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Some DPL passport holders asked to explain

28 Mar 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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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Some DPL passport holders asked to explain

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