Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara launched the ‘Garu Saru’ recruitment website under the ‘Jayagamu Sri Lanka’ program on Friday, April 26 at the Mudduwa Stadium in Ratnapura, aiming to uplift and empower informal sector workers.
Informal sector workers across various industries now have the opportunity to register on garusaru.lk, with the ability to select from twenty different fields. Each registered individual will receive a personal QR code for identification.
The initiative targets workers in diverse professions such as three-wheeler drivers, car mechanics, artists, beauticians, carpenters, drivers, domestic housekeepers, people in the fishing industry, bakery and food delivery personnel, journalists, masons, those involved in the ornamental fish trade, painters, plumbers, preschool teachers, and private bus drivers.
Minister Nanayakkara emphasised the importance of recognising the dignity and professionalism of informal sector workers, noting that despite the Labour Department’s establishment in 1900, these workers have often been overlooked in terms of formal recognition and benefits.
Minister Nanayakkara outlined the significance of the proposed Employment Protection Act, which aims to elevate the status of these workers by establishing professional associations with specific standards and licensing requirements. This measure is intended to enhance job quality and remove negative connotations associated with informal labour.
“This country is not ready to call you professionals. You have been relegated to the informal sector. Despite the establishment of the Labour Department in 1900, you are not recognised as professionals like those in the public and private sectors. That is why we have prioritised the dignity of service as a key component in our new Employment Protection Act. We have drafted the Act and submitted it to the Attorney General’s Department for review.
“Upon forming your professional association, you will have the opportunity to publish the rules and conditions in the gazette.
This action will remove your association with the Ministry of Labour and transform your status into that of a professional. The negative connotation associated with the term ‘worker’ will be eliminated when all these categories are recognised as professionals.
“When these people set the standards in their respective fields, they will obtain licences from the Department of Manpower and Employment. Working without this licence will be impossible.
This process will ensure the quality of jobs.
“We have launched the website and initiated national work starting from Ratnapura. Many individuals prefer to keep people in this state and continue to play politics. The President has authorised me to set up a social security system,” the Minister said.
The Minister announced plans for a social security system, with a proposal set to be presented to the Cabinet for approval within two weeks.
