Proposal to reopen airports for tourists from 1st August
The Task Force Committee entrusted with COVID-19 control proposed to President to reopen airports for foreign tourists from 1st August as the country is gradually returning to normalcy.
The Committee members pointed out that it is a remarkable achievement that not a single infected person was reported from the community after April 30th to date (26).
The COVID Prevention Task Force Committee was convened under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (26) to discuss ways and means to revive the tourism industry which was badly affected by the pandemic.
President highlighted the necessity of following health guidelines issued by international and local health experts in the event of opening the country for tourists. There is a possibility to be at the forefront of tourism revival provided a well-planned strategy is in place. Future steps should be taken under the guidance of tourism and health professionals on a priority basis, President said.
Under the first phase, it was decided to open hotels and restaurants registered under the Tourism Development Authority for in house dining. Based on its progress steps will be taken to gradually open unregistered eateries under the assistance and supervision of the Army and Public Health Officers. President advised relevant officials to set up Tourists Police units comprising those who are fluent in foreign languages giving priority to popular tourist destinations.
“In order to attract tourists it is necessary to have a proper understanding of their preferences. Some prefer the beach while some enjoy seeing archaeological sites and wildlife. Some tourists are interested in scenic beauty. Tourist promotion activities should be planned accordingly”, President added.
Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Prasanna Ranatunga, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera and members of the Presidential Task Force for control of COVID-19 Outbreak attended the meeting.
(President’s Media)
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What a good idea. Also a good idea to issue free entry visas. Sooner the better.
The theme for tourism should be changed fro ‘Leisure Tourism’ to ‘SEX TOURISM’.
That will help in filling up the empty rooms in Tourist Hotels to overflow!
Boys and Girls will find gainful employment. No need to go to Middle East as slaves.
Even graduates can find employment.
The economy will flourish.
Gamini You are right. Boys and girls with paper qualification will work in this “SEX TOURISM”. What else can they do with Sri lanken stupied education system. Graduates don’t have the brain to do that either, For them is to clean the toilets in hotels.
Wonderful comment Ranjith.
Recently, HE asked the University leadership to re-design University Courses to enable Graduates to be fit for jobs.
Unfortunately, University is not the place for re-designing curricula; the University staff will want to produce more and more graduates so that the Staff can continue working and earn more and more while producing duds.
For example, there are 4 X Engineering Faculties in SL, Peradeniya, Katubedde, Ruhuna and Killinochchi producing more than 2000 Engineering Graduates per year. Does the nation require that number? Most have nothing to do and are keeping busy buying spares on Internet and building electric cars!
What we need are skilled persons, Masons, Brick Layers, Carpenters, Painters, Concretor, Electricians, Plumbers, Fabricators, Welders, Machine Operators, Computer Technicians, all with trade based training and qualifications with Certificate and Licence.
The Nation can use that talent to produce infrastructure with top quality standards.
The electricians can lay high capacity internet cable to reach every household, business, factories, schools in Sri Lanka to provide landline and high speed internet. That will make a big difference. Now that Google Baloon Fernando, the former Yahapalana Telecom Minister, is gone, we are safe from falling Google Baloons.
We don’t need overseas contractors in our country employing graduates as labourers.
Gamini . You are absolutely 100% right. There are two things to education. Learning and studying. In SL they cram a book and the focus is not to gain information but just to pass a exam. I develop countries the learn to gather information. It is not the university that matters. It is what adjacent to the university that matters.
e.g take Luton University which has a automobile course. What is adjacent to it is Wauxhall car factory. Take Portsmouth university. They have a marine engineering course. What is next to it Royal navy.
So the students gain experience while studying and develop new things.
In Peradenya university adjacent to is a toilet. So the graduates come as toilet cleaners.
The two petrol station where I live is served by two nice Tamil gentlemen who got degrees in Chemistry n SL universities, You probably know about a person called Mr Alwis. He had a degree in IT from a SL university and did a master degree in UK. After qualifying he was delivering pizzas and unfortunately he got stabled and died while delivering.
The issue is if you can do the job it does not matter you have seen school. Mr Ford who built the ford car company can’t spell the word model just like me. Man who built Taj Mahal. Liver Brothers, Wright brothers who invent the plane. Singer who invent the sawing machine, Honda a mechanic haven’t been to any school.
The only experience our graduates have is ragging. rioting destruction No wander they end up as toilet cleaners and road sweepers in Middle east, Australia and UK. .