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BIA lab halted to appease hoteliers: Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera

07 Oct 2021

  • Omalpe Sobitha Thera claims hoteliers minting money from tourists awaiting test results
By Pamodi Waravita Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera alleged that the operation of the new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing laboratory facility at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake has been halted in order to serve the business interests of private hoteliers. “This entire year, innocent passengers arriving at the BIA were taken to private hotels while they waited for the results of their PCR tests. Once the media pointed out the corruption behind this process, the Government spent a massive amount of money and started the testing facility at the BIA. It lasted only two weeks before it closed down again. What has happened here? The Government just gave the chance again to selfish private businessmen to exploit innocent passengers,” claimed the monk at a media briefing held on 6 October. The laboratory was opened at the BIA on 23 September and is expected to carry out 500 PCR tests per hour and 7,000 PCR tests per day for a charge of $ 40 per traveller. On 27 September, Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. Vice Chairman Rajiv Sooriyaarachchi told The Morning that media reports of the aforementioned services being halted are baseless. “It is completely untrue to say that the laboratory is closed. Since this is mechanical work, various technical errors may arise. Therefore, we are correcting the process by providing solutions to the practical problems that arise in that process. We perform these tests only on those who arrive 14 days after receiving both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. Although we have stated that this report will be issued in three hours, some reports have been delayed. When we inquired about it, we came to know that this situation has arisen due to problems concerning the electronic mail addresses and telephone numbers given by some people. We are working to rectify it now,” Sooriyaarachchi said at the time. However, The Morning’s attempts to contact Sooriyaarachchi yesterday (7) regarding the allegations levelled by the monk proved futile.


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