All officers of the Department of Immigration and Emigration have warned that they would resort to a stern trade union action if the authorities do not intervene to resolve their issues within next 48 hours starting from today (02).

Accordingly, immigration and emigration officers who are attached to airports, harbours and other such locations, are to join this trade union action.

The chairman of the Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Association K.A.A.S. Kanugala says that this the authorities have not taken any effective measures to resolve the severe longstanding issues in their service.

Despite the President had instructed the authorities to take actions to resolve these issues back in 2018 while the Prime Minister appointed a committee in this regard, Mr Kanugala said they had not received a proper solution.

The Immigration & Emigration officers have then directed their issues in writing to the Presidential Commission chaired by Mr. S. Ranugge to no avail.

In August 2019, the subject minister had promised them that a Cabinet paper would be submitted seeking solutions for their issues, however, the authorities have not heeded this either, Mr Kanugala says.

He stated that the Immigration and Emigration officers have met with the subject minister again today (02).

The government and administration of the Department must bear the responsibility for any inconveniences caused to the public owing to the trade union action, he added.