News

Housing Ministry Secretary added to Admin Officers’ Pool

Published

1 year ago

November 14, 2022

editor

Urban Development and Housing Ministry Secretary Pradeep Rathnayake has been referred to the Pool of Administrative Officers under the Public Administration Ministry over misconduct committed when he was the Matara District Secretary.

Internal sources at the Public Administration Ministry said that this decision has been taken by the Presidential Secretariat after receiving the preliminary investigation report of the inquiry into the matter.

Mr. Ratnayake was scheduled to retire at the end of this year.

Ministry secretaries are managed through the Presidential Secretariat.

The government has focused on emptying the pool of administrative officers and the Public Administration Ministry said the officials who are in this pool will be employed in temporary positions.

Former Sports Ministry Secretary Anuradha Wijekoon was also in this pool but he was appointed as an Additional Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry recently.

Action to be taken against more..

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Ministry is focusing on transferring several senior and junior administrative officials employed in the Peliyagoda, Kelaniya, Gampaha, Wattala and Ja-ela areas over incidents of misconduct.

Most of them have been accused of complicity in granting permits to construct unauthorised buildings, endangering public health and complicity in constructing substandard roads.

Special attention has also been paid on the complaints received to the Bribery Commission via the Public Administration Ministry against these officials.

Meanwhile, a reliable source revealed that a report is being prepared at the Western Province Governor’s Office regarding the state officials who disregard the instructions of the Governor.

A special programme has also been implemented at the Presidential Secretariat to collect data of administrative officials against whom allegations have been made through the media.

News

Prof. Nalin de Silva no more

Published

8 hours ago

May 2, 2024

editor

Philosopher, intellectual and academician Professor Nalin de Silva has passed away at the age of 79. Prof. de Silva initially served as a professor in the Department of Mathematics and later as the Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Kelaniya.

He was also a former member of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

In addition to his academic pursuits, de Silva also worked as a former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Myanmar.

News

‘Company issuing visa at BIA not Indian or Indian based’

Published

13 hours ago

May 2, 2024

editor

The Indian High Commission in Colombo has issued a statement over reports of Indian companies taking over visa issuance at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.

The statement notes “companies referred to in these reports are not India based or Indian and are headquartered elsewhere. Any reference to India in this context is unwarranted.”

News

Chaos at BIA raises questions (Video)

Published

15 hours ago

May 2, 2024

nipuni

Questions have been raised after chaos at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake last night (May 01) has sparked widespread outrage.

This is with regard to a controversial takeover of the on-arrival visa issuance process at BIA by an Indian company – VFS Global since yesterday evening.

It is learnt that the company has levied an extra $25 alongside the standard $75 fee.

Long lines of frustrated travellers were also seen at the airport for several hours, which is a stark difference to the procedure smoothly managed in a matter of mere minutes by the Immigration and Emigration Department in the past.

Footage of a Sri Lankan citizen expressing outrage over Indian nationals deciding visa matters for fellow Sri Lankans, has also been making rounds on social media.

Although 10 Sri Lankan and Indian officers had commenced work from 5.00pm yesterday, the lines remained well over 9.00pm. Amid tensions, higher officials of the BIA and security forces had also arrived at the premises.

At 11.30pm the company officials temporarily suspended issuing visas and left the BIA with the money collected, reports say.

Upon the directive of the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration – Harsha Ilukpitiya, Immigration officers have commenced their usual duties with no issues since then, enabling the previous process to continue smoothly.

Concerns have been raised over the lack of transparency in this arrangement.