10 hotels & resorts reserved to quarantine migrant workers for free

Ten private hotels and resorts have been selected to provide free quarantine facilities to migrant workers returning to Sri Lanka, reports say.

These workers also include those working in the Middle East, reports add.

The resorts were selected on the instructions of Labor Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and with the approval of the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said.

The resorts are : Jaga Bay Resort, Paradise Beach & Neptune Resort in Weligama, Hikka FNR Villa & Coral Reef Guest in Hikkaduwa, Blue Spring Hotel in Wadduwa, Villa Jayananda in Dickwella, Catamaran Beach Hotel in Negombo, Jayanthi Surf Dreams in Ahangama and Santon resort in Tangalle

These ten resorts can accommodate 571 people at a time and hotel charges, food and other facilities are provided by the SLBFE.

The SLBFE spends Rs. 18 million a week to provide these quarantine facilities, said Labor Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. Accordingly, Rs. 4,500 is spent on a person per day. One person will be placed in these centres for a week.

General Manager of the SLBFE – Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Mahinda Hathurusinghe has informed Foreign ministry and Sri Lankan diplomatic missions abroad on this to raise awareness among migrant workers returning to Sri Lanka and to deploy them to these centres in groups, the Minister said.

The Minister has also instructed the SLBFE to set up additional quarantine centers after reviewing the success of this project.