Financial Times

Bahrain - The Bahraini and Sri Lankan governments are discussing the possibility of setting up a diplomatic mission in Bahrain, Lankan officials were quoted as saying in the Gulf Daily News last week.

Sri Lanka first proposed the idea to Bahrain about three years ago and discussions have been continuing ever since. The Lankans recently issued a reminder, said consul-general P. B. Higgoda.

Ahmed Rizvi, president of the Sri Lanka Club which is often used as a venue for consular services, said the delay was on both sides because the Sri Lankan government was also debating whether an embassy would be cost-worthy. Kuwait-based labour secretary Nimal Sarnatissa said that although it is estimated there are around 12,000 Lankans in Bahrain, it doesn't come close to the figure in other Gulf countries, such as Kuwait which has over 250,000 of them. "We get a lot of labour disputes here, but there are a lot more in places like Kuwait," he was quoted as saying.Higgoda said he had to deal with complaints by housemaids almost every day in Bahrain.

He urged Labour Ministry inspectors to do more to help them. "There are many cases in which housemaids do not get their salaries for their first three or four months in the country," he said. "This of course encourages them to run away."