited India under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR) Distinguished Visitors Programme from 5-12 February 2026. General Secretary Silva was accompanied by Kitnan Selvaraj, MP, Ilankumaran Karunanathan, MP, JVP Central Committee Member Janaka Adhikari, JVP’s Media Unit Head Hemathilaka Gamage and Member of JVP’s International Relations Department Kalpana Madhubhashini. The delegation visited New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Responding to another query, Tilvin Silva said that Dr. S. Jaishankar had reiterated that India would always remain a true and trusted partner for Sri Lanka, in accordance with its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and Vision ‘MAHASAGAR.’

Referring to the second JVP insurrection in the late 1980s, the JVPer claimed that they had not been against India but responded to the actions of the then Indian government.

Sri Lanka enacted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in the wake of the Indo-Lanka peace accord of July 1987 to pave the way for Provincial Councils.

Tilvin Silva said that since they came to power, Indo-Sri Lanka relations had changed. “India has realised we could work together,” he said.

The JVP official said that preliminary work was underway, regarding the formulation of a new Constitution. The abolition of executive presidency and creation of an Office of President sans executive powers, too, would be addressed, he said, adding that the strengthening of the legislature was the other issue at hand.

Pointing out that the NPP had 2/3 majority in Parliament and could introduce a new Constitution on their own, Tilvin Silva said that they intended to obtain views of all and study the past processes in a bid to secure consensus. The JVP, as the party that campaigned against the introduction of executive presidency, way back in 1978, would lead the current effort to do away with the existing Constitution, he said.

Tilvin promised that they would implement what was in their manifesto.

The interviewer also raised the issue of abolishing the pensions for ex-Presidents. Tilvin Silva said that the Supreme Court, too, had approved the move to abolish pensions to ex-MPs. Therefore there was no issue with that, however, the ex-Presidents pensions couldn’t be done away with as they were made through the Constitution. That would be addressed when the government introduced a new Constitution in consultation with other stakeholders.

By Shamindra Ferdinando