Minister Vijitha Herath pledges to resolve passport crisis by mid-October

Minister Vijitha Herath

•  Says DG of Immigration has assured queues for passports will be no more by 15-20 October 
• Highlights importance of restoring public trust in the Sri Lanka Police
• Asks Police to act independently, assuring they would have the freedom to act without external pressure
• Requests officers to take action against any wrong doer even if person is aligned with NPP

Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath, has vowed to resolve the ongoing passport crisis by mid-October. 

Speaking to the media after officially assuming duties at the Ministry, yesterday Herath said that following discussions with the Director General of Immigration, he has been assured that the issue will be resolved between 15-20 October. 

The Minister also noted that once the crisis is resolved, new measures will be introduced to eliminate the long queues for passports. “I will do my utmost to resolve this problem soon, and we hope to somehow do it within that time frame,” Herath said. 

Beyond addressing the passport issue, Minister Herath also commented on the state of public trust in the police. He acknowledged that in recent years, the public has lost confidence in the police force. As the Minister of Public Security, he emphasised his responsibility, alongside the Secretary to the Ministry and senior police officers, to rebuild that trust.

“While it may not be possible to restore trust overnight, we must take immediate action,” Herath said, adding that the police force must protect law and order independently, without political interference. He urged senior police officers to change any incorrect procedures currently in place, assuring them they would have the freedom to act without external pressure.

“Do not succumb to political influence,” Herath instructed, assuring that even Government MPs would not interfere in the duties of police officers. “No matter who has committed a wrong — even those aligned with us — the law must be upheld. That is what the people expect, and it is why they gave us their mandate,” he stressed.