(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga says that the government following the health guidelines has ensured that there is no Ukrainian corona wave, despite the opposition’s false fears that there will be a Ukrainian wave with the arrival of Ukrainian tourists to the island.
He emphasized that about 1,200 Ukrainian tourists have so far visited the island under the pilot project, but only two of them have been identified as COVID-19 infected.
The Minister was responding to queries raised by journalists after a meeting of the Livelihood Development Committee held in Moneragala yesterday (13).
Minister Prasanna Ranatunga further stated that all arrangements have been made to officially open the country to tourists from January 21, rectifying the problems and shortcomings identified in the pilot project to open the country to tourists.
The Minister said that 3 million people in the country have been severely affected by the collapse of the tourism industry and that the Opposition was trying to create a false fear in the country due to the fear that the country’s economy would be rebuilt by the recovery of the tourism industry. The Minister said that the protest against the arrival of Ukrainian tourists in Sri Lanka was either politically motivated or out of ignorance.
When inquired about the imprisonment of MP Ranjan Ramanayake, the Minister pointed out that it was an offense committed by Ranjan’s words. He added that the present government does not take any political revenge and that the government does not have the habit of imprisoning its opponents and be happy like the good governance government.
Minister Ranatunga said that the executive, the legislature and the judiciary had been belittled by the previous government and that Ranjan Ramanayake was a pawn in it and there was no connection between releasing Pillayan and imprisoning Ranjan.
“We remember Ranjan going to Temple Trees and playing sword games when Mahinda Rajapaksa lost. Good governance worked to imprison Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, his children and Mahinda supporters by sowing lies and hatred and by influencing the judiciary through the Ranjans. That is why I say Ranjan is reaping the harvest sown by him. It is useless to point the finger at the government,” Minister Prasanna Ranatunga further said.
