Migration trail
View(s):
We have had this conversation earlier. When ‘Human resource’ pundit HR Perera, popularly known as HR, called on Thursday (the second day of a new year), we engaged in a topic that had garnered a lot of attention in 2024 – Sri Lanka’s migrant workers and their role in the economy.The debate over whether overseas migration for work is a good thing or a bad example continues. Sri Lanka is not the only country that relies on migrant workers remittances to buttress the economy with foreign exchange inflows and in that context it is an inevitable plus point for the country. But on the flipside, the reliance on foreign remittances is also a sad reflection of a country that is unable to provide enough jobs for its people with many forced to seek jobs overseas leaving families, often with young children, to fend for themselves.
As has been the case for decades, ruling party politicians will crow from the highest point that foreign employment brings valuable foreign exchange – and they take the credit for it. But people being forced to find jobs overseas as they cannot find them here is never a good thing – and a dependency syndrome (the country dependent on this income to pay off its foreign debt and pay for import essentials) has crept in.
Families are broken and never the same even after a parent, particularly a woman, returns after a stint abroad, often with little savings as all her earnings have been sent home for the monthly upkeep of the family. Women go abroad so that their income can sustain families here and there is little left to save for a rainy day! This is not the case as far as skilled and professional workers are concerned, as their salaries are enough to sustain their families and leave a reasonable sum for savings too.
This week, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) released data for 2024. It stated that a new record of departures was set in 2024 with a total of 312,836 Sri Lankans going abroad for work during 2024, beating the previous record set in 2022 – when many Sri Lankans strived to go abroad due to the economic crisis at home. The 2024 departures were made up of 185,162 male workers and 127,674 female workers. For comparison, 297,584 Sri Lankans went abroad for employment in 2023, made up of 164,680 male and 132,904 female workers.
According to the bureau data, foreign exchange earnings from migrant workers have also increased to nearly US$6 billion in January-November 2024 compared to $5.4 billion in the same months in 2023. There was also a noticeable increase in the number of Sri Lankans working in countries such as South Korea, Israel and Japan.
Back to the conversation with pundit Perera, “The question that often arises is whether the authorities understand the consequences of a parent (particularly a young mother) leaving her offspring behind and the detrimental impact on the family. What do you think,” he asked. “This is very debatable. There are various schemes offered by the authorities to care for the wellbeing of the family but more than physical and some financial support, moral support is also paramount,” I said.
“For decades we have been talking about this but the politicians when they are in power miss the wood for the trees and keep praising migrant workers and their remittance contribution without considering the negative impact on families or believe the current support system takes care of their mental well-being, when it does not. There are many examples of family crises when a parent goes abroad,” he said.
As we move into a new year and the emergence of a new government that seems to mean business and a caring attitude (this remains to be seen in the coming months) , our suggestion is for a new support system mechanism (that is, if no similar structure is in place already) for this sector to be developed.
For example, the ubiquitous midwife is the pivot (just like the grama sevaka) of the community and many families share their personal issues and concerns with this important worker and this can be judiciously used to build a strong case record of families who have a relative abroad. The midwife is the closest the government can get to understand the feelings and the mindset of these families – even though her main job is to take care of pregnant mothers in the community. Thus, in this new support system structure, she is joined by the grama sevaka, the SLBFE officer, a social worker trained in psychology, a trained educationist, a reintegration officer (who would help returnees reintegrate into society) and also, possibly, an officer trained in investments and self-income avenues.
They also play their part after the midwife visits regularly, gathers the information of the family and helps the families to face the future in the absence of a father or mother (until their return from abroad). Thus, rather than talking about foreign remittances and the great contributions these sons and daughters of Sri Lanka have made to the country, politicians and the officials concerned need to equally focus on the welfare of these families and ensure they are well looked after in body and mind.
Taking a break, I walked to the kitchen window to see what the margosa tree trio had in store for me, on the second day of the New Year. “Thava aluth avuruddak avilla. Mokada wenna yanne (So another new year has come. What is in store for us),” asked Serapina. “Den ithin aanduwa ikmanata jeevana viyadama adu karanna yedenna oney, mokada janathawata dara ganna beri thathvayak thiyenne (Well the government now needs to seriously tackle the cost of living as people are undergoing unbearable hardships),” noted Mabel Rasthiyadu. “Goda denek balaporoththu wenava dushanaya adu karai kiyala saha neethiye palanaya okkotama, deshapalanayantath, eka vidihata balapai kiyala (Most people expect corruption to also reduce and ensure the rule of law applies to all politicians),” said Kussi Amma Sera.
Returning to the migrant worker issue, a can of worms has been unearthed at the SLBFE over alleged corrupt deals with mismanagement, at the expense of the migrant workers whose valuable contribution keeps the wheels of the economy turning. While various probes are underway by the new authorities, another issue that has surfaced is that it appears, according to ILO standards, charging recruitment fees and other costs to workers is illegal – although this practice continues unabated. Migrant workers are known to pay training fees and a registration fee to the SLBFE. This is something the authorities need to address as a priority.
Well, as we usher in a new era of governance and transparency, it is time the authorities take a hard look at the role of migrant workers – and aim for a sharp transformation of the economy, minimising the need for rural-based mothers and fathers to seek employment overseas while providing them decent jobs at home. Jaya Wewa!
Hitad.lk has you covered with quality used or brand new cars for sale that are budget friendly yet reliable! Now is the time to sell your old ride for something more attractive to today's modern automotive market demands. Browse through our selection of affordable options now on Hitad.lk before deciding on what will work best for you!