Senior Immigration officials skip COPF meeting on visas

All senior officials of the Department of Immigration and Emigration including the Commissioner General Harsha Illukpitiya today failed to attend a crucial meeting of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) which was due to take up the controversy on outsourcing online and on arrival tourist visas.

Chairman of the COPF Dr Harsha de Silva and other members expressed displeasure about their failure to attend the meeting which was due to be held in Parliament today morning.

Dr de Silva told Parliament later that the officials had claimed they could not find some of the relevant files and therefore were unable to attend the meeting.

The Chairman said he considered their decision as a disrespect to the Committee.

The other members who attended the COPF meeting were State ministers Suren Raghawan and Dr Seetha Arambepola and Mps Jhonston Fernando, Rauf Hakeem, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Mahindanada Aluthgamage, Duminda Dissanayake, Chandima Weerakkody, Dr Kawinda Jayawardena, Mayantha Dissanayake, Harshana Rajakaruna, Major (Retired) Pradeep Udugoda, Sahan Pradeepa Vithana, Premanath C. Dolawatta  an Madhura Vithanage.