Govt. to consider professionals’ issues on SLSFTA

By Charumini de Silva

Considering the recent concerns raised by top professional bodies regarding the newest free trade agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and Singapore, the Government is now making arrangements to work through their issues during an implementation review meeting in the near future.

President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama have agreed to give due consideration to the issues raised by several professional associations.

“The comments made by several professional bodies on a constructive manner will soon be reviewed by the Government,” Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry Secretary Chandani Wijewardana told the Daily FT.

A cluster of seven professional organisations, including the Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA), Institution of Incorporated Engineers Sri Lanka (IIESL), Institute of Quantity Surveyors Sri Lanka (IQSSL), Institute of Town Planners Sri Lanka (ITPSL), Institute of Landscape Architects and Institution of Surveys (ILAIS) called on the Government to present the recently signed SLSFTA to Parliament and step up engagement with professionals on other trade deals to be signed in the future.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) called on President Sirisena to stop the ratification of the SLSFTA and demanded a National Trade Policy be established.

The professional associations faulted the Government for fast-tracking the SLSFTA when concerns were raised over many issues, including visa access for workers, accreditation of qualifications and identification of professional shortages in the Sri Lankan economy, which had remained unaddressed.

According to Wijewardana, most of these allegations from these professional bodies are on the same issue with different interpretations. Therefore the Ministry is planning to get help from the Attorney General’s Department as the associations submit their concerns in written form.  

The Daily FT learned that President Sirisena had given instructions to the GMOA to submit a report listing out their main concerns to National Economic Council (NEC) Chairman Prof. Lalith Samarakoon. These will then be taken up by the relevant ministry. With regards to the issues raised by other professional bodies, particularly IESL and the SLIA, Minister Samarawickrama and the Prime Minister had directed them to submit their written concerns.

Among the requests by the professionals had been an appeal to tighten visa regulations for workers and implement a system similar to other countries, where qualifications for professionals would be vetted by Sri Lankan organisations before they were allowed to obtain a work visa.

They pointed out that an inspection of the Singapore FTA, which was published by the Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry in April, showed the difference between the strongly structured Singapore side and the less elaborate stipulations of Sri Lanka.

She stressed that although the FTA had already been signed, within a year’s time from its signing there was an opportunity to take up the strong concerns of the two countries at an implementation review meeting, which needed to be agreed upon by Sri Lanka as well as Singapore.