President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed an Independent Experts Committee to study the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and submit a report.
“The President has appointed the Committee after taking into consideration the ideas and views expressed to him by various parties regarding the agreement,” the Presidents Media Unit said in a press release.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Colombo University and Emeritus Professor of Economics Deshamanya W. D. Lakshman, has been appointed as the Chairman of this five member Committee.
Its other members are Sirimevan Colombage, an Emeritus Professor of the Open University, Ajith Tennakoon, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the Kelaniya University, Dr. Santha Jayanetti, Independent Consultant and R.A. Jayatissa former Assistant Governor of the Central Bank.
In addition to studying the Free Trade Agreement, the Committee is tasked with making recommendations regarding the practical impact and use of the proposed officer policy guidelines and recommendations on framing Sri Lanka’s future trade policy.
The scope and subject area of the Committee also includes studying the impact of this agreement on various service providing institutions, social and economic status of Sri Lanka and perples standard of living.
The Committee is experted to submit its final report within two months. The President will check on the progress of the communities’ work intermittently through interim reports.