SLPA Chairman inspects coronavirus quarantine programme at Port of Colombo
Sri Lanka Ports Authority (Slpa)c hair man general Day a Ratnayake recently joined to inspect the special programme to quarantine and improve the health facilities of the tourists to Sri Lanka arriving on board passenger vessels at the passenger Terminal of the Port of Colombo.
This special programme has been implemented under the guidance of Sl pa chairman general Day a Ratnayake.
Passengers, if found infected, or found suspected to be infected, are isolated for first aid until they are transported to relevant hospitals in Colombo or suburbs.
Accordingly, a special isolation cabin has also been built atthe passenger terminal of the Port of Colombo. All facilitations and check-ups are conducted causing no difficulty for the passengers arriving at the port from foreign destinations.
The quarantine programme is successfully carried out under strict coordination of health ministry quarantine director dr. S.m.arnald and assistance of Deputy Director Roshan Sampath.all passenger ships arriving at the Port of Colombo are under strict inspection.
The medical reports of the passengers and the crew of the vessels are collected via the ships’ Masters for check-ups.
‘MVSUN Princess’ called recently, at the Port of Colombo with 1,952 passengers and 872crew members on board, queen Mary 2 arrived with 2,470 passengers and 1,425 crew on board and MV Boudicca Nassau called with 583 passengers and 366 crew members on board were also inspected at the Port of Colombo under this special quarantine programme.
On the invitation of MV Boudicca Nassau master capt. Mikael Deg erlund, Sl pa chairman general day a
Ratnayakeanda team of higher officers of Slpa joined on board the ship for friendly discussions.
There, it wasem phasised by Slpa chairman that Sri Lanka Ports Authority, as the landlord ofthe Port of Colombo, would work with all parties to meet the challenges of the novel coronavirus and to comply with international standards.
“There is a rapid increase in the number of passenger ships arriving at the Port of Colombo. So, it is clear that the Port of Colombo is becoming a favourite tourist destination. In comparison, the SLPA has provided them with required facilities and is planning to upgrade these facilities in near future. In particular, we have prepared all the necessary measures to deal with the emergency at the Port of Colombo, in view of the current global health issue of novel corona virus ,” said Sl pa chairman general Dayaratnayake.
He also inspected Sri Lankan souvenir and gift shops and outlets for foreign tourists located at the port of Colombo.
The shop owners said that it was the first visit of ANSLPA chairman to inspect their stalls and were pleased to inquire in to issues that would give a freshe ntry into the Sri Lankan passenger ship industry.
Slpamanaging Directorcapt. Athula Hewavitharana, Sl pa additional Managing Directord. Upali De Zoysa, Slpa civil chief Engineers a man Devapriya, Slpa harbour Master ca pt. ni rm al Silva, SLPA Communication and Public Relations chief Manager nalin Aponso, MV Boudicca Nassau master ca pt. mikael De ger lund and a number of higher officials of SLPA and several representatives of shipping lines also joined the occasion.