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Ban lifted on seeking jobs in South Sudan
The authorities yesterday lifted the employment ban to South Sudan after the situation in that conflict torn country slowly returned to normalcy, a senior official with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLFEB) said.
SLFEB Additional General Manager Mangala Randeniya said the ban was imposed late last year after bloody fighting between government forces and separatist rebels left hundreds dead.
Some 13 Sri Lankan expatriate workers attached to the hotel industry in that country were hurriedly evacuated and brought to Colombo.
At present there are more than 60 Sri Lankan expatriate workers employed in the high category sector of the hotel industry and many more are listed to take up employment in that country, Mr. Randeniya said.
He said those who had taken up employment in South Sudan secured their jobs through individual contacts and licensed recruiting agencies were not involved.
He added that the Sri Lankan Mission in neighbouring Uganda was monitoring the situation in South Sudan and had decided to give the green light for travel to the country.
Faizer Mackeen with the Association for Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) scoffed at any future employment opportunities in that African state saying that there were very little takers.
“The Government is trying to boost figures saying there are many job opportunities in South Sudan and several other countries but the ground reality is totally different.
The licensed industry will not encourage job placements in South Sudan or neighbouring countries because in addition to the political instability in that region the wages are also very nominal and not worth the risk,” Mr. Mackeen said.
He added that if ALFEA was to support and encourage Sri Lankans to take up employment in that region then the wages and other perks will have to be of a very high standard.
But this will never be the case since thousands of people in those regions are leaving for Middle Eastern and other countries in search of greener pastures, he added.