Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that certain trade unions were spreading rumours that the PCR lab in the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake will be handed over to the private sector.
He charged that these rumours were spread to inconvenience the Government.
“There is no truth in the reports in the social media that the PCR lab at the BIA to be privatised and that I am involved in this process. Even though the airport had been closed, the PCR tests were conducted for Sri Lankan migrant workers from other countries. The PCR samples from various parts of the country were also tested at this lab. However, we had to take special safety measures with regard to outsiders and vehicles carrying samples for PCR samples to the lab when the airport became more busy with the reopening of the country for tourists since last January,” the Minister said.