The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has raised concerns that the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), which was established for regulatory purposes, is operating as a business entity.
During a COPE meeting held on February 27, chaired by MP (Dr.) Nishantha Samarawira, it was revealed that 683 underage workers were sent abroad for domestic work between May 2023 and June 2024.
Additionally, the failure to provide mandatory residential training for 28,165 first-time migrant domestic workers resulted in a loss of LKR 631,177,650 in training revenue for the SLBFE.
The committee also uncovered financial discrepancies, including the rental of 30 stalls for LKR 170,000 each for a program in Galle, while a single stall for a similar event in Jaffna was rented for LKR 500,000.
Further investigations revealed that 25 stalls had been purchased at a total cost of LKR 12.5 million.
Another key finding was that the SLBFE had granted approval for recruitment agencies to send domestic workers abroad on tourist visas.
The COPE committee criticized this as a complete failure in accountability. A circular issued on March 30, 2023 (07/2023) facilitated the migration of workers to the UAE and Oman without a formal labor agreement, raising concerns about their safety and legal status.
It was disclosed that 4,942 workers had left the country under tourist visas, with a significant number obtaining jobs, but their details had not been uploaded to the Sri Lankan embassy’s database.
Meanwhile, the “Jayagamu Sri Lanka” program had incurred a total expenditure of LKR 1.2 billion, with officials defending the spending, stating that all payments had been made following proper procedures. However, since the expenditure exceeded LKR 500 million, cabinet approval was required, and the Auditor General’s Department will now review the transactions.
The committee also discussed issues related to the temporary shelters maintained for stranded Sri Lankan migrant workers and the appointment procedures within the SLBFE.
Given the serious nature of the findings, COPE has decided to appoint a subcommittee to investigate the SLBFE further. (NewsWire)
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