Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been named as a respondent of the writ petition filed with the Court of Appeal challenging the previous government’s decision to purchase passports from two foreign companies.

Wickremesinghe has been named as a respondent of the relevant writ petition filed by Epic Lanka Private Limited, through a motion submitted by the petitioning party, when the petition was taken up before the two-member Appeals Court judge bench comprising Justices Mohammed Laffar and P. Kumaratnam yesterday (06).

During the hearing, the attorneys who appeared for the two foreign companies named as respondents stated that their clients have been critically prejudiced through the interim injunction issued by the court preventing the purchase of 5 million e-passports.

The attorneys, who pointed out that the relevant injunction will be in effect until the hearings of the petition are concluded, requested the court to issue an order lifting the injunction.

Meanwhile, appearing for the petitioning party, President’s Council Viran Corea argued that the process of purchasing the passports in question has been carried out under an informal procurement system.

Furthermore, the President’s Counsel objected to the lifting of the injunction issued, requesting for an expedited conclusion of the hearing of the petition and for a final verdict to be issued.

Following the consideration of the facts presented, the bench ordered the petitioning party to file objections related to the request to lift the injunction preventing the purchase of passports. 

Later, the case was also ordered to be recalled on December 09 for the consideration of facts on whether or not the injunction should be lifted.

The petition has been filed by Epic Lanka Private Limited seeking an order invalidating the decision taken by the previous government to purchase 750,000 normal passports and 5 million e-passports from two foreign firms.

Thales and local partner Just in Time Technologies (JITT) have been awarded the contract to supply Sri Lanka’s biometric passports, which are planned for a rollout next year.

The first batch of 100,000 chip-based passports are scheduled for delivery by Thales by July 2025, with an agreement to supply one million passports annually over five years, according to local newspapers. 

A previous government statement suggested the first biometric passports would be ready for issuance in January.

The Ministry of Public Security was set to procure the co-developed public key infrastructure and propose personalizing passports using their system on a fee-per-passport basis.

 This change would incur additional fees for the new personalization services from the consortium.

The transition has brought new challenges to the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka, which has introduced a mandatory prior online registration for new passport applications to reduce congestion at the head office.

The Small and Medium Scale Rice Mill Owners’ Association (SMSRM) has highlighted the growing rice shortage in Sri Lanka, attributing it to the increased diversion of raw rice for beer production. 

The situation has been exacerbated by the entry of business magnate Harry Jayawardena’s Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL) into the beer market, following its acquisition of Heineken Lanka Ltd.

DCSL, which now controls 99.4% of Heineken Lanka’s shares, purchased the company for €12 million (Rs. 4.2 billion). 

This acquisition marks the start of DCSL’s expansion into the beer industry, where it plans to continue brewing popular international brands like Heineken, Tiger, and Anchor, along with its own Bison beer brand. 

However, the move to increase beer production has had a significant impact on the availability of rice, particularly the ‘Nadu’ variety used in brewing. 

According to SMSRM Chairman U.K. Semasinghe, as more raw rice is redirected for beer production, there is less available for regular consumption, which has contributed to rising rice prices in the market.

Farmers’ organizations have voiced similar concerns, urging the government to step in and stabilize rice prices. In response to the increasing shortage, 

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened a meeting with large-scale rice distributors to discuss maintaining controlled retail prices to alleviate the strain on consumers.

DCSL’s entry into the beer market has also raised concerns about the future of Sri Lanka’s brewing industry. 

According to Fitch Ratings, DCSL’s extensive market access, financial strength, and industry expertise position it to significantly expand Heineken’s operations in the country. 

However, Fitch notes that such expansion will require substantial capital investment and could take two to three years to complete. In the short term, this expansion may impact the market share of Lion Brewery, the current leader in the Sri Lankan beer market.

Meanwhile, many shopkeepers have reported difficulty obtaining rice at the government-controlled price, further intensifying the market shortage. The rising cost of rice, especially the ‘Nadu’ variety, has put additional pressure on consumers who are already struggling with the economic fallout.

As the situation unfolds, both the government and industry players are under increasing pressure to find a balance between supporting new business ventures and ensuring adequate food supply for the population.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has committed to reviewing the government’s progress each year based on the Vision 2030 framework, a comprehensive policy document submitted to political parties before the recent elections. 

Duminda Hulangamuwa, Chairman of the CCC, made this announcement during a media gathering, emphasizing the Chamber’s independent stance and its dedication to holding the government accountable to the commitments outlined in Vision 2030.

Speaking at the event, Hulangamuwa explained that the Chamber had issued the Vision 2030 document prior to the elections, with the expectation that whichever political party formed the government would adopt its recommendations over the next five years. 

The document, he said, is designed to ensure stability and guide the country’s long-term growth. “We remain committed to this agenda. Once the government was elected, we issued a statement highlighting 10 key points from Vision 2030, identifying the direction in which the country should move,” he explained.

Hulangamuwa further emphasized that the CCC’s role would be to track and review the government’s progress in implementing these policies annually. “We told the political parties before the elections that we would review the progress of these policies each year to ensure that the country is moving in the right direction,” he added. 

The Chamber plans to assess the success of the government in adhering to the Vision 2030 framework and provide feedback on the trajectory of the country’s development.

The Chamber also expressed its support for the broader reform programs initiated by the government, which include collaboration with international bodies like the IMF and the World Bank. 

According to Hulangamuwa, the overarching goal is to implement essential reforms to achieve macroeconomic stability, foster sustainable growth, and ensure that development benefits all sectors of society. 

“The key objective is to guide the country through a process of reform, bring about macroeconomic stability, and ensure that growth is inclusive,” he stated, stressing the importance of including rural communities and fostering a vibrant village economy.

The CCC’s Vision 2030, launched recently, and outlines a comprehensive five-year economic plan aimed at transforming Sri Lanka’s economic landscape. 

The document identifies critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and logistics, with targeted goals for each. 

It also highlights vital enablers like tax reforms, digitalisation, trade reforms, and power and energy sector changes, which are seen as key to driving the country’s long-term development and competitiveness.

Through Vision 2030, the CCC aims to steer Sri Lanka towards a sustainable, inclusive, and diversified economy by the year 2030, fostering growth that benefits all segments of the population.With its focus on long-term economic stability and reform, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’s annual reviews will be crucial in tracking Sri Lanka’s progress toward these ambitious goals