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Some DPL passport holders asked to explain

28 March 2015 01:30 am - 17     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Defence and Urban Development Ministry is reviewing the issuance of DPL passports and have requested some of the DPL passport holders to explain the rationale for obtaining this class of travel document entailing many privileges, a senior Immigration and Emigration Department official said yesterday.

The Assistant Controller (legal), Department of Immigration and Emigration told Daily Mirror that the department had asked certain DPL passport holders to explain how they had obtained a DPL passport and the circumstances that led to obtaining them.

“Under the former regime, the Presidential Secretariat nominated and recommended certain people to be issued DPL passports. No public officer dares question a recommendation from the Presidential Secretariat and clarify whether a particular person’s suitability to be issued a DPL passport. But we believe that the guidelines adopted by the previous government to issue DPL passports must be reviewed,” Mr. De Zoysa said.

The Defence and Urban Development Ministry had identified 39 categories under which DPL passports were issued on the recommendation of the Presidential Secretariat.

“The Department is not concerned about issuing DPL passports to VIP politicians like the President, the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, ministers, senior public officials like Judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, diplomats and ministry secretaries. But the questions being asked is where such passports have been issued to spouses and children of officials serving in foreign missions,” Mr. De Zoysa said.

He said the Immigration and Emigration Department would cancel the DPL passports if holders failed to give valid reasons for holding a DPL passport.
The Department has issued 1,809 DPL passports and has called for explanations from about 50 of them.

Such passports have been issued in the past to officials holding substantive appointments in the Overseas Service including officials posted to Sri Lankan Missions from the Department of Commerce.

While serving abroad, the spouses and children of these officials were also entitled for DPL passports. All Foreign Service Officers, all Executive Staff Officers while serving in Foreign Ministry, Chief Prelates of Buddhist Nikayas, Islam and Hindu Chief Priests and the Commissioner in- charge of Tea Promotion work were also entitled to hold DPL passports. (Sandun A Jayasekera)


 

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  Comments - 17

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  • Cuckoo Saturday, 28 March 2015 05:11 PM

    What is there to review? Do away with those guidelines and introduce proper procedure.

    Kingsley Wijesinhe Monday, 30 March 2015 11:20 AM

    Excellent idea.

    de silva Sunday, 29 March 2015 09:03 AM

    ONLY 50 OUT OF 1809.VERY STRANGE.DOES WIMAL WEERAWANSA,S WIFE AND THE CHILDREN COUNTED

    Gamaraala Sunday, 29 March 2015 07:30 AM

    By rule of law, the validity period of all DPL Passports should be for a shorter period of time... say 3 years to be reasonable to all parties. This way, the justification for continuation of the facility could be reviewed and all unqualified passport holders will automatically drop off.

    BuffaloaCitizen Saturday, 28 March 2015 09:10 PM

    It has now bcom a trend and habit to announce all corruption without stating names of the persons involved and basis of the allegation. This is simply bcos the present regime wants gain political mileage than actually working towards law and order.

    CEDRIC Saturday, 28 March 2015 07:59 PM

    IT IS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT THESE BASTARDS WHO GOT DPL PASSPORTS ( with Rajapaksa influence) USED THE PASSPORTS FOR GOLD SMUGGLING

    Buddhadasa Saturday, 28 March 2015 06:26 PM

    Too much talk not enough action. The wrongs have been identified and it is time to correct them soon before the wrongdoers do more harm to the country. Not only the DPL holders but the people who issued instructions to the civil servants should be questioned and punished. Civil servants were doing their job and had no power to go against such instructions from politicians.

    EMAR Saturday, 28 March 2015 05:51 PM

    What is there to ask for questions and explanations. Just cancel those who are not entitled to it.

    SEBA Saturday, 28 March 2015 05:48 PM

    Easiest is to cancel all the DPL passports issued and issue new ones to the eligible people only.

    s Kalpage Saturday, 28 March 2015 09:45 AM

    guilty are those who recommended to issue such passports. As it is nothing will happen. This will be another tactic to hoodwink the public.

    yasapala Saturday, 28 March 2015 05:10 PM

    If the controller of immigration and emigration fails to cancel the diplomatic passports issued to people who are not eligible for such facility immediately, we will take legal actionand hold the controller personally accountable Its time to stop playing politics.

    surasena Saturday, 28 March 2015 04:09 PM

    Well as there are false travel documents, they need some other false documents to justify the former. lets give them time to amend their original faulty with secondary faults; my friends you hardly know how politics work here under different names " Mahinda Chinthanaya", "Yaha Palanaya" etc...

    Ismail Saturday, 28 March 2015 04:06 PM

    Nobody should get upset about this ! During A.C.S Hameed"s time meat sellers, butchers had diplomatic passports !Nobody complained about that, why now !Who is calling the shots !

    Bala Saturday, 28 March 2015 03:16 PM

    1809 DLP PP is a sizeable figure. I would believe it should be not more that 500 at most.

    Veda-mama Saturday, 28 March 2015 01:21 PM

    IT IS NOT SO DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY DPL PASSPORTS ISSUED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO POSSESS IT. SO WHY WAIT FOR THE AUSPICIOUS DAY?? CANCEL THEM WITH IMMEDIATELY.

    Mm Saturday, 28 March 2015 12:34 PM

    Make Sure to question the officers who used the passports at the imigration department also!! They r the culprits!

    Lima Saturday, 28 March 2015 10:27 AM

    WHY WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS , CANCEL NOW WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT , ONLY GIVE TO TOP 10 OR ELSE , WHY YOU FOLLOW THE SAME OF THE PREVIOUS REGIME FORMALITIES


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