Eighteen member Deregulation Commission to simplify existing laws

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a 18-member Deregulation Commission for the simplification of the existing Laws and Regulations in the interest of the people.

The Commission is co-chaired by former Secretary to the President and Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga and John Keells Group Chairman Krishan Balendra.

Other members of the Commission are S.D.A.B. Boralessa – Secretary, State Ministry of Land Management, State Enterprises Land and Property Development, M.M.C. Ferdinando – Retired Ministry Secretary, Power sector, Suresh de Mel – Chairman, Export Development Board, C. Weligamage – Director General, Department of Public Finance, Chandana Kumarasinghe – Director General of Establishments, Ministry of Public Services,

Provincial Councils and Local Government, Dr. Harsha Cabral – Company Law expert, Dr. Nihal Jayawardana PC, Thishan Subashinghe – Chartered Accountant, Ranjith Gunathilake – Chief Executive Officer, Sanken Constructions, Renuka Weerakoon – Executive Director- BOI, Gerard Ondaatjie – Director, Mercantile Investments and Finance PLC, Arjun Fernando – Non-Executive Director, Nations Trust Bank, S.P. Liyanarachchi- SME Construction Sector, Anslem Perera – Managing Director, Mlesna Tea, Nissanka Wijeratna – Secretary General/ Chief Executive Officer, Chamber of Construction Industry and Chandra Wickremasinghe , Chairman/Director General,Theme Resorts and Spas. The tasks of the Commission are; Review all laws, regulations and circular instructions pertaining to Government finance, revenue laws and circular instructions, licencing and permit arrangements, investments, approvals and building permits and how those regulations and circular instructions have evolved and circumstances influencing such regulations.

Assess as to whether the issuance of regulations and circular instructions has resulted in over regulation and deviated from the scope and objectives of original legislations.

Assess the relevance of them in the context of global standards and applicability of them in the Sri Lankan context to identify new rooms to adopt to make the most effective modern regulatory systems.

Assess the cost of enforcement to the state, compliance cost to the people and potentials for corruption and irregular practices associated with complex and over regulatory systems. Identify areas where simplifications and rationalization could be made to existing regulations and circular instructions and issue directions to do away, modify if required and simplify all such regulations.

Study if repetition occurs due to issuing various approvals, permits and licences at the national level, Provincial Councils and local authorities and take necessary measures to amend such processes appropriately.

The Commission is given 90 days to fulfill this task and issue instructions to relevant agencies as required.

(Source: Daily News)