Sri Lankan mission ready to help registered expats in times of need

DUBAI: The Sri Lankan mission in Dubai is always prepared to help any of its registered nationals in distress in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and how it demonstrated in the case of a Sri Lankan expatriate worker in coma for the past two years.

Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai Abdul Raheem said: “It is mandatory for all Sri Lankans travelling abroad for work to register their names at the Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau before proceeding to accept a job abroad. We will help those registered employees when they are in distress abroad.” 

The Dubai mission office as part of its humanitarian tasks has repatriated Sujith Chandrakumara Perera, who has been hospitalised in the Rashid Hospital in Dubai after he met with an accident two years ago. He was in a critical condition and the hospital authorities were kind enough to treat him for the past two years, the Consul General said.

Perera was in coma for almost two years after he was hit by a vehicle. 

“Nobody knows what knocked him down and no case was registered. Two weeks back his condition improved and doctors told him that he would able to go back home. We provided him a business class seat to travel,” Abdul Raheem told this newspaper on Saturday.

He said: “With the assistance of the Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs and the Rashid Hospital, we were able to complete all the formalities to repatriate Perera, a married man, to Sri Lanka by Sri Lankan Airline.”

Abdul Raheem also informed that the Sri Lankan Foreign Employment Bureau provided funding assistance for Perera’s travel expenses. 

“We are also arranging a Sri Lankan nurse in Dubai, who is volunteering to accompany Perera during air travel.

“Arrangements have been made to receive him in Colombo by a care taking centre, Victoria Home for Incurables in Rajagiriya.