2024-08-15
News Categories : Committee News
Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Open and Accountable Government, Member of Parliament Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumitraarachchi, recently informed the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration to take immediate action to issue passports in a way that does not inconvenience the public.
This was discussed when the Department of Immigration and Emigration was summoned to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on An Open and Accountable Government to consider the new "Immigration" Bill.
Addressing the meeting, the Immigration and Emigration Controller General Mr. Harsha Ilukpitiya said that nearly 1 million passports had been issued in 2023, but only 23% of them had been used and the remaining 77% of passports had not been used. Also, he added that since the electronic passport (E-Passport) is to be introduced by the end of October, there is a possibility to request the new e- passport from some countries and accordingly, the department requests the non-essential public to refrain from getting passports.
The Chair of the Committee pointed out that people should be informed about this as much as possible. However, the Chair also emphasized that it is the responsibility of the Immigration and Emigration Department to issue the requested passports so that the people are not inconvenienced, as it is the right of the people to get passports after paying money. If not, the Chair of the Committee Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumitraarachchi pointed out that the department as well as the government will be deeply displeased by the people.
Also, the officials of the Immigration and Emigration Department said that the obstacles to obtaining passports for pilgrims traveling to India and Nepal will be promptly removed.
While considering the new “Immigration” Bill, the Committee inquired the provisions of the bill from the officials. Immigration and Emigration Controller General Mr. Harsha Ilukpitiya said that the drafting of this bill, which was presented to Parliament on June 20, 2024 by the Minister of Public Security, commenced in 2017. This new bill has been prepared by amending the issue of travel documents, the Immigrants and Emigrants Act and the Passport (Regulation) and Exit Permit Act, No. 53 of 1971 to suit the current social and technological situation. He also mentioned that since this bill has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the relevant determination has been announced to the Parliament, the related amendments will be made.
It was also revealed that this bill has provided provisions to fill the gaps in the immigration laws of this country. The Controller General pointed out that for the first time, the necessary legal provisions have been made by this new bill especially for Human Smuggling, which has not had any laws in this country so far. Also, this new bill has enacted new laws including the legal provisions necessary for the department to move forward with the new technology as well as the provisions applicable to people staying illegally in the country. Mr. Ilukpitiya further mentioned that this bill was prepared after considering the opinions and suggestions of several experts. It was also discussed in the committee that this bill, which has been delayed for a long time, is a very important bill.
Also, the committee's attention was drawn to filling the vacancies of the employees of the Immigration and Emigration Department. The chair of the committee also advised to submit the related proposal to the committee. Giving approval to the bill, the committee chair said that in order to implement this bill more successfully, the department should proceed with new technology. The committee also informed the Immigration and Emigration Department to provide the related proposals to the committee within 2 weeks to remove the existing obstacles.
Also, the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration stated that the procurement process of electronic passports (e - Passports) is in the final stage and 5 million electronic passports will be received by the end of October 2024.
Officials representing the Ministry of Public Security, the Attorney General's Department and the Legal Draftsman’s Department also attended the meeting. Members of Parliament Hon. John Seneviratne, Hon. Udayana Kiridigoda, Hon. Gunathilaka Rajapaksa, Hon. Jayantha Weerasinghe, Hon. Ishaq Rahuman, Hon. Sudath Manjula, Hon. Kumarasiri Ratnayake and Hon. Madhura Withanage were also present in this committee meeting.
2026-07-08
The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has approved the submission to Parliament of a Resolution under the Customs Ordinance and two Orders under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, following its consideration.The decision was taken at a meeting of the Committee held in Parliament on 6th July, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva.Accordingly, the Committee considered the Resolution published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2478/03 under the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235), as well as the Orders published in Extraordinary Gazette Nos. 2478/04 and 2479/38 under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act. Officials representing the Ministry of Finance, Sri Lanka Customs, and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) attended the meeting.In line with the 2026 Budget proposal to implement the National Tariff Policy, the existing customs import duty rates of 0%, 15% and 20% on imported goods have been restructured into a four-band system of 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%, effective 1 April 2026.Committee discussions emphasized that these amendments are not merely changes to tax rates, but mark the beginning of implementing a National Tariff Policy that will shape Sri Lanka's trade and investment environment over the coming decade. Officials explained that the principal objective of the policy is to establish a scientific and predictable tariff structure that will enable Sri Lanka to integrate more effectively into global supply chains.Under the policy, a new four-band tariff structure based on the United Nations Broad Economic Categories (BEC Revision 5) classification is proposed, requiring the reclassification of numerous HS tariff codes. The new tariff framework will classify imports under four principal categories—capital goods, intermediate goods, sensitive intermediate goods, and consumer goods—while also balancing the objectives of protecting domestic industries and maintaining stable government revenue.It was also revealed that, to provide relief to the construction sector, the current effective import tax rate on ceramic tiles, which stands at approximately 85–90%, will be reduced in stages to 20% by 2029. This is expected to lower construction costs and encourage investment in housing and infrastructure.The Government also proposes introducing new national tariff sub-categories for various sectors in response to requests from domestic industries.Officials further noted that the Government aims to gradually phase out para-tariffs such as the CESS and the Ports and Airports Levy (PAL) by 2029, moving towards a simpler tariff regime. The Committee also advised officials to consider measures to mitigate any adverse impacts that may arise from tariff liberalization.It was noted that these tax reforms are expected to support the Export Development Board's objective of doubling Sri Lanka's export earnings from US$18 billion to US$36 billion over the next five years. The policy is also expected to provide a strong foundation for integrating Sri Lanka into global supply chains, particularly in the electronics, rubber products, pharmaceuticals, and information technology sectors.The Committee also expressed serious concern over delays in updating trade data. The Chair observed that the Department of Trade and Investment Policy's trade database had not been updated since 2021, and instructed the relevant officials to update all trade data and related information required for evidence-based policymaking within one week.The Gazette notifications are scheduled to be debated in Parliament today (8 July), following which they are expected to be submitted for Parliamentary approval.