For the last six years or so, Sri Lankan workers have been sent for jobs in South Korea with the patronage of the Government and the authorities of the host country.
The workers had been sent after they had passed a language test and faced an oral interview.
However, some unscrupulous individuals claiming to be having State backing are also said to be in the same business. They are reported to be private secretaries of ministers and individuals claiming to be relatives of ministers.
Some youth from Polonnaruwa who were interviewed four years back for jobs in Korea and paid up part of the money to travel to that country are still waiting here after being selected and placed on a ‘list’.
A father identified as hotel owner Ratne Mudalali had entered his son’s name in one such ‘list’ maintained by a local politician. He is reported to have paid Rs. 200,000 to this politician, which sum he was told could be earned in two months by his son when he went to Korea. He was told that the money paid would ‘enable’ his son to be successful at the exam to be held in Colombo.
The man said his son had to answer a question paper, short answers to which were received via SMS on his son’s mobile phone. His son had been successful at the exam but was not called for the oral interview. When he questioned the politician he was told to be patient.
He later learnt others had been duped in a similar manner.
Another victim, 34 year old Pradeep Kumara of Kusumpokuna said that he and 17 others were selected for a job in a company which had the backing of a politician.
He had paid Rs. 275,000 for a job that was promised in six month’s time. He too had to answer a question paper in a similar manner. However, the short answers on the mobile phone had come after the time for answering the paper was over. He had failed the exam as a result.
Polonnaruwa residents are asking the question why this type of fleecing is not investigated by the State. When questioned many of these racketeers are said to use names of ministers to take refuge. |
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