The COVID 19 epidemic poses a number of challenges to the Sri Lankan migrant community. The heroes of this country who earned foreign exchange for the country are now returning to their homeland in the midst of those challenges.
Importation of Sri Lankans Abroad
Accordingly, the government formulated and approved the National COVID 19 Response Plan for Migrant Workers in the COVID 19 Health Crisis. These policies are implemented through government institutions and in partnership with development partners and NGOs. These include the urgent needs of these migrant workers, repatriation, sustainable reintegration and skills.
Labor Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said recently, more than 20,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers have been exposed due to COVID-19 and the Sri Lankan government has recently repatriated nearly 20,000 despite the current challenges.
Female migrant workers struggling with various forms of discrimination, job loss and discipline issues, job insecurity and job fears, and the crisis has exacerbated the risk of gender-based violence against female migrants (GBV) due to the epidemic
There are no goods in the market at the prices stated by the government
Despite quoting Sri Lankans in the midst of such challenges, the price of a single room in a star-rated hotel has been quoted at Rs. 7,500, but it was recently announced on social media that Rs. 12,500 would be charged.
They have to spend money on the return flight from there, on the PCR check at the airport, on the vehicle being taken to the quarantine from the airport, on the quarantine center.
This was revealed to the Aruna newspaper by Dr. Nalinda Silva, who is currently the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Myanmar.
According to him, a group of people who had recently arrived in Sri Lanka from Myanmar have been placed under quarantine and Rs. 12,500 per day has been charged for a single room.
Meanwhile, a large number of Sri Lankans who were stranded in Oman while working in Oman were left stranded due to the unfair charge for a SriLankan flight to and from Sri Lanka on December 11.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman has informed Sri Lankans registered there that they will have to pay 450 riyals for PCR and quarantine, including 125 riyals for this chartered air ticket. This is about two hundred and thirty five thousand rupees in Sri Lankan currency.
Most of the people registered at its embassy are domestic workers and drivers. They usually earn around 125 riyals (Rs. 60,000 / =) a month, which is four times their monthly salary.
They have been out of work for months and now have only the usual fare for a small air ticket. Prior to the Covid status, the price of a one-way ticket from Oman was usually between 45 and 50 riyals. The average price in Sri Lankan currency is around 25,000 rupees.
New Guide Series
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has issued a new set of six guidelines on the quarantine process for expatriates. The Director General of Health Services is Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Specialist. It states that foreign nationals must undergo a 14-day quarantine process.
The Ministry of Health has decided to release those who properly comply with the new six-point health guidelines from quarantine for 14 days at their homes.
This is a series of 6 guidelines to be followed by people coming to this country from abroad
Statement by the Minister of Tourism
However, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has said that Sri Lankans coming from abroad are willing to pay money and stay in hotels. He says there are quarantine centers run by the military for those who are unable to do so, and there are more than 10,000 people in those centers.
Accordingly, he had stated in Mattala that he had been informed to bring the amount that could be controlled in a day and that another 30,000 were expected to come.