More tourist flights from Ukraine despite lockdown

SLPP Chairman: ‘Economic recovery efforts underway…’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Tourism Ministry yesterday (14) said that a pilot project to bring in over 2,000 Ukrainian tourists was on track in spite of the partial lockdown of Ukraine, ministry sources told The Island.

The government in consultation with relevant authorities here and in Ukraine would continue with the high profile project, sources said, adding that in spite of some delays the flights were coming in.

When The Island pointed out that international media reported a two-week long countrywide lockdown in Ukraine commencing January 8 — a day after the widely celebrated Eastern Orthodox Christmas holiday, sources said that both Ukrainian International Airline and Sky Up operated flights to Mattala.

Sources said that the Ukrainian International Airline flight that had been scheduled to arrive in Mattala yesterday (14) would fly in today (15) along with a previous scheduled Sky Up flight.

In terms of an arrangement worked out by one-time Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Moscow Udayanga Weeratunga, Sky Up operated its first flight from Kiev on Dec 28, 2020. Of the 12 scheduled flights, Sky up would do eight and the rest by Ukrainian International Airline.

Of those dozen flights, two would be operated on January 22 and 24 after the re-opening of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on January 21.

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told a meeting in Moneragala on Wednesday (13) so far approximately 1,200 Ukrainian tourists arrived in the country. In spite of the Opposition warning of a catastrophe, only two visitors had been tested Covid-19 positive, Minister Ranatunga said, in spite of initial hiccups, they were able to manage the project in line with health guidelines.

The SLPP Gampaha District Leader said that the pilot project had enabled them to identify shortcomings and take remedial measures in preparation for the BIA opening.

Minister Ranatunga emphasized that tourist trade couldn’t be allowed to collapse as over 3 million people depended on it. Questioning the Opposition political strategy, Minister Ranatunga said that perhaps some of those opposed to government efforts weren’t really aware of the ground situation.

SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris said that tourism revival plan was a part the overall measures adopted by the government to restore national economy. Comparing strategies implemented during the first Covid-19 wave in early part of 2020 and the second that erupted in Oct, Prof. Peiris said that tourism, garment trade and foreign remittances suffered gravely due to restrictions that had to be imposed for the safety and security of the people.

Pointing out that the restoration of tourism had to be gradual and in line with health guidelines in place, the Minister said, that the country should really appreciate the Ukrainians coming here. The SLPP Chairman said that it was a message to the world struggling to cope up with the rampaging pandemic.

Prof. Peiris pointed out that the Opposition expected the government to do nothing. What would have happened if the government indefinitely put off Year 5 Scholarship and the GCE Advanced Level examination late last year? Similarly, various interested parties tried to sabotage efforts to re-open schools, the Minister said, the government couldn’t just allow Covid-19 to derail ambitious projects undertaken by the SLPP in Nov, 2019.

The electorate overwhelmingly voted for Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the presidential and the SLPP at the parliamentary polls as they believed in the new administration. Covid-19 had affected government plans but every effort would be made to overcome challenges, the SLPP Chairman said.