There is no issue for Parliament with regard to making an inquiry about the visa obstacle which is likely to prevent Government Parliamentarian Rear Admiral (Retd.) Dr. Sarath Weerasekera from participating in an upcoming study programme in the United States (US), but, it is not possible to challenge the decision on the matter, says Parliament Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse.
In a letter dated Monday (25), Dr. Weerasekera had requested Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana to formally inquire from the US Embassy regarding its (the embassy’s) request for the Parliamentary Secretariat to nominate another participant for the said study programme in place of him.
The Daily Morning queried Rajapakse as to whether Parliament could make an intervention on the matter, to which he said that there is no issue in making an inquiry in that regard while admitting that the embassy’s decision could not be challenged. “We cannot make any influence, but, we can inquire about the matter. However, we will have to comply with their decision in the end.”
Dr. Weerasekera had encountered a visa obstacle which may prevent him from participating in a study programme to be held in the US in October 2023. The Parliamentary Secretariat had informed him that the US Embassy had informed the Parliament to nominate an alternative participant for the programme, as the process of obtaining the necessary security clearance reports for him would be a lengthy process.
He had then sent a letter to Speaker Abeywardana, seeking official confirmation of the US Embassy’s request to recommend an alternative participant for the programme. In the letter, he had said that sponsors do not have the authority to treat nominees differently unless there were concerns related to national security. He had further said that during his tenure in the Navy, he had attended various courses in the US, and was in possession of B1 (Temporary Business Visitor) and B2 (Temporary Tourism Visitor) US visas valid for five years.(TheMorning)
