Tuesday Nov 26, 2024
Tuesday Nov 26, 2024
Tuesday, 26 November 2024 02:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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Former Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara |
Former Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara yesterday responded to allegations and defended his efforts to establish the E-8 visa program.
He emphasised that it was intended to create employment opportunities for Sri Lankans. “I personally went and requested these people to provide us with this E-8 visa category. Accordingly, they made arrangements to provide this E-8 visa category to Sri Lanka as well,” he explained. Nanayakkara’s response comes following accusations raised by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) yesterday.
He attributed delays in implementing the program to internal disruptions at the SLBFE, particularly in the weeks leading up to elections. “Due to the behaviour and actions of certain officers of the Bureau, it was finally not implemented. It can be implemented even now. If implemented, it is an opportunity to obtain thousands of new jobs,” he said.
Nanayakkara urged the current administration to revive the scheme, arguing that it could benefit citizens across the country regardless of political affiliation. “We tell the Government and the Prime Minister – don’t lose this. It is not the people I chose politically; there are people all over Sri Lanka. Give anyone the opportunity to go abroad,” he appealed.
