Border Control System Issue:
150m Dollars cannot be spent on something that can be done free of charge- Shahid

Controller of Immigration and Emigration, State Minister Abdullah Shahid has said that the Department of Immigration and Emigration will not spend 150 million US Dollars to install the Border Control System when it could be done free of charge.

Speaking to Miadhu Daily, State Minister Abdullah Shahid said that it is not acceptable in these times to install and develop a border control system while the cost of it is paid in instalments over a long period of time.

“United States expressed their interests in 2009 to install a border control system in Maldives. Recently the paperwork was exchanged. If this succeeds then the system will be installed free of charge. The only expense will be on the changes brought to the software. And it will be relatively low,” the State Minister said.

Shahid also said that similar discussions were made with India. He said that if the government were to install the system with no outside aid, then it will only cost the government 4 million US Dollars.

“The maximum cost will be 4 million US Dollars. This is not a problem. Then we have to consider the cost of maintenance. For example if it is 1 Lakh Dollars then it is fine. Last year 850000 tourists visited Maldives. This year it is expected that about 1 million tourists will visit Maldives. The maintenance of the system can be settled from the 2 million dollars from the tourists. This can be done without touching a single Ruffiya from the state budget,” he said.

Shahid said that the budget allocated for the Department of Immigration and Emigration for this year is about 1.6 million dollars. He said that if the department gets 2 more million dollars then the immigration can be run more efficiently and capably.

Shahid said that to install and develop Sri Lanka’s border system costs US$2.2 million. He said that it is not plausible that the government should spend US$529 million over 20 to 30 years when it can be done at a low expense.