Six housemaids to get compensation

By Hemanthi Guruge
The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau yesterday offered Rs 5 million as compensation to six housemaids who had worked in Saudi Arabia without wages for several years. The SLBFE will take step to provide compensation to another ten housemaids shortly, SLBFE Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said.
Speaking to Daily Mirror Mr. Ranawaka said the SLBFE will take action to provide air tickets, outstanding salaries and other compensation to workers who had worked without payment for several years.
He said that the SLBFE together with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia would take stern action against the employer who had not paid these women’s salaries for several years.
Meanwhile he said that they are expecting to amend the existing laws with regard to the renewal of passports of Sri Lankans employed abroad so that it would be essential for both the employer and the employee to come to the Sri Lankan Embassy for the renewal of passports. He said that earlier the employer could renew the passports without the employee in question being present.
The SLBFE Chairman said that this measure would prevent non payment of salaries by foreign employers in the future.