The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has raised concerns that the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), originally established for regulatory purposes, is instead operating as a business entity.
During a COPE meeting on 27th of February chaired by MP (Dr.) Nishantha Samarawira, it was revealed that 683 underage workers were sent abroad for domestic work between May 2023 and June 2024. Additionally, the failure to provide mandatory residential training for 28,165 first-time migrant domestic workers resulted in a loss of LKR 631,177,650 in training revenue for the SLBFE.
The committee also uncovered financial irregularities, such as the rental of 30 stalls for LKR 170,000 each for a program in Galle, while a single stall for a similar event in Jaffna was rented for LKR 500,000. Further investigations revealed that 25 stalls had been purchased at a total cost of LKR 12.5 million.
Another key issue was the SLBFE’s approval of recruitment agencies sending domestic workers abroad on tourist visas. A circular issued on 30th of March 2023 (07/2023) facilitated worker migration to the UAE and Oman without formal labor agreements, raising concerns about their safety and legal status. It was disclosed that 4,942 workers had left Sri Lanka under tourist visas, with many securing jobs, but their details had not been uploaded to the Sri Lankan embassy’s database.
Meanwhile, the “Jayagamu Sri Lanka” program incurred an expenditure of LKR 1.2 billion. While officials defended the spending, stating that all payments followed proper procedures, the committee noted that any expenditure exceeding LKR 500 million required cabinet approval. The Auditor General’s Department will now review the transactions.
COPE also discussed issues related to temporary shelters for stranded Sri Lankan migrant workers and appointment procedures within the SLBFE. Given the seriousness of the findings, the committee has decided to appoint a subcommittee to conduct a deeper investigation into the SLBFE’s operations.
