FTA with S’pore legal Ministry says

Refuting allegations levelled on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore for not following proper procedures among others, a highly placed International Trade Ministry official said the FTA was approved by the Cabinet and was cleared by the Attorney General’s Department.

According to legal sources, Cabinet approval was sufficient prior to signing the FTA. However, the advice required that Sri Lanka should have completed domestic legal requirements which included the passing of the Anti-dumping and Countervailing Act. Passing this Bill ensured that certain fortifications were laid before going into the FTA, and this has been a reason for the delay in signing the FTA, the official explained.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has also assured that through the latest FTA, individuals from India, Malaysia or any other country will not be able to gain employment in Sri Lanka. 

According to the Ministry, only citizens of Singapore will be able to be a service provider in Sri Lanka, barring those from other countries. Even a Singapore national will only be able to do so for five years the Ministry clarified. 

Some excerpts from : Sunday Observer