GMOA dictates President to stop moves on Trade Agreements

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) urged President Maithripala Sirisena to immediately suspend the proceedings, which were scheduled on end of August to compose trade agreements including Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).

GMOA Secretary Dr Haritha Aluthge on Tuesday said Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry’s Secretary had reportedly convened several parties to compose these trade agreements by August 24 in an arbitrary manner.

He said the Ministry’s Secretary did not have any such authority to convene parties to compose trade agreements under the national trade policy.

He added that it was dubious that such a Secretary had sufficient qualifications to take decisions on international and national trade.

“President Sirisena has appointed an Independent Experts Committee on Sri Lanka - Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to conduct a special study, in which the same Secretary was involved. The Ministry Secretary has acted in an arbitrary manner with regard to Sri Lanka–Singapore FTA as well,” he said.

“Accordingly, President Sirisena should take immediate measures to suspend the proceedings on other trade agreements including ETCA, which are scheduled for August 24,” he added. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)