Saturday, August 22, 2009

Repatriation process for housemaids ongoing – Govt

by Roel Raymond

The government says that the repatriation process of housemaids from Middle Eastern countries is still ongoing, with Foreign Employment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella adding that the outflow of maids to these countries has seen a drastic reduction.

‘This is not static, the process is ongoing and we are constantly in touch with and assisting those housemaids that wish to return home’ Minster Rambukwella said, explaining that 63% of those reporting for work in the Middle East during the year 2006 had been women, but that the figure by the end of the year 2008 had come down to 48%.

The Minister also said that the Foreign Employment Ministry was trying to train the womenfolk in caretaker positions of nannies and governesses rather than as housemaid in order to further protect them.

There had been media reports over the past few weeks of Sri Lankan housemaids facing abuse at the hands of their employers. (DM Online)

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