8 January 2025 06:42 pm Views - 1417
Colombo, January 8 (Daily Mirror) - The Professional Business and Civil Society Organisations Coalition has lodged complaints with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Bribery Commission, calling for accountability from officials responsible for the shortages of medicines and passports.
Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, a co-leader of the coalition, told the media that they want investigations into the misuse of important data at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and the reopening of the passport tender inquiry.
"Even though these issues were reported years ago, proper investigations have not been completed. The data fraud at the NMRA and poor management at a branch of the Immigration and Emigration Department have caused the current passport shortage. Complaints have now been submitted to the CID and the Bribery Commission to enforce the law and recover government losses," Dr. Sanjeewa said.
He explained that an electronic passport system was introduced to replace the existing one. However, arguments between companies bidding for the project have delayed the issuing of electronic passports. Although recommendations were made by the Presidential Appeals Commission and the National Procurement Commission, the delays remain unresolved.
He also said that a civil society group had complained to Deputy Minister of Public Security, Sunil Watagala, about the Immigration and Emigration Department’s responsibility for issuing passports. However, the company that used to issue passports is still in charge of the department’s software. Because of this, people now have to pay an extra fee of about Rs. 400 to obtain a new passport.
Dr. Sanjeewa added that a tender was awarded to print five million new e-passports, but the Immigration and Emigration Department is facing problems. The tender did not include requirements for the electronic software, making it harder to issue the passports. He has asked the CID and the Bribery Commission to investigate into the whole process and take action against any officials involved in wrongdoing.
Finally, Dr. Sanjeewa said he plans to report the issue to other legal authorities, including the Police Financial Crimes Division and Police Headquarters, in the coming weeks.