MoU signed to ensure Lanka workers’ welfare

Bonny Mascarenhas

As a first step to improve expatriate labourers’ living conditions and welfare, Bahrain has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sri Lanka.
Similar agreements will be inked with India and Nepal.
“The memorandum of understanding is a move in the right direction and its implementation will have many positive effects on expatriate workers,” Sri Lankan embassy honorary consul general T. S. Higgoda told the Tribune on telephone from Sri Lanka.
“The Bahraini and Sri Lankan governments will work in tandem and keep a vigil on manpower agencies which misuse the system and exploit workers.”
The Minister of Labour, Dr Majid bin Mohsin Al Alawi, signed the memorandum of understanding with Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwellain in Colombo and left for India.
Dr Al Alawi was welcomed by Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty at the Cochin International Airport.
Dr Al Alawi and Ravi held talks in Kumarakam and then left for Cochin. He is expected to sign a similar agreement before he leaves for Nepal to do the same.
“President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s long-cherished wish to have a system and mechanism in place to ensure the safety, security and welfare of Sri Lankans working abroad has been realised,” Rambukwellain was quoted as saying by a Sri Lankan daily following the signing of the agreement. “We have come a long way to improve the conditions of employees who have taken up jobs overseas. It is necessary through this agreement to formulate measures and systems to forge understanding between Sri Lanka and foreign countries employing Sri Lankans,” he said.
Rambukwellain said 40,000 Sri Lankans were employed in Bahrain and 6,000 were being recruited annually. “This workforce is made up of professionals, trained and untrained workers including women as housemaids and garment factory workers,” he added.
Higgoda said Rambukwellain was scheduled to visit Bahrain on May 15 or 16.
“The asset of any nation is its human resource. Bahrain respects and treats its citizens without discrimination,” Dr. Al Alawi was quoted by the newspaper as saying in Colombo.
“People in Bahrain enjoy employment benefits and $400 insurance per year. We are studying the possibility to removing sponsorship for foreigners seeking jobs in Bahrain. This would help them look for other jobs if they are not satisfied with the current employment,” he added.
Marietta Dias of the Migrant Workers Protection Society said she was not familiar with the agreement contents but hoped it would be implemented seriously.
“I hope that the agreement would address the issue of safer working conditions and some of the labour accommodations which need considerable improvements,” society member Clifford Correia said.