Apr 13, Colombo: The Sri Lanka Embassy in dose coordination with Sri Lankan associations in Qatar have been facilitating and assisting the Sri Lankan expatriates living and working in Qatar in the wake of COVID - 19.

With approximately 120,000 Sri Lankans presently residing in Qatar, the Embassy has been constantly communicating with the Sri Lankan community through social media platforms and through the Embassy website by updating them on information received from the Government authorities in Sri Lanka and the State of Qatar, a media release said.

Information is also disseminated through the Sri Lankan Associations to the community, while these associations also provide feedback from the community to the Embassy on issues faced by the Sri Lankan expatriates.

The Mission has provided three telephone numbers to the expatriates especially for labor related matters and one number is a 24-hour line for other inquires. The Embassy has appointed a person medically qualified to offer health related advice and guidance to the Sri Lankan expatriate community.

The Qatar Charity provided 300 items of dry food rations to the needy people. Well-wishers from among the Sri Lankan expatriates and Sri Lankan Associations also donated dry food items to the Embassy, which in turn has been distributed to needy Sri Lankans.

The Labor Section of this Mission in coordination with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs of Qatar has been attending to labor related issues of Sri Lankan migrant workers.

The Ministry has introduced an online platform to receive such labor complaints and presently also provides awareness instructions for employers, highlighting the measures companies should take in workplaces and accommodation facilities to ensure the protection of workers.

A decision has been taken by the Ministry to pay the full salaries and other benefits without any deduction to all quarantined employees, including expatriates.