Editorial,The Sunday Observer,09.02.2020
A CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY
Accordingly,the Government of a country that produces its own butter is well within its rights to impose,say,a 25 percent duty rate on imported butter,which will instantly make the imported variety more expensive and the local one more affordable.There was a clamour by opposition politicians,economic experts,professional bodies and many others that the FTA with Singapore should be subjected to a wide debate before signed as the country was in the dark about its contents.But each country is free to re-examine and take relevant steps with the consent of the other.In this context,the Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that a committee appointed by the Government is currently reviewing and re-visiting the context of the Sri Lanka Singapore Free trade Agreement signed by the previous Government.In the light of allegation that the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade agreement was neither considered nor approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and also not disclosed to the public,it is vital that it should be reviewed with a view to amending or anuulling any clauses that may pose danger to our economy.This is the correct thing to do as is a wider public discourse that follows a full disclosure of the FTA contents.The Government has assured that attention will be paid to all these concerns in any decision taken with regard to the MCC.We cannot entirely shun FTAs and agreements such as the MCC in a world that is linked intricately in the mesh of global trade.This whole scenario calls for a more transparent process with regard to all international transactions and agreements undertaken by any Government that is in power.Any prospective agreement with a foreign country must be widely debated in Parliament and outside,with the public given a chance to express their opinion as well.
Accordingly,the Government of a country that produces its own butter is well within its rights to impose,say,a 25 percent duty rate on imported butter,which will instantly make the imported variety more expensive and the local one more affordable.There was a clamour by opposition politicians,economic experts,professional bodies and many others that the FTA with Singapore should be subjected to a wide debate before signed as the country was in the dark about its contents.But each country is free to re-examine and take relevant steps with the consent of the other.In this context,the Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that a committee appointed by the Government is currently reviewing and re-visiting the context of the Sri Lanka Singapore Free trade Agreement signed by the previous Government.In the light of allegation that the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade agreement was neither considered nor approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and also not disclosed to the public,it is vital that it should be reviewed with a view to amending or anuulling any clauses that may pose danger to our economy.This is the correct thing to do as is a wider public discourse that follows a full disclosure of the FTA contents.The Government has assured that attention will be paid to all these concerns in any decision taken with regard to the MCC.We cannot entirely shun FTAs and agreements such as the MCC in a world that is linked intricately in the mesh of global trade.This whole scenario calls for a more transparent process with regard to all international transactions and agreements undertaken by any Government that is in power.Any prospective agreement with a foreign country must be widely debated in Parliament and outside,with the public given a chance to express their opinion as well.
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