No tender calling required: Minister Tiran Alles

• Says visa rates were approved by Parliament

By Kelum Bandara 

Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, in response to allegations about the tender process, said there is no such requirement to call for tenders because these are the only companies involved in eVisa processing in different countries. He said once the proposal came, a committee was appointed to study it and the report submitted to the Cabinet. The minister said he got the Cabinet approval for it after that. “Whatever visa fee is collected, it will be returned to the government. The visa rates were approved by Parliament unanimously in terms of regulations earlier. Even the opposition crying foul over this matter endorsed it in Parliament at that time. The outsourced company will get only additional charges for services they provide. I will have a press conference on Monday upon my return from Singapore and deal with all outstanding allegations,” 
he said.