Question arises on national security threat, impact on tourism

4 May 2024 06:03 am - 27 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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May 03 - The award of contract for issuing on-arrival visas at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to a foreign consortium including VFS Global as the key technology partner is mired in further controversy since it has been done without following due tender process, any consideration to a threat on national security and the impact on increased charges from foreign nationals on the country’s burgeoning tourism industry.

Also, the foreign company which is handling visa documentation in over 150 countries has been awarded the contract despite the local company Mobitel having developed a system to implement the programme at a lower rate and Sri Lanka Immigration handling it without any hassle at an economical rate for a dozen of years.

The Cabinet memorandum has been submitted in this regard by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles. However, the immigration authorities say they suspect some hidden agendas behind the whole issue and they are in the process of studying it in detail.

According to them, a security threat can be triggered because a foreign company will possess personal details of nationals from any country visiting Sri Lanka.

"It can trigger a threat probably since the Sri Lankan security authorities cannot fully assess the individual backgrounds of foreign nationals arriving as visitors,” an immigration officer who wished to remain anonymous said.

Also, he said the Sri Lankan immigration authorities charge only visa fees from foreign nations but after the process was outsourced, additional service charges were levied leading to on-arrival visa fees being hiked to as high as 100 dollars per visitor.

"We are not sure whether our rates will be competitive enough in that context. It will have a bearing on tourism. People might choose to travel to countries where visa rates are lower than ours,” he said.

The Government and the Ministry of Public Security came under heavy criticism yesterday for outsourcing the visa system supervised by the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) after rejecting a virtually free and well-functioning platform provided by SLT-Mobitel.

A Cabinet decision made in July 2021 approving Mobitel’s proposal submitted to the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) to revamp the existing system along with the infrastructure at a cost of $ 1.00 per Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) application to be charged from foreigners applying for ETA with zero cost to the Government.

However, the Public Security Ministry had overlooked the proposal of the local company and decided to outsource the project to GBS Technology Services and IVS Global FZCO as the prime contractor.

VFS Global is the technology partner for implementation of the new eVisa platform. From 17 April, all visitors to Sri Lanka have been subject to $ 18.5 service fee and $ 7.27 convenience fee in addition to higher visa fees.

Standard tourist visa fee was increased to $ 75 for non-SAARC countries (which means with additional fees an entry will cost over $ 100 per person) and SAARC country tourist visa fee was increased from $ 20 to $ 35. The tourism industry has already protested against the hike and additional fees.

Following the recent video which went viral showing an angered person shouting at the airport over purported discrepancies in the system, the government restored the process with Sri Lanka immigration immediately.

However, Ministry Secretary Viyani Gunatilake said there due to a technical glitch on Wednesday night there had been a backlog, and as soon as it is restored, the service would be given back to the foreign company within a week or so.

Comments - 27

N. Packar Saturday, 04 May 2024 06:20 AM

Even granting a simple entry visa to a foreign national cannot be done. What can you Sri Lankans do without a problem. ??????????????????????

Sunil Saturday, 04 May 2024 06:59 AM

First investigate whether technical glitch is true or false.Secondly, investigate why Immigration department with help from ICTA cannot do this service. Is Sri Lanka going to continue outsourcing allowing dollars to go out. I am sure there are many local companies who can easily handle this service.

Dimantha Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:09 AM

Has a thorough background investigation been undertaken into the person who instigated the incident? There seems more to the drama than meets the eye.

lankaputha Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:10 AM

My 1 Million Dollar Question for the people in Sri Lanka... What problem they tried to solve by giving this service to a third party, specially for anther country company? 1. They get to know all the details of who came to SL and left 2. They have the access to all the details of Sri Lankans 3. Assuming 2 million tourists, 25 USD per visa, plus 13 USD from Government ,per year their income is 75 Million USD... why and for what ? Who prepared this proposal and got the cabinet approval, Diana, Harin or Tiran ?

Neville Jayakody Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:16 AM

It will be given back to foreign company for higher cost as the bribe taken cannot be paid back by the minister or.we have already sold country’s sovereignty by the ministers concerned? I am sure it’s gone further up than the minister himself, otherwise minister should have been sacked immediately! Why all politicians are dumb on this issue!

Romeo Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:29 AM

All the stupid things you can ever imagine are being implemented to preserve the USD within the country, yet very proudly says this system is being outsourced to a foreign company when we can it ourselves. This country is run by jokers!

Ivar Chan Saturday, 04 May 2024 08:25 AM

This whole issue shows how the entire system is. Sure everyone smells a rat. Definately. No sane person will be willing to pay USD 100.77 for a visa to visit SriLanka. I am from the tourism industry and I can tell you the anger out there. Visa fees for India , a much bigger and more varied destination with plenty of valued shopping is much lower. This is realy a mess. !! There is for sure a 'Rat' and the public have every right to smell a Rat. The most important thing is to find out who is responsible for this and take that person to task. Review this matter immediately.

Red Alert Saturday, 04 May 2024 08:48 AM

T-ran has CUT over this outsource. R-nil is now NOT bothered about SECURITY as he knows that he CANNOT win in the election. Banch of thieves.

A good precedent has been set in this nation Saturday, 04 May 2024 08:50 AM

:oud protest has been established as an "Antidote" shot for corruption now! Corrupt Gota ran for his life, never to come back to his high power seat after the Aragalaya protesters. Now the VFS Global workers ran away with one victim shouting in Sinhala and English at the Airport. A good precedent has been set in this nation is very good.

