Lankan professionals initiate public hearing on national trade policies
View(s):The Professionals’ National Front, a new, high-powered group of academics, intellectuals and civil society activities, last week begun in Colombo what it terms as ‘public hearings’ into Sri Lanka’s proposed National Trade Policy.
The group comprises representatives of many organisations which have expressed dismay over proposed trade pacts that allows an ‘unrestricted’ flow of foreign labour. It has invited submissions from the public.
In a public announcement, the group said the “People’s Commission inquiring into key elements of the National Trade Policy” was holding public sittings from April 6 onwards for Sri Lankans to make submissions on, (a) Ensuring competitiveness of local entrepreneurs (April 6); (b) Securing of local professional and tech careers (April 20); (c) Accommodating national interest when entering into international trade agreements (April 27); (d) Responsibility and accountability for trade agreements and analysis of their impact (May 5); (e) Sri Lanka’s commitments and undertakings for the World Trade Organisation (May 18); and (f) Evaluation of social, cultural and sustainable development impacts of trade agreements (May 25). The sittings are being held at the Organization of Professional Association (OPA) auditorium at Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, Colombo 7. The commission is headed by Prof. W.D. Lakshman, a renowned economist and former Vice Chanceller of the University of Colombo while K. Thilakaratna is the commission secretary.
The organisations involved in the front are the OPA, Government Medical Officers Association, Inland Revenue Trade Unions Joint Committee, Society of IT Professionals, Progressive Bank Employees Front, Government Ayurveda Medical Officers Association, Telecommunication Engineers Union, Public Service United Nurses Union, Government Dental Surgeons Association, Customs Officers Union, CPC Engineers Union, National University Teachers Association and the Railway Professionals Trade Unions’ Alliance.