June 06, Colombo: The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to adopt a lenient policy when including previous offenses and minor offenses in the police clearance report to be obtained while leaving for foreign employment.

The Cabinet has taken this decision after considering the requests from foreign job seekers to follow a lenient policy in this regard as they have not been able to get foreign job opportunities due to the inclusion of minor infractions in the police report required before leaving for foreign jobs.

Accordingly, it has been decided not to include the cases filed in Magisterial Courts under the Dishonesty under Section 378 of the Penal Code, Criminal breach of trust under Sections 389 to 392 of the Penal Code, Cheating under Sections 400 to 403 of the Penal Code, and Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drug Act in the police report.

Apart from this, it is not necessary to include the infractions in the police clearance report in the event that a person has been acquitted and released of a legal matter or has been acquitted of a legal matter.

However, the cabinet has decided to include the offenses under all the acts aimed at ensuring national security and the offenses under the acts introduced under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in the police clearance report.

The foreign job seekers had presented matters to the Minister of Labor and Foreign Employment Mr. Manusha Nanayakkara regarding the loss of employment opportunities due to the inclusion of minor offenses and acquittals in the police reports of workers leaving for Korean jobs and jobs in other countries.

Accordingly, the Minister had drawn the attention of the Cabinet in this regard and requested to follow a lenient policy in issuing police reports.