• Public Security Min. says time needed to gather info requested & requests new date, Min. & Immigration-Emigration Dept. to be re-summoned 

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Dr. Harsha de Silva is to take up the non-appearance of officials summoned from the Public Security Ministry and the Immigration and Emigration Department before the COPF on Tuesday (14), with the Speaker of the House as a privileges related issue.  

“I am taking this issue up with the Speaker as a privilege matter on 22 May when we meet. I have already lodged a complaint,” Dr. de Silva told The Daily Morning yesterday (15).

The move comes in the wake of the COPF expressing displeasure in the Parliament regarding the absence of officials from the Ministry and the Department during discussions on Tuesday concerning the recent issues pertaining to the process of issuing online visas for foreigners visiting Sri Lanka. However, the Ministry stated that it had informed the COPF of their absence in advance and had not ‘boycotted’ the meeting purposefully. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, Secretary to the Ministry Viyani Gunathilaka stated that they had informed the COPF that they needed more time to collect the information that the COPF had asked them to submit, which is the actual reason for their absence. He said that the Ministry’s officials, together with the Department, met the COPF last week and that therefore, the Ministry had no intention to ‘boycott' the recent meeting, as misinterpreted by certain parties. He also noted that the Ministry officials will provide the requested information to the COPF as soon as possible.

“We have written to them (COPF) seeking a new date to respond to their request,” Gunathilaka said.

The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Harsha Ilukpitiya, was unavailable for comment.

Dr. de Silva earlier noted that officials from the Ministry and the Department had previously committed to attending the COPF meeting but had failed to do so, which was viewed as disrespectful to the COPF. The late notice provided the evening before the meeting was deemed unacceptable, the Parliamentary Communications Department said. As a result, it was decided to summon representatives from the relevant Ministry and the Department once again for further discussions regarding the appointment of GBS-IVS and VFS Global as authorised agents for online visa applications. 

Last week (8 May), the COPF summoned Gunathilaka along with Ilukpitiya for a “balanced inquiry into the ongoing visa fiasco” and they were informed there to meet the COPF again on Tuesday.