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More than 5000 Lankans stranded in Dubai after going there on tourist visas

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Sri Lankan migrant domestic workers

By Shiran Ranasinghe

More than 5,000 Sri Lankans have gone to Dubai on tourist visas, the Foreign Employment Bureau said. Some women in that group have been forced into prostitution and the Bureau has started a separate investigation thereinto.

Chairman of the Bureau, Mahendra Kumarasinghe, said they had stopped Sri Lankans travelling to West Asia on Visit Visas. Sri Lankans could no longer travel to Dubai or Oman using a Self-Visa as well, he said.

Kumarasinghe said the Third Secretary to the Sri Lankan Embassy, in Oman, had been suspended over allegations that he was involved in human trafficking. He has also been asked to return to Sri Lanka at his own expense..

The Third Secretary is a Foreign Employment Bureau official seconded to the diplomatic service. Kumarasinghe said out of the 45 women in ‘Suraksha’ home in Oman, only 14 had been registered with the Bureau. Unless there were court cases against the stranded Sri Lankans, those who have registered with the Bureau could return to Sri Lanka soon, he said.

“We are doing our best to ensure the safe return of those who had not registered with us, too. During the last 18 months, an organised gang has used the tourist visa facility for human trafficking. They lure Sri Lankan woman, promising foreign jobs, and once they get here, sell them for prostitution. I urge everyone who have been victims to come forth. This will help our investigations,” he said.

Sri Lanka is also to send a team to Oman and Dubai to conduct further investigations. The CID is probing immigration officers, Foreign Employment Bureau officials and employment agencies who are involved in human smuggling.

The main suspect of the human smuggling racket, named Irfaz, was arrested on Saturday (19) at the Bandaranaike International Airport. He has been remanded until November 24, after being produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court. His right hand man, Balakrishnan Kuganeswaran was arrested by the CID on Sunday (20). He has been ordered to be remanded until 01 December after being produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court. On Monday (21), the CID took into custody a woman wanted in connection with the human trafficking ring involved in the alleged sex slavery racket of Sri Lankan women in Oman.

Police said the 49-year-old woman had been arrested after her surrender to the CID through her lawyers, on Monday.



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Second lot of luxury and decommissioned vehicles owned by the Presidential Secretariat sold

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The second phase of the auction to sell luxury and decommissioned vehicles owned by the Presidential Secretariat was successfully concluded today (15 May), with the auction taking place as scheduled.

A total of 26 vehicles, previously allocated to former Ministers and the former President, to their advisors and staff appointed under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during their tenure, were listed for sale. Out of these, 17 vehicles were successfully sold today.

The auctioned vehicles included:

1 BMW car
2 Ford Everest SUVs
1 Hyundai Terracan SUV
2 Land Rover SUVs
1 Mitsubishi Montero
3 Nissan Patrol vehicles
2 Nissan brand cars
1 Porsche Cayenne
5 SsangYong Rexton SUVs
1 Toyota Land Cruiser Sahara
6 V8 vehicles
1 Mitsubishi Rosa air-conditioned bus

With the aim of reducing government expenditure and promoting fiscal responsibility, a decision was taken to auction the vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat.

There was a high demand for the purchase of these vehicles and over Rs. 200 million in revenue was generated through their sale at the auction held today.

There was significant interest in the auction, with 108 bidders participating.

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President approves establishment of Anti-Corruption Investigation Units in Provincial Councils and LG Institutions

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President Anura Kumara Disanayake has approved the establishment of dedicated anti-corruption investigation units within provincial councils and local government institutions, aiming to combat corruption and administrative inefficiencies. The decision follows a request by provincial governors during a high-level discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat today (15).

During the meeting, President Disanayake emphasised that provincial governors bear the primary responsibility for driving development initiatives and ensuring accountability within their respective provinces. He noted, “Strengthening governance mechanisms is critical to addressing systemic challenges and achieving equitable progress.”

Among the key decisions taken was the creation of anti-corruption investigation units modelled after similar bodies operating at the ministerial level. These units will be tasked with monitoring financial transactions, investigating irregularities and enforcing transparency in development projects. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader agenda to eliminate malpractice in public institutions.

The discussion also highlighted that provincial councils have received three times the financial allocations compared to the previous fiscal year. However, governors raised concerns regarding delays and bureaucratic hurdles in utilising these funds effectively. In response, President Disanayake directed officials to streamline procedures and adopt results-oriented mechanisms to accelerate infrastructure development.

Persistent obstacles in upgrading provincial infrastructure such as road networks, healthcare facilities and utility services, were also discussed. The President pledged to implement practical solutions to address these challenges and urged governors to prioritise projects that deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
The Governors further stressed the need for improved coordination between provincial councils and central ministries to avoid duplication of efforts. Acknowledging these concerns, President Disanayake underlined the importance of collaborative governance to ensure efficient resource allocation.

“While increased funding is a positive step, its prudent management is non-negotiable. Provincial authorities must ensure every rupee is accounted for and spent efficiently,” he asserted.

The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, Kapila Janaka Bandara, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Provincial Governors: Hanif Yusuf (Western Province), Sarath Bandara Samarasinghe Abayakon (Central Province), Bandula Harischandra (Southern Province), Tissa Kumarasiri Warnasuriya (North Western Province), Wasantha Kumara Wimalasiri (North Central Province), Nagalingam Vedanayagam (Northern Province), Prof. Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera (Eastern Province), Champa Janaki Rajaratne (Sabaragamuwa Province) and Kapila Jayasekara (Uva Province).

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Seven new envoys to Sri Lanka present credentials to the President

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Seven newly appointed foreign ambassadors to Sri Lanka presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Disanayake today (15) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The new ambassadors represent the State of Israel, the Argentine Republic, the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Kingdom of Cambodia, and the Kingdom of Denmark.

Accordingly:

*  Mr. Mariano Agustin Caucino has been appointed as the Ambassador-designate of the Argentine Republic, based in New Delhi.
*  Ms. Stella Nkomo has been appointed as the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Zimbabwe, based in New Delhi.
*  Mr. Reuven Javier Azar has been appointed as the Ambassador-designate of the State of Israel, based in New Delhi.
* Ms. Nina P. Cringlet has been appointed as the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of the Philippines, based in Dhaka.
*  Mr. Lukmon Bobokalonzoda has been appointed as the Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Tajikistan, based in New Delhi.
* Ms. Rath Many has been appointed as the Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Cambodia, based in New Delhi.
*  Mr. Rasmus Kristensen has been appointed as the Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Denmark, based in New Delhi.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, along with the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also present at the occasion.

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