A call for improved bureaucratic efficiency

I refer to the headline news item in your issue of 8th May captioned “South Korean envoy seeks improved bureaucratic efficiency in trade facilitation”.

Needless to say, Sri Lanka still lags far behind many competing countries in terms of ease of doing business. Although this issue has been discussed for decades, there appears to be little appreciable improvement in reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and duplication of procedures.

A case in point is the procedure required to register a change of address with the Inland Revenue Department. In addition to the formal request letter, several supporting documents are called for, despite the fact that such changes are already verified and registered by the Registrar of Companies.

If proper coordination exists between the Inland Revenue Department and the Registrar of Companies, this entire process could be simplified considerably. In fact, the Company Registration Certificate or the official confirmation issued by the Registrar of Companies after the address change should suffice for Inland Revenue purposes as well.

Such duplication of documentation not only wastes time and resources but also discourages investors and businesses. Improving inter-agency coordination and simplifying procedures are essential if Sri Lanka is serious about improving trade facilitation and the overall business climate.

Upali Weerasinghe