Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J. Senevirathne yesterday admitted that employment opportunities for the differently-abled in the state sector were inadequate and that there was a need to better implement government polices to increase jobs for them.

Minister Senevirathne expressed this view as Chief Guest at the job fare for different-abled organised by the Labour Ministry, Employers Federation of Ceylon and the International Labour Organisation. He said a circular was issued in 1988 and again in 2004 to allocate 3% of state sector jobs to the differentabled. However, there has still been no implementation.

“Despite Cabinet decisions taken on the matter there has been no implementation. I have requested for an inquest to find out what difficulties have been there in not being able to provide jobs for the differently-abled,” the Minister said.

He said 5% of the population (one million ) are in this category and that President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his 2012 budget speech had mentioned the necessity in increasing opportunities for them.

The job fair comprised 26 private companies who interviewed potential employees with disabilities for vacancies such as computer operators, machinery operators, cashiers, security officials and other vacancies. Many of the private companies present at the job fair said they would recruit these people based on their skills and qualifications.

CEI Plastics Ltd. a company that has 46 full-time differently-abled employees and several other part time employees said that these people are far more efficient workers than others.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka