Ratnasingam Kohularangan
We all are witnesses that Qatar is endeavouring in an effective and highly-coordinated manner to curb the spread of the virus disease and providing higher standard of medical and healthcare facilities to all including its citizens and residents who have been infected by the virus and under quarantine.
I am very confident that Qatar will succeed in its fight to control the spread of the virus soon.
Qatar continues progress in its ongoing battle against the COVID-19 through adopting a full transparency approach in its measures and engaging the society in confronting this crisis.
The televised press conferences by Supreme Committee for Crisis Management and information shared by the Ministry of Public Health and Government Information Office are an innovative method of conveying information to the public. This contributes to confronting the spread of false information, withholding the public from panic, and promoting the community awareness about COVID-19 and how to prevent it.
The precautionary and proactive measures undertaken by the county with its various institutions against the outbreak of the coronavirus will result in great success, and Qatar will get out of this critical stage stronger and more faithful in its capabilities, people and institutions.
Qatar is keen on providing the highest levels of medical services for free not only to citizens but to expatriates. It is ensuring the continued flow of food supplies and consumer goods to the local market in sufficient quantities and at reasonable prices and with high quality. The rapid response of citizens and residents to the volunteer campaign to support the efforts of the state is also remarkable. This affirmed that everyone has felt the responsibility.
The Embassy is thankful to the Government of Qatar for providing food, medicine and other essential to the Sri Lankan expatriates who are under quarantine, and stranded in lockdown areas.
I request all Sri Lankan expatriates to cooperate with the Qatar authorities at their efforts to curb the spread of the virus.
The Qatar Charity has provided 300 dry food rations to provide to the needy people. The well-wishers of the Sri Lankan expatriates and the Sri Lankan Associations also donated dry food items to the Embassy. The Embassy distributes the food items to the needy Sri Lankan expartriates.
The Embassy in coordination with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs of Qatar is attending labour related issues. There are approximately 120,000 Sri Lankan expatriates living and working in Qatar. Sri Lankan Associations are closely working with the Embassy in the wake of COVID - 19.
The Embassy is connected with Sri Lankan expatriates through social media platforms and embassy website and updating them with regard to the information receiving from the Government authorities in Sri Lanka and State of Qatar. The Sri Lankan Associations are also disseminating the information to the people and bring to the notice of the Embassy with regard to the issues being faced by the Sri Lankan expatriates to the Embassy.
The Mission has provided three telephone numbers to the expatriate especially for labour related matters and one number 24/ 7 for other inquires. The Embassy has appointed a person with medical background and shared his number among the expatriates to give necessary health advice and guidance to the Sri Lankans related to the COVID -19.
The Embassy appreciates the decision of the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs for introducing online platform to receive the labour complaints and to pay the full salaries and other benefits without any deduction to all quarantined employees, including expatriates.
Ratnasingam Kohularangan
Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Qatar
