PHIs claim they never supervised Brandix returnees from India

• SriLankan says names of passengers who travelled with them are confidential

By Nirmala Kannangara  

The Public Health Inspectors Union of Sri Lanka claims that none of their members ever supervised any of those who were brought down from India in repatriation flights chartered by Brandix Apparel Ltd and said to have undergone 14-day self-quarantine.   

Public Health Inspectors Union (PHIU) Secretary M. Balasooriya dismissing contents of media releases issued by Brandix Apparel Ltd and the Task Force of the National Operational Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak said that, had any one of those who were brought to Sri Lanka from Visakhapatnam, India undergone the 14 - day mandatory quarantine at a government-regulated quarantine centre, they would have been handed over to them (PHIs) to supervise the remaining 14-day self-quarantine period.  

“Although those who are responsible are now claiming that the passengers who came from India underwent the regulated 28-day quarantine, let them show our Union the details where they underwent the mandatory quarantine and who the respective PHIs were, who supervised them during the 14-day self-quarantine,” Balasooriya alleged.  
Meanwhile, when contacted Mr. Rasika, the Load Controller, Mattala Airport to get the load sheet in which gives the arrival details of the passengers of UL 1159 that landed at Mattala Airport on September 22, at 14.05 hrs, this newspaper was asked to contact Station Manager SriLankan Airlines Uddika Lakshman. The latter too did not want to give  details and wanted us to contact Head of Media, SriLankan Airlines, Deepal Perera.  

Perera requested this newspaper to send him an official request to which an e-mail was sent. However, without providing the details sought – the names and their nationality of each passenger, Perera sent the following message, “The names of passengers who travelled with us are confidential information and disclosure of such information violates our confidentiality obligations towards the passengers. We are unable to share any passenger manifest of a flight containing the names of individuals with a third party unless there is a Court order or directive from our Regulatory Authority directing us to provide any specific information to the Court or such Authority. We appreciate your understanding and we consider this matter as now closed,” Mr. Perera said.   
Although Brandix claims that they have not employed any foreigner at their Minuwangoda factory, a senior official who wished to remain anonymous who is undergoing mandatory quarantine at a government-regulated quarantine centre confirmed to this newspaper that there are Indian workers attached to the Minuwangoda factory.  
“If the company denies this claim, I am challenging the management to show all details of payments that were made to the employees,” the source said.  

Imanthi Perera, Head of Corporate Communication, Brandix Apparel Ltd, did not respond when asked as to when the three charter flights landed in Sri Lanka

When asked whether fabric material were brought to the factory from India recently, the source added that there are imported stocks but said was not aware of whether they were brought down recently. “I cannot make any comment on that as I am not sure when they were brought to the factory,” the source claimed.  
When contacted Imanthi Perera. Head of Corporate Communication, Brandix Apparel Ltd, to find out as to when the three charter flights landed in Sri Lanka together with the flight details and how many passengers was brought down from India, whether there weren’t any foreigners amongst the repatriated passengers, where they underwent the mandatory quarantine process and whether any fabric material were brought down from India, Ms. Perera wanted this newspaper to send an official request. Although an e-mail was sent, Brandix Apparel Ltd did not respond until the paper went to press.