Sokrates Saturday, 04 May 2024 08:50 AM

The Public Security Minister, a £ millionaire who does dirty business in the UK and Sri Lanka and is involved in money laundering. The man who negotiated the deal with the LTTE on MR's orders so that people in the north and east could not vote. The man who is involved in drug business along with his convicted IGP friend and started Operation Yukthiya only to eliminate competitors in the drug trade. Now he has also given the police carte blanche to use firearms. How can Ranil tolerate such a Felon in the cabinet? Since he knows that he has no chance of comming into the next parliament, he quickly arranged the visa deal. For each visa issued, he is guaranteed to receive several dollars. A lot comes together there.

Cheers Saturday, 04 May 2024 09:30 AM

Aragalayata Dan sapada

Samson Saturday, 04 May 2024 09:57 AM

Who is the racist half baked immigration officer who wants to be anonymous. To make such a stupid comment shows the standard of our corrupt officials who issue duplicate passports to politicos and their wives. VHS handles visas for 150 countries which don't have an issue; only Sri Lanka as only corrupt crooks controls it.

Rameez NLM Saturday, 04 May 2024 08:07 PM

With due respect, as you correctly mentioned the VFS only handles visas. But no country has given authority to VFS to make decision on visas and that's the problem here. Short-sighted, foolish and corrupt Ministers in Sri Lanka have done this without due process. There is point in blaming VFS for this. It is the government and their ministers must be held responsible and they must be forced to correct this immediately. Moreover, the Immigration is one dept. which was functioning reasonably well out of all other ministries in the country. I'm sure given the chance and necessary resources they will do better job than VFS.

Grace Saturday, 04 May 2024 09:57 AM

A single youth has woken millions of citizens within a few hours. Old politicians should understand that you fooled our grand parents and parents. Not the educated younger generation and don't think their knowledge is limited to subjects only. It is time for old politicians to retire from politics and enjoy with their grand children and pets with the money the have earned.

Rameez NLM Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:13 PM

Lets send this message loud and clear to all.

Ranjan Ramanayake Saturday, 04 May 2024 10:07 AM

Why all this when the operation was going on smoothly with personnel from the Immigration Department at the Airport . If there was a need there are well educated youth with computer knowledge who could have been employed for this purpose at the Air Port. Why should tourist pay more

Rameez NLM Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:10 PM

You are 100% right. Let's force the government which has done this grave mistake to correct it immediately without any excuse.

FredSnR Saturday, 04 May 2024 11:07 AM

If this goes on very soon there will be no Sri Lanka. Could this be the end goal to a people so demoralized and weak that they would accept anything? Hope not.

Sumi Saturday, 04 May 2024 11:15 AM

The tourist should be "softened up" before arrival, making them more pliable for the complete ripoff of their visitation. A bogus visa scam is good work by the authority. Every dime must be hammered out of these pesky interlopers. Hopefully they will never return. Or even better, not come in the first place.

Owen Quasst Saturday, 04 May 2024 01:00 PM

This will be a big backstep to turism here.Less will come definitely then the crying will be big again and each party will shift the responsibility to a other party. I think SL can do the job very well as they proved it in past .Why outresource with higher cost ..its again a funny business idea which will back flash and destroy the now blooming tourism arrivals.But I guess some don't want maybe tourism and use it as a tool to reduce or injure this fragile industry and nation .I can't understand but I guess some big accounts overseas need filling again...its a shame ..still no learning done

Ranjan C Saturday, 04 May 2024 02:49 PM

I am a foreign national born in Sri Lanka some 75 years ago. I visit SL very often and I have had to get a tourist visa every time I visit SL (my home). I have never had any difficulty in obtaining visas for me and my family through the Dept go Immigration website - visas approved within minutes. Why is the Gov't trying to outsource this fantastically performing Gov't Dept web facility? Is there a crook in this Gov't trying to make a buck? Dear Mr. President, STOP THIS BLOODY RORT. DO NOT BE A PARTY TO THIS PLESE.

Bandula Rugune Saturday, 04 May 2024 04:15 PM

Someone mentioned about the million dollar question here and the answer is Rajapakse group blatantly steal Billions but Ranil is doing the same through Backdoor via third party Indian VFS

Alles Pagaya Saturday, 04 May 2024 04:41 PM

Somebody / a thug minister is making a lot of money at the cost of death of our slowly improving economy. Is Ranil sleeping? H E L P!!!

Rameez NLM Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:04 PM

Sri Lankan Immigration Department is more than capable of providing such services as they have already demonstrated for several decades. Of course Sri Lanka had issues with other government departments but not Immigration Dept. to my knowledge. Giving such services to VFS is grave mistake. Concerned ministers and the government MUST correct this mistake urgently without any excuse.

Buddhist Sunday, 05 May 2024 02:48 AM

Ravi was the agent through Central Bank robbery to fund the UNP election campaign last time. This time, it's Tiran and Harin through the visa processing game and non-tender deals.

Tissa Fernando Sunday, 05 May 2024 07:49 AM

Because of the guy who created a scene by shouting at the Airport, the public came to know about the VFS deal. But the way the guy spoke sounded like Anti Indian Hate speech. It has everything to do with the way the Indian origin counter person spoke to him about his visa and his bad impression of Indian coworkers or supervisors that he was dealing with in his job wherever he works. Since he claims payment of Rs 4M taxes he may be someone working in Sri Lanka but dealing with some Indians. It was more of a hate speech than a speech out of love to the country.

aalalith Sunday, 05 May 2024 05:31 PM

I Think we should hand over that boy who made a fuss to the nearest cop shed and inform Mr T A my gut feeling is that this boy must have a few weapons and TNT hidden. Before doing anything make sure you handcuff him

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Question arises on national security threat, impact on tourism

Comments - 27

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