The progressive review meeting which was tremendously contributed to our country's economy, providing the tourism to our country, to enquire the success of the contribution given by foreign employment development officers for the tourist workers in the first quarter of 2026, 05 08, Kegalle District Secretary K. G. S. At the District Secretariat auditorium under the leadership of Mr. Nishantha. The review meeting also aimed at discussing programs for tourist workers in 2026 and related questions and issues.
At the beginning of the first session of the discussion, Foreign Employment, Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandran joined this progress review meeting online and Additional Secretary (Government) Priyasad Piyasena, Additional Secretary (Development) Dr. M. M. S. S. B. The discussion was initiated with the presence of Mr. Dilip Nishantha, Planning Director Rasika Perera, Ratnapura Provincial Manager Bureau of Foreign Affairs Employment, Ratnapura Province Manager Sajith Chaminda.
Here, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, External Employment Arun Hemachandran addressed the importance and width of this sector, identifying the issues related to the sector and making changes and creating a transformation for the district. Need to deal with the feeling. Also the responsibility there is to be parties including foreign worker and his close relatives, agencies connecting foreign worker to that service, Bureau of Foreign Employment as a government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervene in these questions and issues then it is very important direct among those parties A transaction, a joint action and transparency should be done.
Mr. Harindra Udumulla, District Coordination Officer of Foreign Employment Department representing those officers while the Deputy Minister enquired questions and issues of foreign job development officers. Among those proposals, getting the required loan money for the movement workers to build a house, getting the suitable security center in the district because there is no suitable custody, getting the opportunity to establish a branch owned by the Bureau of Foreign Employment in Kegalle town, It is the suggestion to request one laptop per computer to facilitate the duty of foreign job development officers working in the Divisional Secretariat divisions. The deputy minister who answered the proposals said that foreign workers have two parties so that they are registered and unregistered, and there is a separate technique to follow regarding unregistered foreign workers, as well as registered foreign workers are under the Bureau of Foreign Employment. He was under the actions because there was a technique. Also that a government has presented a budget scheme for planned low interest home loan scheme which has made decisions related to the foreign employment sector, and continue to discuss a pension scheme with the Social Security Board, and the work works easily Looking forward to creating the digitalization process to continue.
The minister who said that the District Secretary is requesting the District Secretary to discuss these questions and issues as much as possible in the District and Regional Coordination Committees regarding the above points mentioned if a person filed a complaint about some financial fraud related to the foreign employment sector in the Bureau of Foreign Employment To the special police unit under the ministry to refer to it without delay. Also, making this foreign employment sector which was created as a result of a crisis, we must seek answers to the questions created through this sector and may everyone have the strength and courage to make the foreign employment sector a safe sector He didn't forget to add the officers who came in.
The ongoing issues regarding the care of children and women of abroad workers also took place here and Mr. Dilip Nishantha, Additional District Secretary said that his officers would take care of the children of the families of foreign workers related to schools every 3 months and the relief they deserve It's also a constant focus on giving. The Additional District Secretary further showed that it is better to travel abroad with institutions like the Ministry of Skills Development and the Bureau of Foreign Employment as training labor than personally being abroad as housemaids. 1550 school equipment has currently been distributed to the children of foreign workers, and 1450 more school equipment is expected to be distributed and expected to distribute the equipment in a very recent time. Foreign Employment Development Officers were also raised through this discussion session and the need to work at the ground level by identifying the issues of existing problems in the sector and the opportunity for workers who wish to travel abroad sustainably to fulfill the role of Foreign Employment, Foreign Affairs Ministries. There was also an information about the background and how to set up the environment.
The overall progress in the work done so far in 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 is at a very optimistic level and the problems of foreign employment development officers and foreign employment sector in Kegalle district are at a very low level than the rest of the districts as a district. The opinion of the board of officers who attended the Progress review meeting and said they hope to maintain it the same way in the future. Foreign Employment Development Officers and all officers from District Foreign Employment Division 11 and District Foreign Employment Division were attended for this progress review meeting conducted by Mr. Lanka Sumanadasa, Foreign Employment Development Officers on 2026 05 08.
