Foreign Ministry has announced guidelines on sending care packages to Maldivians in Sri Lanka.
These guidelines came after the government announced that it was working to send care packages to Maldivians in Lanka from their families here in Maldives, aboard the cargo flights chartered by national carrier Maldivian.
Foreign Ministry said with the spread of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka, its authorities are implementing strict measures and that Maldivians living in the country are finding it difficult to buy basic goods and necessities.
Foreign Ministry said the government has arranged the Maldivian Cargo Flights to carry the care packages free of charge.
The Ministry said a Maldivian cargo flight is scheduled to depart to Lanka every Sunday. It said the ministry has created a form to make the process easier and said families should fill the form by providing information about the sender and the recipient.
Guidelines on sending care packages to Lanka
-Packages should contain medication that is unavailable in Lanka or any other goods that are urgently needed.
-Every family can send packages no more than 15kg
-Packages can contain Medication (with prescription), canned tuna case, noodles case, Fish/ Fried Leaves (other packed goods from local stores) and rihaakuru (only bottles packed by Mifco or Enzi in their original casing).
-Money, Raw fish, Cake, Shorteats, fruits and vegetables cannot be sent as care packages.
Foreign Ministry said families should fill and submit the form online before Thursday each week. The Ministry said the packages should be packed after the inspection of Maldives customs and aviation security and should be submitted with the approval form.
The Ministry highlighted that the care packages should be brought to the Maldivian City Checking office located at the Greater Male Area bus station between 9 am to 1 pm every Saturday.
Foreign Minister said as a limited number of care packages can be send on each cargo flight, priority will be given to the form submission order. It said the packages would be labeled based on the forms and that the high commission in Lanka will deliver the packages to its recipients.
