The Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Association states that the President, elected by the people, was placed in a challenging position due to the actions of the department’s senior administration regarding the passport issue. The association further expresses regret that department authorities failed to disclose the true situation about passport issuance to the Minister in charge, despite having all relevant data.
The association emphasizes that senior officials had a duty and responsibility to inform the Minister of the reality of the current situation, regardless of its severity, while he managed a significant portion of the government’s responsibilities.
According to the Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Association, the crisis arose because department officials did not request new blank passports in adequate quantities to meet the rising demand post-Covid. They also highlight a failure to conduct a feasibility study on the companies awarded contracts to print high-tech, internationally compliant passports, which has led to delays. The association notes that officials lacked a clear timeline for when the required number of passports would be available and have not implemented the existing system effectively.
They point out that the arbitrary actions of certain officials, appointed due to previous political connections, have not changed. The Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Association insists that resolving this issue requires more than minor updates. They urge the government to conduct a formal investigation to identify the officials responsible for these public hardships and to hold them accountable.