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Hon. Deputy Minister Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, and Hon. Members of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake, Harshana Rajakaruna, and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-07-08
Hon. Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake stated that the Government will introduce a Cluster Bus Company System to improve public transportation, adding that Cabinet approval for the initiative was recently granted.The Minister made these remarks yesterday (7th July) while chairing the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways and Urban Development in Parliament.He further stated that the scheme will initially be implemented as a pilot project on bus routes 177, 170 and 190.The Minister also said that the previous four categories of bus services; normal, semi-luxury, luxury and super-luxury have been streamlined by removing the semi-luxury and super-luxury categories. Referring to the Semi-Luxury category, the Minister stated that a related court case is currently pending and that the relevant facts will be presented before the court.Minister Rathnayake further pointed out that it is not equitable to apply a single fare formula to both long-distance and short-distance bus services. Given the higher operating costs associated with long-distance services, a separate methodology will be introduced to determine fares for long-distance buses. He emphasized that the Government is committed to safeguarding both the bus industry and passengers.The Chair of the Committee also sought clarification from officials on whether bus fares could be reduced following recent fuel price decreases. Officials explained that although fuel prices have declined, other operating costs remain high, limiting the scope for fare reductions.The Committee also discussed a range of issues including reducing road accidents, establishing dedicated lanes for bicycles and motorcycles, road development projects, and complaints from passengers regarding the failure to receive correct change from bus conductors. Officials were instructed to take the necessary action on these matters.The Chair further directed officials to intervene promptly to resolve issues raised by Members of Parliament relating to the transport and urban development sectors.The Committee also agreed that regulations made by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development under the Motor Traffic Act (No. 203), and published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2480/22 dated 19 March 2026, should be submitted to Parliament for approval following the Committee's consideration.The regulations extend the concessionary period granted for fitting seat belts to seats in vehicles travelling on expressways where seat belts were not originally installed by the manufacturer. As the Committee observed that the previous grace period was insufficient, it has been extended from 20 March 2026 until 19 June 2026.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, several Members of Parliament, and officials representing the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development.
2026-07-07
The current progress of tourism promotion projects being implemented in various parts of the country, as well as the proposed budgetary allocations for next year aimed at further developing the tourism sector, were discussed at length during the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism.The discussion took place when the Committee met recently at Parliament under the chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Hon. Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Committee also reviewed the current status of Sri Lanka's trade agreements with foreign countries. The Chair informed members that a special committee has been appointed to review the country's foreign trade agreements, and that necessary policy decisions will be taken after its report is received.Members of Parliament also presented a number of proposals for new projects and programmes that could be implemented in different parts of the island to further promote the tourism industry.The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Hon. Arun Hemachandra, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, and Members of Parliament serving on the Consultative Committee.
2026-06-25
The report submitted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) regarding the disappearance of USD 2.5 million that had been held by the Treasury for the repayment of state debt was discussed at a recent meeting of the Committee.The meeting was held in Parliament on the 23rd June under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva, with the participation of Hon. Deputy Ministers Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne, and Nishantha Jayaweera, as well as Hon. Members of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Rauff Hakeem, Ravi Karunanayake, Harshana Rajakaruna, Ajith Alahakoon, Nimal Palihena, Attorney-at-Law Chithral Fernando, Wijesiri Basnayake, Champika Hettiarachchi, M.K.M. Aslam, and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.The report submitted by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to the Committee on Public Finance on the 8th regarding the disappearance of USD 2.5 million was subsequently examined by officials of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Following this review, the Central Bank submitted a report containing its observations and views to the Committee.Extensive discussions were held on the report presented by the Central Bank. The Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance stated that, after considering both the report submitted by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the report submitted by the Central Bank, a final report would be prepared and presented to Parliament in due course.Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; Varuna Sri Dhanapala, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy; Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and officials of the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) were also preset at the meeting.
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