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With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s replies and the copies of new legislation attached thereto. It also notes the observations made by the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union received on 23 October 2003.

Labour inspection on Child labour. Referring to its previous comments, the Committee notes with interest information provided by the Government that the number of inspectors in charge of issues on women and children has been increased, and that through the intensified inspection activities on child labour, the number of prosecutions also increased from two in 1999 to 42 in 2001.

Improvement of the operation of the labour inspection system. With respect to its previous comments, the Committee also notes with interest information on the significant improvement in the operation of the labour inspection system according to the recommendations by the New Delhi ILO multidisciplinary team: the reorganization and upgrading of the local inspection offices; the establishment of a progress-monitoring unit within the labour inspectorate; review of existing inspection forms to suit the changes in labour standards; the introduction of a multidisciplinary inspection system on a tripartite basis.

It also notes, in the meantime, that from the point of view of the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union, the labour inspection system should be more developed in terms of needs to strengthen the function of supplying technical information and advice to employers’ and workers’ organizations (Article 3, paragraph 1(b), of the Convention); training opportunities and transport facilities for the inspectors (Articles 7 and 11); right of free entry of inspectors to workplaces in the export processing zones (Article 12); and publication of a separate annual inspection report by the Commissioner General of Labour (Articles 20 and 21).

The Committee will examine the information provided by the Government in answer to its previous direct request with any comments the Government may wish to formulate on the issues raised by the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union.