Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles, recently revealed shocking details about the ongoing chaos in Sri Lanka’s passport system. Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, the minister accused certain individuals of exploiting the system for financial gain. According to Alles, while the government initiated an online appointment system to streamline the process, it quickly became a goldmine for unscrupulous people who began hoarding appointments.
“The online appointment system opens at midnight, and within 15-20 minutes, all slots are taken,” the minister explained. “One group, using about 100 SIM cards, manages to snatch up these appointments and sells them to unsuspecting people for a whopping Rs. 45,000 per appointment.”
In response to the blatant profiteering, Alles ordered the suspension of the online appointment system, but even that didn’t end the madness. Now, people in queues are being charged up to Rs. 25,000 for a place in line. To counter this, the minister tasked the police with managing the queues. Alless also dismissed rumors that the Director of Immigration left for Poland due to the passport fiasco, calling it “a blatant lie.” He assured that the passport chief remains in Sri Lanka and that steps are being taken to resolve the situation.
Despite these efforts, the passport queue issue remains an ongoing headache for the public, with many questioning how such practices were allowed to spiral out of control in the first place.
