State Minister for Tourism Diana Gamage says that there are more than 600 massage centers (spas) in the areas of Thalawathugoda, Hokandara, Kotte, Etul kotte, Malambe and Pannipitiya alone. She mentioned this at a press conference held at the Presidential Media Center recently.
She emphasized that if these places are actually illegal prostitution that is going on under the guise of massage parlors, then it is essential to develop a program to regulate them.
State Minister Mrs. Diana Gamage, who further commented there,
“A massage parlor is something that is run for the sake of wellness. But in our country, massage centers or “wellness centers” are something else. It is not possible to say that a young girl works in a spa in Sri Lanka today. There is a bad attitude about it. This attitude needs to be changed. Some formal education is required to work as an interpreter in another country.
If what is really going on in these places is an illegal prostitution business, it is imperative to take steps to prevent the risks arising from it. Nowhere in the world has it been possible to stop the prostitution business. No matter how hard we try, we cannot stop this. Therefore, it is important to regulate these properly by preventing the risk of health problems arising.
It is especially important to take care of the safety of those working in these places. It is necessary to refer them to monthly or medical tests to confirm that they do not have any medical conditions.”