Professionals say govt. rushed into Singapore FTA
The top professional bodies representing engineers, architects, town planners and quantity surveyors and other related professions this week charged that the government has rushed into signing the Sri Lanka-singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) without having proper legal frameworks in place to ensure job security of local professionals and the possible entry of under-qualified overseas professionals.
Addressing a press conference at Sri Lanka Institute of Architect’s auditorium, the Institute of Engineers of Sri Lanka (IESL) President Dr.niranjanie Ratnayke said the professionals submitted a 42-page report to the government before signing of the SLSFTA, providing specifics of the legal frameworks, which were needed prior to the opening of the services sector.
She also said the report contained details on sectors where there’s a shortage of professionals, but charged that the government did not take the suggestions in it into consideration.
Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) President D.H. Wijewardane said an assurance was given by the Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama in writing in July 2016 that the legal frameworks would be in place prior to signing any FTA.
“However, actions were extremely slow while negotiations on FTAS proceeded independently. Also the establishment of a human resource authority to figure out human resources requirement, which is a prime requirement, did not see the light of the day,” he said.
He pointed out that the few measures taken by the government to formulate a trade policy, streamline the immigration laws, strengthen professional institutes etc. have been very slow and they are all at the initial stages.
IESL Vice President Arjuna Manamperi pointed out that the service sector liberalisation is not black and white concerning the liberalisation of goods with a positive and negative list.