News Today: Minister Tiran Alles’ Passport Deal and Government Accountability

The government has reportedly been forced to accept a deal negotiated by Minister Tiran Alles for 750,000 Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) from Thales-JIT due to severe shortages. The new P-series passports will have only 32 pages, replacing the current N-series, which had 64 pages.

This change will come at a significant cost increase of 40%, with each passport priced at €4.52 (~US$ 4.96), which is approximately US$1.50 higher than the N-series passports. The government is expected to start issuing these new passports from Monday, October 21st, according to Cabinet Minister Vijitha Herath.

The National People’s Power (NPP) has promised to ensure transparency and accountability for every tax rupee spent on these passports. The situation has already led to major losses for taxpayers, with many citizens enduring long queues for passport renewals. The NPP is calling for a serious investigation into the deal and the consequences for those involved, emphasizing the need to address the financial burden placed on the public.