Finance Ministry to hold ‘Ease of Doing Business’ forum on 14 May

The Ministry of Finance is initiating a series of meetings between Government institutions and the private sector to facilitate business under the theme ‘Ease of Doing Business’. The inaugural meeting will be held on Thursday 14 May at the ministry auditorium from 2.00 p.m. onwards.

The objective of these meetings is to identify and address the procedural and regulatory issues in doing business. It will provide the private sector with a platform to interact with relevant government institutions and seek responses to their queries.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, along with Highways and Investment Promotion Minister Kabir Hashim, Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage Minister Rauf Hakeem, Minister Tourism Navin Dissanayake and Land Minister M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardane, will take the lead at the inaugural session. Secretary to the Treasury Dr. R H S Samarathunge, Secretary to Ministry of Policy Planning, Economic Affairs, Child, Youth and Cultural Affairs Prof. K. Liyanage and other ministry secretaries will also join the forum. Advisor to the Ministry of Policy Planning, Economic Affairs, Child, Youth and Cultural Affairs R. Paskaralingam too will lend his expertise in facilitating this exercise.

Business Chambers have been invited to participate in this inaugural session and the Ministry of Finance is coordinating with these Chambers in order to get the queries beforehand and forward them to the relevant Government officials. Officials from over 20 Government institutions will be in attendance to help the private sector in getting their queries resolved.

The meetings will be instigated on a monthly basis at the beginning and move to a more regular schedule once proper mechanisms are established.