The Tourism Ministry has issued a statement requesting all Sri Lankans who have been barred from dining and drinking at establishments in Mirissa to apply Fair and Lovely* and re-visit the area in order to gain entry and be served. This follows a number of complaints by locals that they were being unfairly and illegally prevented from entering a number of premises.
The area, which some restaurant owners do not consider to be part of Sri Lanka, has seen a rise in popularity over the last few years as a surfing haven and also attracted a number of locals curious to master the activity of standing on an ironing board in the sea and getting smashed off it. However, some locals have taken to acting in public spaces as they would not even in their own private houses, which has resulted in a universal ban of locals.
A spokesman for the Tourism Ministry said “We are trying to look into these incidents further and sent a couple of staff from the agency to check it out and provide feedback but even they weren’t allowed in so we still can’t assess the situation properly. We hired a foreigner to go undercover and report back to us but that fellow hasn’t left the bar for the last 3 days after saying he is being treated like a king.” The Tourism Minister himself, John Amaratunga MP, has yet to take up the matter of fear it may not deflate soon enough.
There is confusion as to whether people who have been branded as ‘coconuts’ are allowed to enter the said premises, with restaurant owners confused by their chocolate complexion and foreign diction.
* NewsCurry does not endorse, in any shape of form, Fair & Lovely or other skin whitening products and actually considers it one of the worst marketing exploitations of human differences for commercial gain, but it was the most relevant product that could be used to write this story. Do not ever feel the pressure of their adverts into buying their products.
Also do not eat Maliban’s White Chocolate Puff. You will only end up adding calories.