Prasanna admits in P’ment shortcomings in tourism pilot project but vows to carry on

• Admits health guidelines did not reach all stakeholders including tourist drivers
• Says same quarantine rules cannot apply for tourists and locals who are repatriated  
• Says Ukrainians tourists operate with bio-bubble
• Opp. MPs criticise Govt. decision to bring tourists from Ukraine
• Says Govt. flouting its own ‘one country, one law’ rule

By Chandani Kirinde

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga yesterday acknowledged that there were shortcomings in the pilot project to revive in the tourism industry as the stipulated health guidelines had not been shared with some stakeholders in the industry, but vowed to carry on with the program.

“Health guidelines were drawn up for all stakeholders during a meeting we had prior to bringing down tourists but these have not reached those in the ground level including the tourist drivers,” Ranatunga told Parliament.

He made the comments after several Opposition MPs criticised the Government decision to bring down tourists from Ukraine.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath was among those who said that bringing tourists from a country with a very high prevalence rate of COVID-19 was putting the lives of Sri Lankans at risk.

“This Government came to power saying ‘one country, one law’, but now it has one law for Sri Lankans who want to return home and another for tourists,” Herath said.

Minister Ranatunga said that the ‘one country, one law’ rule cannot be applied to certain sectors such as tourism. “If an investor wants to come here, they will come in their private jet and stay for two or three days. We cannot expect them to quarantine for 14 days, it’s the same with tourists,” he said.

Ranatunga said that those who interacted with the Ukrainian tourists including Udayanga Weeratunga have been operating within a bio-bubble under which they are separated from the society so that there will be no spread of COVID-19.

He said that the tourists were brought down by three companies, namely My Ceylon Dreams, Exotic Holidays and Dulux and the Government would support any inbound tour operators.

“Tourists from Ukraine were brought down to revive the tourism industry which has been at a standstill since March last year. There are three million people dependent on the sector and we have to revive the industry. The Opposition too should support this,” he said.