Harsha’s report on visa issuance was false and erroneous: Semasinghe

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

Heated arguments erupted in Parliament yesterday after State Minister Shehan Semasinghe brought in a privilege issue claiming that the report presented recently by COPF Chairman MP Harsha de Silva regarding outsourcing visa issuance was false and erroneous.

Minister Semasinghe raising a privilege issue said that the report tabled in Parliament on 12 July, 2024 stated that the committee unanimously approved the recommendations and procedures recommended by the committee to be adopted by the Immigration and Emigration Department when issuing visas to foreigners and that 16 government MPs out of the 27 committee members did not agree to the recommendations.   

He said the COPF Chair should be brought before the Committee of Privileges claiming that privileges of him and other MPs have been violated.    COPF Chair Harsha De Silva, who responded said he vehemently refuted all allegations and that government MPs are trying to put him in jail.   

Parliamentarian Mahindananda Aluthgamage said the Tourism Development Authority and the Immigration and Emigration Controller General had presented contradictory statistics on tourist arrivals and wanted the report withheld until the matter was resolved with the two factions.   

Parliamentarian Rauf Hakeem said Immigration and Emigration Controller General cannot be trusted as he even misled the Supreme Court on Diana Gamage’s citizenship issue.   
Dr. Harsha De Silva said statistics on tourist arrivals had not been included in the report.   

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe raised a question whether such a privilege issue could be brought in against a chair of committee.