Sri Lankan workers had vacated their workplace violating contracts
Physical fitness test required by Israel to ensure employee competence for agriculture jobs
Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) Chairman Koshala Wickremasinghe stated that the country lost 10,000 job opportunities in the Israeli agricultural sector, as unfit people sent by politicians in the previous regime had violated their job agreements by vacating their workplaces being unable to fulfil their duty.
He said such unqualified people had vacated their workplaces without notice and sought employment elsewhere violating their job agreements and this prompted Israeli authorities to annul the 10,000 job quota given to Sri Lanka.
The SLBFE Chairman said this while making a special explanation to the media regarding the controversy surrounding the physical fitness test introduced recently by the SLBFE for Israeli agricultural job aspirants.
“For two years, about 5,000 people have been waiting to go to work in that country after politicians promised and took money. Earlier, people were brought and sent without following the due process. The friends of politicians brought them in vehicles and buses by putting pressure on the Bureau and directed them for jobs forcibly without following the due process.
If that happens, how can we protect the job market as a country? But now we are taking appropriate measures to rectify the matter,” he added.
Wickremasinghe explained that in the past, Israel had offered a quota of about 10,000 jobs for Sri Lankans and some 2,000 workers had been sent to Israel for employment.
But he said many unqualified people had been sent and they had vacated their workplaces without notice and sought employment elsewhere violating their job agreements.
Due to this fact the Israeli authorities had decided to withdraw the job quota related to agriculture given to Sri Lanka.
“We discussed at length how to revive these employment opportunities. Israeli authorities said that they can reconsider, if suitable and physically fit workers are sent for these jobs. That is why we joined forces with the Sri Lankan Army and the health sector and prepared a programme related to health depending on criteria required by Israel and for one-and-a-half months made relevant people aware about this.”
The SLBFE Chairman said many people have paid money and worked hard to qualify for these jobs despite hardships and therefore authorities decided to talk to their Israel counterparts to secure these job opportunities again.
Wickremasinghe explained that after the matter was explained to job aspirants they agreed to undergo the required physical examinations and as some had not done the ECG test, he had sought help from health authorities and had brought machines and had subjected those who had not done it for an ECG test, among other examinations.
Wickremasinghe lamented that however some had complained that the physical examination which included a two-kilometre run (to be completed within 10 to12 minutes) was too rigourous and some media had also carried the sentiments of such individuals in a negative light.
However, the SLBFE Chairman said that the physical examination was a must to send individuals with required strength, endurance and health for agricultural jobs or else Israel might decide to annul the job quota again.
“With the dispatch of properly qualified and fit workers, it is hoped that these workers will work well. If that happen more Sri Lankan workers will find agricultural jobs in Israel. That is why we ask job aspirants to participate in these physical fitness activities, through which we will provide these job opportunities again. It is our responsibility,” he added.
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