Northern province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran stressed the need to give 'dual nationality' to members of the diaspora so that they could return to Sri Lanka and participate in post-war rebuilding work.
He made this request on Thursday while addressing the National Conference on Post-war Socio-Economic Development of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
While being cautious about possible implications of such a move, Mr. Wigneswaran highlighted the importance of a transparent screening process to address any security concerns in such an eventuality.
“The diaspora is a competitive resource we need to capitalise on. They have the technical knowhow and the resources to contribute towards postwar rebuilding. They have the socio-cultural links with their motherland and also genuine interest, which are important ingredients to foster the transfer of knowledge and technical know-how. The government does not have the financial resources and professional technical input or knowledge capital to contribute towards an effective post-war recovery process. We need to adopt strategies that would facilitate the participation of the diaspora and lead to a ‘brain gain’ situation. However, for diaspora professionals to come over and participate in the post-war recovery processes we need to have pragmatic, meaningful structures and modalities in place to ensure their security, safety, motivation and participation. How can we encourage the return of diaspora members when we take steps to prohibit dual nationality (except in the case of a privileged few),” he asked.
However, Mr. Wigneswaran hailed President Mahinda Rajapaksa for having accommodated his request to facilitate the early disbursement of donor money from those living abroad.
“On a positive note, during my recent discussions with the President, in the presence of his Secretary, the Treasury Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary, we discussed the mutual benefits that could be reaped by the Central Government and the Northern Provincial Council by allowing a smooth flow of funds from our brethren abroad, through State organs. One of the difficulties faced by us is the delay in donor monies reaching us. Since valuable foreign currency can flow into the coffers of the State, I said it must ensure the speedy delivery of equivalent local currency to the periphery. The President and his advisors were seemingly very accommodative saying that so long as the donations are approved in advance by the State the passage of the finances to their ultimate destination will be unhindered. This is a positive move and I remain hopeful that we could progress on this front,” he said.Mr. Wigneswaran said a comprehensive needs-assessment of all the sectors was required when dealing with post-war challenges. (Kelum Bandara)
Source:http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/43148-wigneswaran-wants-dual-nationality-for-diaspora.html
Monday, February 17, 2014
Immigration Department data shows number of work visas in Australia continue to climb
THE number of visitors to Australia with work rights continues to soar, despite the nation's worsening job outlook.
New Immigration Department data show that the number of New Zealanders on special visas has risen to 625,000 while there has been a 10 per cent jump in young foreigners on working holidays to almost 180,000, as of December 31 last year.
With the nation's unemployment rate climbing towards 6 per cent, there was a 7.6 per cent spike in numbers for the controversial 457 skilled visa to 170,000.
Student visa numbers rose by 6.4 per cent to 257,000 while there was a 6 per cent jump in the total number of temporary entrants in Australia to 1.82 million, according to the report Temporary Entrants and New Zealand Citizens in Australia.
It revealed that the working holiday program was dominated by youth from the UK, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and France.
The number one country for the 457 visa was the UK, followed by India, Ireland, Philippines and the US.
Victorian federal Labor MP Kelvin Thomson has criticised the open-ended migration of NZ citizens and aspects of skilled migration, claiming local jobs are under threat.
Mr Thomson recently formed the grassroots lobby group Victoria First, which wants immigration slashed to improve liveability and protect the environment.
Source:http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/immigration-department-data-shows-number-of-work-visas-in-australia-continue-to-climb/story-fni0fit3-1226816936526
Indian student dies in Maribyrnong immigration detention
The man who died in a Melbourne immigration detention centre was an Indian university student whose visa had been cancelled.
The 27-year-old hanged himself in his cell on Thursday night in the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre after overstaying his visa, two independent sources said.
The Indian community responded by saying more care should have been taken of the young man's mental health through the detention centre's duty of care.
Advertisement
''I would urge Minister Morrison to get the system to review their arrangements in this regards,'' said Yadu Singh, the president of the Indian Australian Association of NSW.
''We feel sad to know about the death of this young man,'' Dr Singh said. ''Our hearts go out to the parents and family members.
''It is well known when people go into a detention centre they are under massive stress.''
In recent years tensions between India and Australia have been inflamed by a series of attacks on Indian students in Melbourne, dating back to 2009.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the man was found unconscious by staff at the centre in Melbourne.
Victoria police said the death was not considered suspicious.
Mr Morrison said the government ''expresses its sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased man and will provide support to the police and other authorities as appropriate to assist with their investigations''.
But the department would not provide figures showing how many international students were detained in detention centres in Australia, and offshore centres including Manus Island and Nauru.
Mental health issues were among the most pressing concerns for people being kept in detention centres, refugee supporters warned.
According to documents obtained by Fairfax Media, the Australian government had to pay nearly $7 million for breaches of duty of care, including mental health claims, of asylum seekers held in detention centres since 1999.
Of the 150 claims lodged for negligence or breach of statutory duty, 102 were closed and had cost the government $6.92 million.
The average amount of money per payout was $45,520, the documents showed.
Louise Newman, a professor of developmental psychiatry at Monash University, said the environment of the detention centres, particularly in Nauru and Manus Island, fostered mental illnesses.
''It is highly predictable,'' Professor Newman said. ''We are setting up the circumstances [that will] lead to an increase in disorders, depression and suicide.''
Human rights lawyer Greg Barns said detention was ''inherently stressful'' and asked if the signs for mental strain were being picked up by centre staff. ''The environment itself is creating the illness,'' he said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/indian-student-dies-in-maribyrnong-immigration-detention-20140214-32qcd.html#ixzz2tdb7Rkuh
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)