Harin ‘all at sea’ over new visa regime

• Claims neither he nor his Ministry were consulted
• Acknowledges he was aware of new visa system but admits lack of detailed knowledge on its implementation
• Stresses importance of involvement from Tourism Ministry in matters pertaining to industry
• Personally believes tourism promotion does not necessitate visa requirement, affirms submitting joint Cabinet paper to allow visa-free access to 67 countries
• Admits oversight in gazette regarding service fee omission, seeks legal advice on whether it was necessary to specify fee
• Confirms inclusion of single-entry visa addressed through separate Cabinet paper on 29 April by Public Security Minister
• Expresses faith in President Ranil Wickremesinghe to solve issue
• Acknowledges Sri Lanka’s history of excessive regulations, vows to work towards change

By Charumini de Silva

Tourism Minister Harin Fernando yesterday distanced himself from the recently implemented new visa regime, asserting that neither he nor his Ministry were consulted in the process.

Speaking to the media, Fernando emphasised efforts made towards introducing hassle-free entry processes to attract more tourists to the country.

“I have not supported initiatives to complicate the process to enter the country,” Fernando stated firmly, underscoring his belief in creating a welcoming environment for travellers.

Acknowledging he was aware of a new visa system in development, Fernando admitted a lack of detailed knowledge regarding its implementation.

“I was aware that there was a proposal to bring in a new visa system, but only as a visa facilitation system. We did not know the exact implementation date or the technical details,” he explained, adding that it would have been great if it was implemented with a three months’ notice.

– Pix by Lasantha Kumara 

“My personal view is that requiring a visa is not essential for promoting tourism,” he said, adding that a joint Cabinet paper with Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry was submitted to facilitate visa-free access for citizens of 67 countries, to boost tourism.

Despite his personal reservations, the Minister acknowledged the Government’s stance on prioritising security and industry promotion through policy decisions.

“As far as I know, the previous Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system faced several challenges, especially regarding security. Over the years, there have been recurring security concerns, particularly with Sri Lanka serving as a transit point for illegal drugs and terrorism threats. Given this backdrop, it is essential to implement all necessary precautions to ensure safety,” he said.

Fernando stressed the importance of involvement from the Tourism Ministry in matters pertaining to the tourism industry, insisting the need for coordinated efforts among relevant organisations. “Whether it is myself or anyone else as the Tourism Minister, there needs to be a proper system of how we solve these inter-related organisations to work together. If one doesn’t know what the other is doing, it makes it a living hell for us to sort these matters,” he said, underlining the challenges posed by disjointed communication and decision-making processes.

The Minister highlighted that the rationale behind implementing the new visa system is best understood by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles. However, he supported the notion that the new visa system by VFS Global offers broader reach and may yield positive outcomes for Sri Lanka in terms of security, efficiency and promotion opportunities.

Acknowledging an oversight in the gazette where the service fee was not included, and only the visa fee was mentioned, Fernando admitted to seeking legal advice on whether it was necessary to specify the fee when the facilitation is already provided to a company.

He confirmed that the inclusion of the single-entry visa, which was previously omitted from the gazette, was addressed through a separate Cabinet paper during the last meeting on April 29 chaired by Minister Alles.

Fernando expressed faith in the President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s understanding of the industry and collaborative efforts towards positive outcomes.

“I am not a person who is divulging information that needs to be discussed within the Cabinet at a media briefing. I hope 99% of the Cabinet of Ministers are in my favour and know what I am arguing for. I have faith in the President, the system and myself. So let’s hope for the right things to happen,” the Minister said.

As a Cabinet Minister, Fernando affirmed his commitment to collective responsibility while providing clarity on the situation.

He admitted that Sri Lanka has been misguided for a long time with excessive regulations from the moment a person steps off the aircraft until they depart the country. “I will do my utmost to change this, but it is important to recognise that some of these organisations are heavily unionised and have their own way of doing things,” he stated.

The Minister also said he will take necessary legal action through the Online Safety Act against those who dragged his name into the matter when he had no connection.

In addition, Fernando said he will not participate at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market to avoid unnecessary speculation and controversy over the visa issue. “Now that I am aware of VFS having an office in Dubai, I prefer not to participate in the ATM next week. Otherwise, people might insinuate that I attended to receive benefits from the newly implemented visa system,” he remarked.