In a historic meeting today with President Ranil Wickramasinghe, Hon. Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, showcased the remarkable success of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) under the Ministry’s stewardship. A pivotal moment unfolded as Minister Nanayakkara presented an operational surplus cheque of LKR 4 billion to the Treasury, part of a total LKR 7 billion amassed this year.
The meeting, convened at the President’s Secretariat, brought together key ministry officials, including Mr. R P A Wimalaweera, Secretary of the Ministry, Hilme Azeez, Chairman of SLBFE, and other senior figures. The delegation conducted a comprehensive review of the Ministry’s achievements aligned with its 2023 Key Result Areas.
Minister Nanayakkara seized the opportunity to brief President Wickramasinghe on pivotal initiatives, notably the Dignity of Labour Program. This groundbreaking program aims to integrate informal sector workers and non-wage earners into the National Labour Market Information System, ensuring social security and formal recognition. The Minister highlighted the success of migrant worker societies, career guidance clubs under the smart club program, and the electric car permit scheme, significantly boosting remittances to Sri Lanka.
Underlining the SLBFE’s economic contribution, foreign workers remitted USD 7.5 billion in the last 18 months, with the Minister setting an ambitious target of reaching USD 10 billion. The delegation discussed innovative measures, including the “Manusavi Contributory Pension Scheme” for migrant workers, special channels at the airport, vocational training, and language courses. Critical developments such as the Diploma in International Migration Studies and Certificate Course in Labour Migration and Office Management were also noted.
The delegation outlined the Ministry’s extensive Key Results Areas for 2023, focusing on law and policy reforms, digital transformation, social protection, dignity of work, national labor market information system, employability development, migrant worker welfare, labor market recovery and transformation strategy, and occupational health.
President Wickramasinghe commended Minister Nanayakkara’s leadership, acknowledging the Ministry’s significant contribution as a primary source of foreign currency. The President praised initiatives like labor law reforms, deeming them long-overdue efforts by successive governments. He encouraged the Ministry to persist in their efforts to increase remittances and inquired about the digitalization of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, emphasizing its strategic importance to the national economy.
This meeting signifies a substantial leap in the country’s commitment to fortify and elevate its labor and foreign employment sectors, with the SLBFE’s impressive financial contribution playing a pivotal role in bolstering the national economy.
