1500 Katunayake FTZ staff provided transport to return home

Friday, 27 March 2020 15:46 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Steps were taken to provide transport to 1500 staff members of the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ) following instructions to the Board of investment (BOI) from the Industrial Exports and Investment Promotions Ministry, to close all free trade zones in the country today.

The FTZ staff members were unable to return home due to curfew and 80 buses had been arranged to provide transport to them. In addition to this, food was also provided, and all workers were subjected to a medical examination. However, over 5000 people had gathered at the Katunayake FTZ and it was soon apparent that most of them were not employees of the FTZ but were from places of business being set up in the area.

Due to the additional number of people gathered at the Katunayake FTZ, Industrial Export and Investment Promotion Minister Prasanna Ranatunga had given instructions to deploy a total of 150 Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses to provide transport to these individuals. Additional health services teams were also allocated by the Health and Indigenous Medical Services Ministry to conduct medical tests on all those being transported home.

While a few individuals had previously had fever, they were given instructions and guidelines by public health inspectors. All those gathered at the Katunayake FTZ were taken to the closest police station to their residence by bus and were provided transport by the police for the remainder of the journey.