Officials of the banking sector and the national carrier said that there was no direct impact nor changes to its operations due to the Qatar crisis which shook the Gulf region last week due to the UAE and several other countries severing ties with one of the richest economies in the region.
Bankers said there was no need to panic as the situation has not posed any problem so far. “Our business with Qatar is going on as usual.”However, bankers said they would be monitoring the situation and take steps in line with the instructions of the Central Bank. The Central Bank on Tuesday instructed banks to accept Qatar Riyals following the refusal of certain banks at the airport, to accept Qatar Riyals. The Central Bank denied reports which stated that the Central Bank had instructed banks not to accept the currency.
A senior Central Bank official said instructions to accept currency from Qatar stands to date and all banks have adhered to the guideline. panic as so far we have not faced a major issue. However, workers in Qatar need to be watchful. and take steps accordingly.”
Around 200,000 Sri Lankans are employed in Qatar.
Cargills Bank Director and Senior banker, Managala Boyagoda said there was absolutely no need to worry as there was no spill over effects on Sri Lanka and businesses have been going on smoothly since the crisis emerged last week.
“We hope the situation will be resolved before Ramadan,” Boyagoda said.
An official of the Commercial Bank said the bank has been accepting Riyals from Qatar as per the instructions of the Central Bank.
“However, we will monitor the situation and act accordingly,” the official said.
Meanhwile, SriLankan Airlines sources said their operations have not been interrupted by the situation in Qatar and added that flights to the Gulf country continues as usual.
The situation with regard to Qatar took a new turn late last week with UAE threatening to impose an economic embargo against Qatar. However, Bahrain said “options” were on the table as the crisis in the Gulf showed no signs of abating on Thursday.
Despite Kuwait and several other countries, including the USA, trying to prevent a further escalation of the crisis, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council were tough at the discussions.
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and several other countries cut ties with Doha early last week, accusing it of aiding and abating armed groups and their regional rival, Iran, charges which Qatar denies.