Opposition wants voting rights for migrant workers

• Says 63 countries have given e-voting opportunities to citizens

 By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

A proposal to grant voting rights to Sri Lankan migrant workers was brought to the Government’s attention during the Committee Stage Debate of the Ministry of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment and Sports in Parliament yesterday.

Opposition lawmaker Sunil Handunnetti, highlighting the important role the migrant workers play in providing much-needed foreign exchange, held many countries other than Sri Lanka have granted their migrant workers the opportunity to vote using the Internet, and through their consular offices abroad.

“Already 63 countries have started allowing their migrant workers to vote from different parts of the world. It is sad that Sri Lanka has still not allowed the migrant workers this facility,” he said.

According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the lower demand and Government policies on migrant workers in destination markets, particularly in the Middle East, has significantly contributed to the drop in departures for foreign employment during the last five years.

Accordingly, the total number of departures for foreign employment was 212,162 in 2017, compared to 242,816 in 2016. The female departures declined by 11.7% to 72,891 and male departures declined by 13.1% to 139,271 in 2017, compared to 2016. Overall, over a million Sri Lankans are estimated to be migrant workers.