Sri Lanka to ban touting at airport

Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers have approved a proposal on prohibiting touting in the airport on providing transport, exchange of currency and loading packages.

Co-cabinet spokesman Dr Rajitha Senaratne said that passengers as well as the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd face many difficulties due to illegal touting in the arrival lobby and porch area of the airport on providing transport, exchange of currency and loading packages. 

The proposal made by Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva to amend the Civil Aviation Act No. 14 of 2010, to prevent this situation as the prevailing legislation is insufficient in this regard, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, he said.

Meanwhile the proposal made by Minister of Health Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr Senarathne to make necessary amendments to the Quarantine and prevention of diseases Ordinance which is the legislation related to implementation of IHR in Sri Lanka, has also approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

He said that it is essential to setup the legal framework in Sri Lanka to facilitate prevent the plaguing of communicable diseases from country to country in a background of increasing global relations through international travel, trade, tourism and labourer migration. 

International Health Regulations 2005 signed by Sri Lanka provides for taking steps relevant to public health on prevention of internationally transmitting diseases, he said.