News
COPA sub-committee emphasises need to produce qualified workers to suit foreign job market
The sub-committee of the parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), during its recent meeting, emphasised on the need for the preparation of a joint plan to train workers to produce qualified workers to the foreign job market.
This was discussed when the committee reviewed the training program prepared by the inter-ministerial committee on producing qualified and skilled migrant workers for foreign jobs. The committee met under the chairmanship of the Member of Parliament Sudarshini Fernandopulle.
Officials representing the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated at this meeting.
The committee also looked at the progress on the recommendation it previously made on the need to create a joint plan by all the ministries present in order to train qualified workers for the foreign job market. The officials who were present said the Ministry of Labor and Foreign Employment have come up with a number of projects aimed at training workers who can find jobs overseas. The officers further pointed out that training programmes have already started at the rural level. The Ministry is also carrying out an advertising campaign to promote the training programmes.
The National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Sri Lanka must also be adjusted to be in line with similar programmes in foreign nations, the COPA members said.
Foreign employment agencies registered under the Foreign Employment Bureau must also be closely monitored and those who violate the terms and conditions of their licenses must be blacklisted, the Committee said.
MP Fernandopulle said the Parliament is committed to assist Sri Lankans working overseas. Wellbeing of the workers as well as their skills must be enhanced and the committee will assist the state’s endeavours to train workers, she said.
The National Lotteries board has been established subject to the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963. Having identified the requirement of amending that act which was imposed around 62 years to cater the current requirements of the lottery market, the Cabinet of Mnisters at their meeting held on 14.02.2017 granted approval to draft a new bill for the purpose.
Accordingly, the National Lotteries Board has recognized further amendments to be performed to the fundamental draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the
resolution furnished by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to direct the Legal Draftsmen to finalize the formulation of the draft bill for the National Lotteries Board as soon as possible including the proposed new amendments as well.
The Werahara office of the Department of Motor Traffic performs issuance of temporary driving licenses in this country based on the driving licenses issued overseas, and measures have been initiated to render the service from a service window of the Department of Motor Traffic established at the Bandaranayake International Airport from 03.08.2025.
The fees charged for issuing temporary driving licenses have been published in Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 prepared under the provisions of the Motor Traffic (Authority 203) Act.
But, as the fee of Rupees 2,000/- charged for the service is not sufficient, the requirement of amending the regulations has been recognized.
The regulations for introducing the revised fees have been published in the government extraordinary gazette
notification No. 2463/04 dated 17.11.2025. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to
submit the regulations to the Parliament for its concurrence.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal forwarded by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to appoint Mrs. P. K. L. S. Panduwawala, the officer
in the special grade of Sri Lanka Surveyors’ Service currently serving as the Additional Surveyor General (Central) to the post of Surveyor General with effect from 02.02.2026.
A new act for National Lotteries Board to be introduced
Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 to be amended
Mrs. P. K. L. S. Panduwawala appointed to the post of Surveyor General
Implementing the programme to provide concession for pepper, coffee and cardamom plantations affected by the disaster
Cabinet nod to obtain diagnostic reports under public-private partnership
Cabinet approves implementation of National Strategic Action tion Plan to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in Human Beings – 2026- 2030
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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