GOVT. PLANS TO SEND SKILLED AND TRAINED YOUTH TO JAPAN: PM
Sri Lankans will soon start going in for skilled employment to new destination rather than going in for unskilled employment in the Middle East as they have done in the past, Prime Minister Ranil Wcikremesinghe said yesterday. Prime Minister said this during an event organized by the Ministry of Telecom, Foreign Employment and Sports to distribute increased scholarships to children of Sri Lankan expatriate workers at Temple Trees last evening.
“Minister of Telecom, Foreign Employment and Sports Harin Fernando is currently conferring with the Japanese government to send skilled and trained persons to Japan. One needs to be skilled and trained to go and find employment in a country like Japan.this opportunity is available in other countries as well. This is why we are focusing on sending Sri Lankans abroad for skilled jobs,” the Prime Minister said.
“Sri Lanka’s export earnings was around US $ 18 billion last year and most of this came in the form of Sri Lankan expatriate workers. Therefore we are duty bound to thank Sri Lankan expatriate workers.the objective behind the increasing of the scholarship awarded to children of expatriate workers was to pay tribute to these people who send in much needed remittance.” the Prime Minister said.
Also the Prime Minister stressed the need for increasing training facilities to enhance skills of Sri Lankan expatriate workers.
Minister Fernando said skype facilities and other direct dialing phone facilities will be introduced to the family members if Sri Lankan expatriate workers to communicate with them. Children of Sri Lankan expatriate workers could talk to their parents when such facilities are in place.