On-arrival visa controversy:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The SJB has called upon the government to explain why the Department of Immigration and Emigration had entered into an agreement with VFS Global-led grouping for the issuance of online visas against the backdrop of SLT Mobitel offering the same service at a much lower cost.

Prof. G. L. Peiris, MP, and former SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman said that SLT Mobitel offered to issue an online visa per person at USD 1 whereas VFS-led operation charged USD 25.70 per person.

The disclosure was made at a media briefing held on Monday at the Opposition Leader’s Office at Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha.

Prof. Peiris and Rahuman demanded that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government come clean on the issue.

Dissident SLPP MP Prof. Peiris recently aligned himself with the main Opposition SJB.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration recently finalised a tripartite agreement with GBS Technology Services and IVS Global FZCO being the prime contractor and VFS Global being the technology partner for the Sri Lanka government’s new E-Visa solution.

Referring to an expert evaluation of the controversial deal submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers, Prof. Peiris emphasised that the government had outsourced the vital function that shouldn’t have been removed from the Department of Immigration and Emigration, under any circumstances, contrary to the report submitted by its own committee, headed by T. V. D. Damayanthi S. Karunaratne, the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security.

The committee included Director General, Emigration and Immigration I.S.H.J. Ilukpitiya, Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial and Local Government Champika Ramawickrema, Chief Financial Officer, Ministry of Public Security Ms. M. P. D. P. Pathirana and Additional Director General representing the Treasury M. R. G .A. Muthukuda.

They questioned the rationale in outsourcing responsibilities of the Department of Immigration and Emigration in the absence of serious shortcomings on their part. They insisted that Public Security Minister Tiran Alles should take responsibility for the situation. Minister Alles has denied any wrongdoing on his part or that of his Ministry. The SLPP National List MP claims both Parliament and Cabinet approved the project.

Former MP Rahuman asked whether Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, sanctioned the outsourcing of the Department of Immigration and Emigration functions.

At the onset of the briefing Prof. Peiris alleged that the latest deal was as corrupt as the February 2015 Treasury bond scams. Claiming that the Treasury bond scams had been perpetrated to fund the general election later that year, Prof. Peiris asked whether the incumbent government was in the process of raising funds for the forthcoming presidential poll.

The former Law Professor said that there hadn’t been any requirement, whatsoever, to involve an external party in operations performed by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Prof. Peiris emphasized that the USD 25.70 charged by the service provider is in addition to the visa fee received by the government. Pointing out that citizens of several countries, including India, China and Russia had been exempted from visa fees, Prof. Peiris said that they, too, were fleeced by the online visa provider to the tune of USD 25.70.

Alleging that the whole exercise was meant to benefit VFS Global led grouping and its local agents, Prof. Peiris warned that tourism could suffer quite a serious setback. “This could discourage tourists. The government cannot be unaware of the consequences, especially against the backdrop of Tourism Minister Harin Fernando disowning the tripartite agreement.

Prof. Peiris said that the tripartite agreement should be examined taking into consideration two issues. First of all, the government should explain the circumstances under which SLT Mobitel offer had been rejected and how tenders were called.

Prof. Peiris said that the government shouldn’t resort to this sort of clandestine deal against the backdrop of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and donor countries repeatedly demanding transparency and accountability on the part of the government. The internationally recognised law academic declared that the whole process was flawed and contrary to the law of the land regardless of denials at different levels.

Pointing out that the agreement had been signed for a period of six years, Prof. Peiris said that there was provision for extending it for six more years. “But in case the government has to rescind the agreement, who will take the responsibility for paying compensation to the external party?” he asked.

The former Minister alleged that the government in a desperate bid to suppress the truth was threatening public servants not to discuss the sordid issue with the media.

Ex-MP Rahuman said that the latest deal exposed the mentality of members of the Cabinet. At a time, the IMF had been mounting pressure on the government to introduce a new law to tackle corruption at all levels, they perpetrated another mega corrupt deal.

Referring to former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwelle’s declaration that the Cabinet approved procurement of medicines now under investigation, Rahuman said that the Cabinet had lost public faith. The former MP said that Parliament approved increases in visa fees but not the outsourcing of services contrary to Minister Alles’s claim.

Rahuman said that according to the agreement the government received the right to examine the service provider only after completion of 10 years of service of the stipulated 12 years.