Foreign Secy. appeals to overseas Lankans to rethink return unless in compelling circumstances

Monday, 18 May 2020 00:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha has called on migrant workers, as well as students and parents, to carefully consider the effect repatriation could have on their jobs and education before making the decision to return, the Ministry said in a statement yesterday.

He said these issues must be considered before availing the limited flights being operated by the Government for those facing compelling circumstances. He made this observation on Saturday (16 May) in an appearance on the ‘News at 9’ on Sri Lanka Rupavahini, where he noted that over 38,000 Sri Lankans are seeking to be repatriated, of that, nearly 28,000 are migrant workers.

The comments made by the Secretary are as follows.

The Government’s priority right now, following the Cabinet Paper presented by Minister Dinesh Gunawardena two weeks ago, is to bring back the migrant workers. There are many who have lost their jobs. They are pretty much destitute. Thereafter we can consider those who want to come, but who have jobs and who simply want to come on holiday to avoid any COVID-19 vulnerability.

Our plea to these employees, as we did to students some time ago, is to ask them to carefully calibrate the possible loss of jobs or loss of educational opportunity or major delays which can occur from their coming.

With students, we particularly find that in some places, one set of parents want children to come, another set of parents want children to stay and finish their exams. So, while I know these are personal choices, I think there must be some rationality when doing this.

From the Foreign Ministry perspective, we are working very hard to get them back today, but I know that one month, two months from now, we will once again be asked to try to reconcile their status as students when there are difficulties in them getting back or losing out on semesters. It is the same with those who lose their employment.

So, as much as the Foreign Ministry and the Government are trying to bring back people, these people, who are wanting to return, should make a very careful assessment of their essential needs, as against just wanting to come for the short term. This may not be the best time to use this limited window, and they would have to go into quarantine for 21 days when they come here as well.