Using abusive language towards foreigner: Street food vendor granted bail

17 April 2024 01:33 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 28 Bookmark

A A A

Colombo, April 17 (Daily Mirror)- A street food vendor who used abusive language towards American YouTuber Emeka Iwueze after quoting the price for a portion of Kottu Roti at Rs.1,900 at a street food stall in Hulftsdorp, was granted bail today after being produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

The Keselwatta Police arrested the suspect for using abusive language towards a foreigner while negotiating the price for a portion of Kottu Roti.

The suspect, a resident of Colombo 12, was ordered to be released on a cash bail of Rs.50,000 with a Rs.1 million surety bail.

Comments - 28

Citizen k Wednesday, 17 April 2024 01:45 PM

While the country is trying to build a positive image in tourism,such incidents do not favour tourist visiting street vendors.

0 0

tim Wednesday, 17 April 2024 01:48 PM

This is absolute rediculous. This guy was doing videos and food tasting to make money and was wasting the time of a busy vendor. I am not sure all these pundits who have commented will do this for the rip-off we go thru in other Asian Countries, Europe and Americas. I was chased by a Singaporean Vendor for asking to reduce the price and also harrased by a Bangkok Vendor for retrning back something which I didnt want to buy. And we are giving more publicity to these guys and making them more fans and money tarnishing our own country. Why dont you Pundits got to Port City and see the prices they charge more despite there is a Printed / Marked Price. It's a clear officence to sell anything more than the marked price. It's time that these blogging foreighn begars arent entertained by the idotic Sri Lanans who see happiness when the country is put down by them or by way of their videos.

0 0

Bird of the same feather Wednesday, 17 April 2024 10:58 PM

Tim, you must be a bird of the same feather. Are you bold enough to divulge your encounter with tourist/s? Just go through all the comments and you'll see just two or three are in your league. But frankly that is enough to ruin SL's reputation. Please don't compare your experience in Singapore and Thailand with this incident. I too have been to these countries. They are way ahead of us and better regulated. Do you know how much does a cup of tea cost in a 7 star hotel, Port City cafe or a road side tea boutique? Is it the same? Why do you enjoy exibiting your idiocy in public? Also your comment reflects your cheap mentality. Just because you had an unpleasant experience elsewhere you feel others deserve the same. Lucky your real identity is concealed.

0 0

Maqs Thursday, 18 April 2024 07:22 AM

Food for thought .....

0 0

Lakmal Kahawela Wednesday, 17 April 2024 01:50 PM

If Sri Lanka wants improve tourism these types of nonsense should be stopped.

0 0

Tony Hamilton Quyn Wednesday, 17 April 2024 01:51 PM

That amount is not at all enough, he has damaged and tarnished the name of the service industry in Sri Lanka. He should be charged more than that. Like 500,000/= bail fee to teach him a lesson. We as hoteliers are struggling to lift up our business. And these idiots go and spoil it

0 0

Shanker Supramaniam Wednesday, 17 April 2024 02:03 PM

Prices should be displayed by the street food vendors for people to see including tourists. Also PHI should inspect these places very often for cleanliness and hygiene

0 0

Ravana Thursday, 18 April 2024 12:58 PM

Well said. This seriously has to be brought into action ASAP. Not only in the food sales but a number of other areas too

0 0

Amaran Wednesday, 17 April 2024 02:07 PM

Very Good. DISCIPLINE MUST BE UPHELD all the time. Corrupt practises must come to an END.

0 0

Li Wednesday, 17 April 2024 02:14 PM

We should welcome and look after them .. Today some people can damage the reputation of the country as we are living in this global village.. There is a cultural difference .. Some foreigners talk in some different talks louder and it is their way of speaking so our people should know that … Anyway we should respect all and we have been for centuries welcoming all

0 0

Sanath Jsurya Wednesday, 17 April 2024 02:18 PM

Bread n butter of whole Sri Lanka is depending on Foreign visitors. That’s why the action is so fast. Corrupt politician are biggest enemy of Sri Lanka

0 0

Grace Wednesday, 17 April 2024 02:20 PM

This punishment is not satisfactory. People ople should not forget that we are earning a large amount of dollars through tourism. Once our country was described as a smiling nation which has become a rude nation.

0 0

wsw Thursday, 18 April 2024 11:25 AM

It is a well known fact our people genuflect before Westerners while displaying a different response to others.

