On 17 November 2019, Ambassador Karunaratne had a discussion with Ambassador of Japan Keiko Yanai and Chairman of the Singha Estate Public Company Limited Chutinant Bhirombhakdi who invested in Crossroads Project, while attending a dinner invitation extended by Ministry Of Crab (MOC) which recently opened its doors in the Maldives as part of the Marina @ CROSSROADS, the most comprehensive and ambitious integrated leisure and entertainment development undertaken in the country.
The first international outpost to be directly owned and managed by ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ listed flagship restaurant in Colombo, Ministry of Crab Maldives with its iconic Sri Lankan Lagoon Crab and popular signature dishes will add another dimension of having a view of the turquoise blue ocean in the grand Marina @ CROSSROADS. MOC Maldives is fully owned by Ministry of Crab Sri Lanka (shareholders are famous cricketers Mahela Jayawardena and Kumara Sangakkara). Its construction contract of the restaurant was handled by a Sri Lankan based company.
At present, there are 08 Sri Lankan employees working at MOC. Also, the management expects to provide more employment opportunities for Sri Lankans at MOC in future.
MOC is able to provide an experience of Sri Lankan hospitality which in turn provides brand advocacy for Sri Lanka and cultural awareness of Sri Lanka for the tourists.