With the appointment of the Presidential Task Force for COVID-19 as a personal and timely initiative of HE the President and the Prime Minister who took stock of the need for speedy decision-making saw the immediate establishment of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) while the whole world was reeling from shock facing a double whammy. The entire machinery in the NOCPCO, headed by Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army became fully operational with full steam, but much remained to be accomplished.
The compulsory need for quarantine after repatriation of stranded Sri Lankans from foreign capitals in their hundreds and detection of more and more associates of virus-infected victims in society continued to pose a pressing problem to the Tri service personnel, engaged in quarantine work in makeshift camps and elsewhere under the command of Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) as all improvised places were reaching full capacity day by day.
Club Hotel Dolphin at Waikkal, Negombo, one of the most luxurious hotels along the north-west of the coastal belt was the first to offer its facility for quarantine work to the tri-services in an impressive and magnanimous way as a special regard to HE the President, Prime Minister and the Commander of the Army while fully recognizing life-threatening roles of tri servicemen. As it is in close proximity to the airport, Mr Mr Abbas Esufally, Group Director, Hemas Holdings & Chairman, Serendib Hotels, through coordination, done by retired Major General Dushyantha Rajaguru and Mrs Shiromi Masakorala immediately consented to make the entire Hotel with 154 rooms available for this noble national mission, together with a section of hotel staff to the Army, all free of charge.
Mr Suresh Athukorala, Hotel Manager of the Club Hotel Dolphin, all executives and staff numbering over 60 in total, together with Army personnel jointly threw their full weight behind this task that began on 29 March and brought the quarantining process of over 229 personnel inside the Hotel to completion, enabling the Hotel to resume its commercial operations as usual. The calculated expenditure incurred to the Hotel during this period of generosity stood at some Rs 6.3 million.
Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva complimented them on their exceptional generosity towards the well-being of the Nation at that most urgent critical moment of our society and awarded symbolic mementos and commendation letter to the group on the same occasion before they left the Commander's office.
Mr Abbas Esufally, Group Director, Hemas Holdings & Chairman, Serendib Hotels, Mr Steven Enderby, Group CEO, Hemas Holdings, Mr Shantha Kurumbalapitiya: Managing Director - Serendib Hotels, Mr Suresh Athukorala, General Manager, Club Hotel Dolphin, Mr Kushan Pathiraja, Director Club Hotel Dolphin, Mrs Shiromi Masakorala, General Manager, Hemas Group Sustainability & Corporate Communications, Hemas Holdings, Major General (retd) Dushyantha Rajaguru, Security Consultant - Hemas Holdings were among those who received appreciative plaudits for their thoughtfulness and contribution towards this national requirement during this special meet.
