Someone’s mother, someone’s sister

As I was contemplating a topic for this week’s column with the focus ideally being COVID-19-related on Thursday morning, the phone rang.

It was a friend from Male, the capital city of the Maldives. “How are you?” he asked. After a warm greeting since I hadn’t spoken to him for a while, I asked: “It’s a long time since we last spoke. Anything interesting?”

We then got into a long conversation about the plight of Sri Lankan workers in the Maldives, particularly the capital city. “They are in a terrible state, mainly those in Male. With cafes, restaurants and some shops closed, they have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet,” he said, adding that some Sri Lankans had got together to help these victims of the economic impact of the pandemic. They had also lost their accommodation. “We sometimes provide meals to them and other needs,” he said.

As I ended the call, looking out of the window I could see Kussi Amma Sera with her ‘amba yaluwo’ – Mabel Rasthiyadu and Serapina, who had also brought her 10-year-old nephew Kishan. They were chatting under the margosa tree, ironically on the same topic – migrant workers.

“Thaama godak lankawe kattiya balagena innawa meda peradigen aapahu enna. Eka thama beri wela (Still many Sri Lankan workers who want to return from West Asia are unable to do so),” said Kussi Amma Sera. “Egollange thathve hari dukai. Rassaval nethi wela, hari amaruwen thama kaema hoyaganne saha inna than hoyaganne (Their situation is pathetic. Many have lost their jobs and are also finding it difficult to get food and accommodation),” added Serapina, as her nephew listened intently to their conversation, while munching a guava.

“Aanduwa hari himin megollanwa apahu gene. Eh aei (The government is very slow in repatriating these workers. I wonder why?),” asked Kussi Amma Sera, adding: “Me ape lankawe ammala saha savodariyo. Aanduwa monawahari karala megollanwa ikmanta genna one (These are mothers and sisters of Sri Lanka and the government needs to do something quickly to bring them back).”

According to Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) officials the delay in repatriating workers is due to limited quarantine facilities in Sri Lanka as all the centres are full and spilling over.

They said that 47,000 workers are waiting anxiously to return, while 20,000 have lost their jobs. Some workers have been infected with COVID-19 and 67 migrant workers have died.

“We are working out a plan to repatriate these workers but the problem is there is no space at quarantine centres. The new plan involves finding new centres and offering affordable accommodation to those who can pay and free accommodation to others,” one official explained.

One of the most remarkable and unexplained developments amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is that workers’ remittances essentially from West Asia have seen a steady rise – instead of an expected decline.

In September 2020, workers’ remittances increased for the fourth consecutive month, recording a healthy growth of 36.1 per cent year-on-year, to US$ 703 million. “This increase led the cumulative earnings in workers’ remittances to record a growth for the first time. Accordingly, workers’ remittances grew by 2.4 per cent to $5,049 million during the period from January to September 2020, in comparison to the corresponding period of 2019,” the Central Bank said this week.

Last week the government said that Sri Lankans stranded in 150 safe houses in Saudi Arabia would be repatriated as soon as possible.

There have been growing reports of Sri Lankan workers seeking refuge in parks in Dubai as they face job losses, expired visas and lack of food and accommodation. One report in the Dubai-based Khaleej Times said a group of Sri Lankans on visit and expired residential visas had sought refuge at Al Hudaiba Park, the second group of Sri Lankans since September this year, while they await repatriation.

The group has been helped by the Sri Lankan mission in Dubai and other charity groups which distribute food and other essentials.

The phone rang once again. This time it was ‘Koththamalli’

Fernando, the ‘Kokatath Thailaya’ (oil for any ailment) expert who has a remedy for any issue. “I say….why can’t they use Ayurvedic medicine as a cure for COVID-19?” he asked, adding: “There are some good concoctions.”

“I don’t think they are proven remedies,” I said. “Why not? Ayurvedic medicine has a cure for any ailment,” he boasted. Rather than get into a long argument over the efficacy of Ayurvedic medicine, I steered the conversation to today’s topic – migrant workers.

“You know… I have been worrying about the plight of dozens of Sri Lankan migrant workers who want to return but cannot due to a delay in the repatriation process. Many are on the verge of starvation and with no place to stay,” I said. “It’s a pity because their contribution to the Sri Lankan economy cannot be measured only in value terms. We need to take into account the fact that sometimes they work in difficult conditions, grappling with language issues and ill-treatment, particularly the female domestic workers,” he said in reply.

We discussed in detail the crisis that has befallen Sri Lankans and their contribution to Sri Lanka, the highest contributor to the local economy in terms of foreign exchange earnings.

While 200,000 workers seek employment abroad every year there is a total of over 2 million Sri Lankan workers in West Asia, Europe and other countries. Last year’s earnings from foreign remittances totalled $6.7 billion in 2019, down from $7 billion in 2018. Remittances this year are likely to be at 2019 levels despite the stresses from the pandemic, based on the figures up to September 2020.

Just before winding up the column, Kussi Amma Sera brought a second mug of tea with a ‘good morning sir’ greeting. I watched her leave the room and reflected on the tremendous contribution Sri Lankan migrant workers – someone’s mother, someone’s sister, someone’s father, someone’s brother – have made to the economy, far more than any other sector. Yet, they do not get the recognition they deserve and that’s something the authorities need to work on.