Public awaits Ministry response to CoE report

The Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade is yet to make public its counter submissions and observations on startling revelations made by the 5- member Presidential Committee of Experts (CoE) in its 286- page report released recently on the Sri Lanka Singapore FTA.

A top level ministry official last week confirmed to the Business Times that a team of international trade experts has been scrutinising the observations and recommendations contained in the report with a view of releasing the report this week.

But upto now (Friday 25), no announcement has been made by the ministry although it is a matter of priority and responsibility of the government, several public interest activists in professional associations, public interest groups and stakeholders of international trade said.

Meanwhile a public interest activist Kapila Gamage has filed a complaint at the Human Rights Commission this week against the implementation of Sri Lanka - Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) as it violates human rights.

In his petition, Mr. Gamage has cited six key reasons to prove that the agreement has no legal basis according to findings of the Presidential Committee of Experts which includes five instances of intentional manipulations, 10 irregularities and several other findings of the committee.

He appealed to the commission to declare that SLSFTA has violated his fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 12 (1), 12(2), 14(1b), (d), and (g) of the Constitution of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. (BS)