Thursday, 06th November 2014
Chaminda Perera
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the remittances from Sri Lankan migrant workers are expected to hit the US$ 7 billion mark this year.
He said that Sri Lankan migrant workers are in the forefront in terms of inward foreign remittances.
The President was speaking at the excellence awards for licenced foreign employment agencies 2014, at Temple Trees on Tuesday.
President Rajapaska added that Sri Lanka has been attracting the highest foreign exchange earnings from its migrant workers.
The foreign remittances from migrant workers surpass the export income from apparel and plantation sectors.
“You have become a key partner in bringing foreign remittances to the country and these remittances are spent for the import of many items, including pharmaceuticals and petroleum and petroleum products,” the President said.
The President added that the country has to spend US$ 6- 7 billion for the import of petroleum and Us$ 1368 million for the import of food items a year.
This awards ceremony is aimed at promoting standards and better practices among the Licenced Foreign employment agencies.
President Rajapaksa said that licenced foreign employment agencies have become a key factor in the modern economy. “What companies did for the uplift of plantation economy in the past, is being taken over by the foreign employment agencies today to promote the nation’s economy,” he said.
The President said that those running foreign employment agencies should take responsibility in protecting the dignity of their motherland.
He said the service rendered by the licenced foreign employment agencies has helped to minimize unemployment in the country. “Your contribution has immensely assisted towards the decline of unemployment level in the country,” he said.
He said that the Government has created a conducive environment for foreign employment agencies to carry out their service free from fear and intimidation by ending the protracted conflict. Awards were presented to foreign employment agencies that were categorized as Star I, II III and IV by Foreign Employment Promotion Ministry Secretary Col. Nissanka Wijeratne, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Chairman Amal Senadhilankara, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Foreign Employment Promotion Minister Dilan Perera.
Emerald Isle Manpower and Travel Services Private Limited bagged the Star V award from the President. Monitoring MP for the Ministry Foreign Employment Promotion Upeksha Swarnamali was also present.
From : http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/migrant-worker-forex-earnings-hit-us-7-b-mark-president
