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by Don Asoka Wijewardena

Container cargo especially from the Gulf, has doubled during the past week, with freight forwarders putting the figures at 150 containers a week. According to informed sources, the increase in cargo, sent by sea freight, is primarily due to the intensified threat of a Gulf War. "Many Sri Lankan expatriates, especially those working in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia do not want to lose their belongings in the event of a war", said the sources.

Most of the cargo,the sources revealed, belongs to housemaids,factory workers and other unskilled labourers, who form the bulk of the Lankan migrant workers to the Gulf region. Many have not indicated whether they will be arriving in Sri Lanka to clear the cargo before it is subjected to demurrage charges.

Some, who have not completed even a year may also be liable to be taxed for their goods.

Several freight forwarders told the "Sunday Observer" that the weekly container arrivals from the Gulf had increased by 100 per cent during the past few weeks. The average arrivals are about 75 containers a week. A leading sea cargo agency said that their main office in Kuwait had informed the Colombo office not to charge "storage fee" from any cargo consignor as an immediate relief measure.

Another leading freight forwarder said that most Sri Lankans employed in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have already obtained required information to despatch their belongings from their respective cargo offices in those countries.

Director General of Tariff and Revenue (Ministry of Finance) Mrs. Rose Cooray said that negotiations on relief measures for Sri Lankan migrant workers were being held and ensured that substantial relief on custom duties as well as freight charges would come into effect shortly.

Around 1.6 million Sri Lankan migrant workers are employed in seven Middle Eastern countries, and the Ministry of Labour in partnership with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Employment has already drawn out emergency measures to repatriate them in the event of war breaking out.

When asked about any relief measures given to Sri Lankan expatriates sending their belongings by sea, Employment and Labour Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that he was negotiating the issue with the Finance Ministry to provide relief measures.

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