Civil society body kicks off public consultation on national policy on global trade

The Professionals’ National Front, a civil society organisation, has launched a new initiative to obtain public opinion on formulating a national policy on international trade for Sri Lanka.

The front, having recognised the need for policy at a time when there are a number of bilateral trade agreements being negotiated by the Government, has appointed a people’s commission to seek public opinion on the matter. 

The team, led by former Vice Chancellor of Colombo University W.D. Lakshman, has seven members - former Attorney General Palitha Fernando, Dr. Anula Wijesundara, former Director General of Commerce Department P. D. Fernando, former Director General of Inland Revenue R. P. L. Weerasinghe, and former Chairman of Industrial Development Board Dr. Bandula Perera - while the former Director General of the Pensions Department K.A. Thilakaratne has been appointed as the Secretary to the commission. 

The committee will be sitting to hear oral submissions every Thursday for six weeks from 6 April to 25 May at the Professional Centre No. 275/75, Professor Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha, Colombo 7. The committee will not sit on the public holiday falling on 13 April. On 6 April the consultations will begin at 1.00 p.m. while on all other sittings it will be from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.