The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake

¶ 01 Mr. Presiding Member, I thank Hon. Shanakiyan Rasamanickam for seconding and sharing experiences from Batticaloa; Hon. Nanda Bandara of Kegalle for endorsing core ideas; Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah for highlighting Muslim community concerns; and Hon. Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy of Jaffna for his inputs. Finally, I thank the Deputy Minister for indicating how and when these can be implemented.

¶ 02 Deputy Minister, one request: do not delay. A new Bill takes about a year and a half; delaying sends these ideas backwards while problems grow. Necessary changes can often be done through regulations or administrative action under the SLBFE, without a full new Act. Please proceed.

¶ 03 I know the realities abroad: domestic workers lack legal systems and the moral support to act, so their issues remain unresolved. If we want to help, these are the measures. I appreciate the merger of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment—it has created positive attributes—but that should serve the people, not just facilitate staff. Please deliver relief swiftly.

¶ 04 Also, consider this a risk‑management and insurance‑type approach that can even encourage more remittances. Creating such assured safety can underpin an insurance‑like mechanism—needed at a time like this.

¶ 05 As Hon. Nanda Bandara said, let us add value to our labour: train and send doctors and professionals from our universities. That would not only answer the burning issue raised by Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa but also earn the country more money and build a knowledge‑based economy. Do not import doctors from Nepal, Belarus, or China; produce and deploy our own.

¶ 06 I won’t take more time. I appreciate all contributions, but urge speedy implementation with the consent of all, and give this legal effect. Thank you for the opportunity; I conclude.

¶ 07 Question put, and agreed to.