Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa visited hundreds of frustrated job seekers gathered in protest at the Polduwa junction on Wednesday, lending his voice to their grievances over what he described as a deeply entrenched "job mafia" blocking Sri Lankans from securing employment opportunities in Israel's infrastructure sector.
Protestors Gather Over Stalled Israel Job Programme
Scores of hopeful applicants who had registered and paid fees to secure positions in Israel's construction and infrastructure industry have been left in limbo, with many claiming they have received little to no communication regarding their application status despite waiting for extended periods. The demonstration at Polduwa junction drew significant attention as the numbers of those affected continued to grow.
Premadasa, speaking directly to the protestors, expressed deep concern over the manner in which the recruitment process has been handled, alleging that corrupt middlemen and unscrupulous agents are profiteering from the desperation of ordinary Sri Lankan workers seeking better livelihoods abroad.
Opposition Leader Calls for Immediate Government Action
The Opposition Leader did not mince his words, squarely blaming what he termed a organised "job mafia" for manipulating the recruitment pipeline and leaving thousands of working-class Sri Lankans financially and emotionally drained.
Premadasa urged the government to take swift and decisive action to dismantle the networks allegedly exploiting vulnerable job seekers and to ensure that legitimate applicants receive fair and transparent treatment throughout the recruitment process.
Many of the protestors present had reportedly invested considerable sums of money in application fees and related costs, placing enormous financial strain on their families in the hope of securing better-paying jobs overseas. With the process now appearing stalled, those dreams are fast fading.
Broader Concerns Over Overseas Recruitment Transparency
The incident has once again brought into sharp focus longstanding concerns about the lack of oversight and accountability within Sri Lanka's overseas employment recruitment sector. Critics have long argued that inadequate regulation allows fraudulent agents and intermediaries to exploit job seekers with little consequence.
- Applicants allege they paid substantial fees without receiving clear updates on their status
- Many have been waiting for extended periods without any confirmed placement
- Premadasa called on authorities to investigate alleged corrupt recruitment networks
- Demands for greater transparency in the Israel infrastructure job programme have grown louder
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and relevant government ministries have yet to issue a formal public response to the specific allegations raised at the Polduwa junction protest. Affected applicants and their families say they will continue their demonstrations until concrete answers and remedial action are provided by the authorities.
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Sajith comes every election time only, where was he before?
these ppl been waiting months already, goverment just watching
not just watching, they taking commissions and watching