The People’s Struggle Alliance recently held a media briefing in Nugegoda to address significant concerns over foreign passport issuance and alleged misuse of public funds.
Colombo District candidate Pubudu Jayagoda explained, “Sri Lanka has encountered issues in passport issuance recently. Normally, there’s a daily demand for about 2,800 passports, but only 1,000 were being issued. This shortage arose due to the government’s decision to switch to a new e-passport system, which has faced substantial delays. Previously, Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) were issued, but the government opted for E-passports, incorporating a chip for enhanced security. This required a new Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which was initially specified in the first Expression of Interest (EOI) but was later removed from the tender process.”
Jayagoda detailed the tender proceedings, noting that four companies submitted bids, with three meeting qualification criteria. Of these, the French company Thales, represented by Just In Time, offered the lowest bid at $5.02 per passport, compared to $6.37 from the Malaysian-associated Metropolitan and $9.85 from Peruvian-linked Epic Lanka. Although Just In Time was initially awarded the contract, Epic Lanka, involved in Sri Lanka’s passport issuance for over 21 years, contested the process in court, arguing a contractual right to continue. This legal dispute led to significant delays and a backlog in passport issuance.
According to Jayagoda, the court did not find an error in the tender but acknowledged Epic Lanka’s claim to compensation if the contract was awarded to another provider. It proposed a payment of $1.5 per passport to Epic Lanka, pending a committee’s final recommendation, which has yet to be issued. Epic Lanka claims it has contractual rights based on a letter that the Department of Immigration and Emigration disputes, questioning whether such an agreement exists.
“Currently, Just In Time has been tasked with issuing approximately 7.5 million passports, with Epic Lanka receiving $1.45 per passport issued. This amounts to an estimated $1 million in public funds—a waste that the government must urgently address. Furthermore, Epic Lanka has previously faced accusations of fraud involving the National Drug Regulatory Corporation. We, the People’s Struggle Alliance, urge the government to launch a full investigation and halt this needless expense of public money immediately,” Jayagoda concluded.
