SLBFE probed by three state agencies
Three government agencies are investigating the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) after recently-surfaced allegations of malpractices and corruption.
A top official acknowledged that the Criminal Investigation Department, the Bribery Commission, and the Government Audit are all carrying out investigations about alleged fraud in the training of first-time domestic workers, who were required to undergo 25 to 30 days of training at a minimum cost of Rs. 75,000, which was paid to an outside party, not the Bureau.
International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards and guidelines are also said to be not followed by the state’s Foreign Employment Facilitation Agency. The ILO general principle states that no recruitment fees or related costs should be changed to or otherwise borne by workers or job seekers.
“Despite, the clear guidelines by the ILO the SLBFE shamelessly charged the poorest Sri Lankan mandatory Rs 21,467 as Registration Fees. In contrast, SLBFE could easily waive this exorbitant registration fee in the name of welfare and protection,” a foreign recruitment agency owner said. However, the official noted that although it is ILO policy,
Sri Lanka has not agreed to it. “Aside from earning Rs. 7 billion for the Treasury and charging the domestic aides, we also insure them from People’s Insurance Company. We have safe houses in particular countries where destitute migrant workers can be housed. We provide scholarships for their children who have got through the 5th standard, ordinary levels, advanced levels, and who are eligible to go for technical colleges etc. This is a cost,” he said.
When queried on the allegation that the Bureau is inundated with unattended complaints from migrant workers and other stakeholders, the official denied it. “More than 300,000 workers depart on migrant work (annually). We facilitated online complaint portals in 16 missions overseas and in our 22 centres. We bring in the related agencies and liaise with them within 14 days to solve these issues. About 3 to 5 per cent of the complaints are on departures. However, there are things we cannot solve, such as runaways and those who are jailed overseas. There are instances where we blacklist or suspend some agencies when they are found guilty.”
The official declined to comment further on the ongoing inquiries by the three government agencies.
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