Foreign Secretary appeals Sri Lankan expatriates to evaluate situation before requesting repatriation
May 17, 2020- Calibrate the effect on jobs and education, before making decisions to seek to return to Sri Lanka
- Over 38,000 Sri Lankans are seeking to be repatriated, of that nearly 28,000 migrant workers
Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha has called on migrant workers, students and parents, to carefully calibrate the effect repatriation at this time could have on their jobs and education, before making decisions to seek to return to Sri Lanka, availing of the limited flights being operated by the Government for those facing compelling circumstances.
The priority right now of the Government following the Cabinet Paper presented the Minister Dinesh Gunawardena two weeks ago, is to bring back the migrant worker category who really needs support due to lack of access to healthcare facilities overseas due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha made this appeal from Sri Lankan expatriates yesterday (May 16), during an interview with the ‘News at 9’ on Sri Lanka Rupavahini.