Abstract
Policy studies mainly deal with the steps involved in putting policies into action. Policymakers set the goals of a policy and expect street-level bureaucrats to implement the policy. In this linear process, the implementation stage has particular importance, and bureaucrats are its key players. This chapter therefore explores the ways in which street-level bureaucrats fulfill their role in implementing the National Labor Migration Policy in the Sri Lankan context. The research takes the form of a case study involving qualitative interviews with, among others, street-level bureaucrats in Sri Lanka’s Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), as they are the main stakeholders in implementing the labor migration policy. The findings show that the way in which they do their job has a significant impact on whether policy goals are achieved. SLBFE bureaucrats are expected to play a big role in implementing the policy and in ensuring the protection of migrant workers. However, it was discovered that their negative attitude to the target group, lacking motivation, lacking knowledge about the policy and its goals, and their mishandling of resources are factors that affect their role.
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Notes
- 1.
The first Western invasion was by the Portuguese in the 1500s; the Dutch invaded the country in 1658, and the British in 1796.
- 2.
Safe houses are run by the Sri Lankan embassies. These are places where migrants can stay when they face employment problems. They are given food and medicine, and those migrants who are imprisoned or serving a jail term can receive legal support with a view to their release.
- 3.
This research was carried out in 2015, the time when Sri Lanka’s president was voted out of office. People were divided between supporting ex-President Mahinda Rajapakse and newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena. The United National Party, which Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe led, became the governing party.
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Dushmanthi Silva, K.D. (2021). An Analysis of the Role of Street-Level Bureaucrats in Implementing the National Labor Migration Policy in Sri Lanka. In: Jamil, I., Dhakal, T.N., Haque, S.T.M., Paudel, L.K., Baniamin, H.M. (eds) Policy Response, Local Service Delivery, and Governance in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66018-5_6
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