The Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) has suspended the issuance of visa recommendations for two Authorised Persons (APs), following a report published by Ada Derana on August 13 pertaining to the detention and deportation of five Chinese nationals employed by said APs.

Issuing a communiqué, the Port City Economic Commission said following the recent developments reported in the media, including by Ada Derana, pertaining to the detention of Chinese nationals at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), the CPCEC has suspended the issuance of visa recommendations for the two APs whose employees were involved in the incident.

This suspension measure will remain in place until the ongoing investigation of the alleged incident is completed, the Commission noted.

The CPCEC has formally requested both APs to submit detailed written explanations, and all necessary documentation relevant to the alleged incident to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation.

The CPCEC has also reiterated that, in accordance with Section 74 of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021, all regulatory authorities in Sri Lanka retain full powers to exercise their respective mandates within the Area of Authority of the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone and over all Authorised Persons.

Furthermore, the CPCEC also urged all APs to maintain high standards of due diligence and conduct comprehensive background checks before extending offers of employment or engagement.

The CPCEC said it remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting the legitimate business activities of Authorised Persons and continues to operate in alignment with the broader interests of the national economy. This includes advancing the Colombo Port City’s vision to foster and safeguard a consistent, business-enabling environment to elevate the SEZ as an important national asset to its full transformative potential, the statement added further.

An Authorized Person (AP) is a person or business entity that has been approved by the Colombo Port City Economic Commission (CPCEC) to conduct business within the Port City area.