Export fraternity says plea for new era has fallen on deaf ears

• Notes country seems to be in political limbo with a wait-and-see mindset
• Cautions that looming trade war between the US and China will not help SL exporters struggling to be competitive in global marketplace
• Says success of NES will depend entirely on political will, calls on President or PM to personally oversee implementation process
• Insists on transparency, accountability and implementation from current and future governments and policymakers
• EASL to share its latest document with all parties concerned about development of exports

By Charumini de Silva

Exporters last week said that their plea to usher in a new era had failed to move the Government into action, as the country seems to be stuck in political limbo with a wait-and-see mindset.

“Time and again the Exporters Association of Sri Lanka (EASL) has stressed the importance and need for a strong and positive political will and vision to drive the exports sector of our country to reach its full potential. But sadly it seems that our pleas have been in vain,” EASL President Harin Fernando said while addressing the association’s 21st Annual General Meeting last Friday.

Fernando said the export fraternity’s expectation of working with a government which was focused on bringing about good governance and ushering in a new era for the country’s exports had not panned out as they had hoped.

With the looming trade war between the US and China, he also cautioned that it would not help Sri Lankan exports which are struggling to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

Noting that the EASL had always been vocal in requesting incumbent governments to include the association in its endeavors to shape export policy through public-private partnership, he commended the opportunity given during the formulation of the National Export Strategy (NES), which will be launched this Thursday (19) under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

However, Fernando noted that the success of the strategy would depend entirely on the political will and ability of the incumbent government to drive the NES.

“It is absolutely imperative that either the President or the Prime Minister personally oversees the implementation process of the recommended policies in the NES. The private sector cannot be called on to drive this on behalf of the Government,” he added.

Highlighting that over the past two years the EASL has come up with two documents under the recommendations of the NES, he said that this year too they had prepared another document which the association hoped to share with all political and interested parties concerned about the development of exports.

According to him, all three documents highlight the most critical issues challenging the export fraternity that need to be addressed at the highest levels of government. However, in the third document, the EASL focuses on five main aspects such as driving NES, improving the investment climate for exports, addressing constraints for market access and promotion, proactive engagement in trade liberalisation and fostering innovation to drive exports.

“I will like to go on record and state that transparency, accountability and implementation are what EASL is requesting from the current and future government and policymakers,” he urged.

He said these expectations were paramount in ensuring that initiatives such as the National Single Window (NSW), Trade Information Portal (TIP) and revision of the Customs Ordinance will bring the desired benefits to the export industry of Sri Lanka.