0 0

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT WHEN SOME POLITICIANS ARE CORRUPT, ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE COPYING THE DISREPUTABLE CONDUCT OF THE POLITICIANS Wednesday, 17 April 2024 02:55 PM

THIS STREET VENDOR WOULD HAVE SCRAPED UP THE RS. 50,000. I WONDER WHO SIGNED HIS SURETY BOND FOR 1 MILLION, A POLITICAN?

0 0

roobarbie Wednesday, 17 April 2024 03:04 PM

This crooked businessman should be given an extraordinary punishment to set an example to prevent such thuggish conduct towards foreign visitors. The man was trying to rip off this unsuspecting customer. He brings a bad name for our country.

0 0

Bala Sunderam Wednesday, 17 April 2024 03:05 PM

Good work , Sri Lanka Police. I hope he doesn't run to a politician to get out of the potential punishment.

0 0

NDP Wednesday, 17 April 2024 03:19 PM

price list wast not there. Police should have noticed it.

0 0

Travis Wednesday, 17 April 2024 03:58 PM

The street food is of poor quality in most places. To teach this guy's a lesson should close down all shops for month and monitoring should be done always for health conditions. Why not arrest the guy in the three wheel as well

0 0

Hadam Wednesday, 17 April 2024 04:21 PM

Serves him well. Can't believe this kind behaviour and he is quoting god in the video.

0 0

Dee Wednesday, 17 April 2024 05:28 PM

Isn’t it better to have warnings at the arrivals terminal? Beware of tuk tuk, only consume food at proper restaurants which have a price list or menu, lodge at registered hotels or guest houses! Despite the warnings, if anyone wants to be adventurous- let them suffer!

0 0

NIHAL WEERAWARDANE Wednesday, 17 April 2024 07:04 PM

THE PRICE SHOULD BE NOTICE AT ANY PLACE - WHERE SELLINGS ARE -----------------

0 0

Ratna Sumanasekara Thursday, 18 April 2024 07:16 AM

These are bloggers who want to create issues and make their videos viral. You don't find dinner for 2 dollars anywhere in the world. He is a street vendor, not a professional person who delights his clients, unlike in Western countries. I know this area very well. What the customer did was very wrong, provoking the owner by rechecking the price with his worker—you cannot expect a professional response from a street food vendor.

0 0

Sokrates Thursday, 18 April 2024 09:29 AM

@ tim. You're looking at this wrong. These Youtubers are definitely not beggars and could probably afford to eat in a 5-star hotel every day. These YouTubers inform potential (Sri Lanka) tourists about a specific topic. Others provide information about other areas such as airlines or luxury hotels. Many tourists love street food and watch such reports closely, although I personally would never eat anything from such questionable and unhygienic establishments. In this respect, it is completely justified that such rowdies who tarnish this country are denounced and held accountable. As a foreigner with white skin who has been living in Sri Lanka for a long time, I too have had experiences with such fraudulent crooks in other areas. However, I always had a well-built "teacher" with me who immediately taught these crooks a lesson in good behaviour.

0 0

Mauricio Jorges Thursday, 18 April 2024 09:39 AM

I completely agree with Tim's comment. I was in SL in February this year and had a completely opposite experience with this vendor; he was gracious and polite and treated me like a VIP. And I did not barge into his cafe and start filming.! After this unfortunate incident, vendors at Aluthkade need to display "No Filming" signs outside their establishments; they have a right to refuse service to anyone (without being rude).

0 0

wsw Thursday, 18 April 2024 11:41 AM

Such provocative actions by this Tourist intruding into the vendor's personal space, questioning others about the price, helped inflame an atmosphere of tension. On the contrary, I wont be surprised if the You Tuber himself was too concerned about kicking up a controversy knowing well such incidents increase subscribers. However, authorities should mandate all street vendors to display their prices, which will certainly clear up any potential confusion among all parties in the future.

0 0

Shirantha hemantha Munasinghe Thursday, 18 April 2024 12:49 PM

This is crazy!! this video is edited by the blogger himself, the true picture is not shown

0 0

Asela Thursday, 18 April 2024 01:19 PM

Why only this trader, how about the other guy who tried to sell WADE and TEA for RS 900:00?

0 0

Brangwin B Thursday, 18 April 2024 08:26 PM

The incident should not have happened, period. Referring him to a blogger has no relevance, the price of dinner doesn't matter which part of the world should not be an issue. The issue here is this guy had an attitude with this guy and even the worker was shocked at the price! So don't sugarcoat it to look good to the obnoxious street food owner! Its like 4times the price are you really sane??

0 0

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.