ETCA is not CEPA in all respects, but it should be made public to allay fears
Taking note of the widespread protests which CEPA had run into earlier by a section of the services sector organisations in the country, the new Government, it appears, has presented it in a rebranded form called ETCA after deleting some key contentious provisions. It is this ETCA which has been the target of protests by almost all the professional bodies of the country organised loosely today as the United Professionals’ Movement or UPM
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Taking note of the widespread protests which CEPA had run into earlier by a section of the services sector organisations in the country, the new Government, it appears, has presented it in a rebranded form called ETCA after deleting some key contentious provisions. It is this ETCA which has been the target of protests by almost all the professional bodies of the country organised loosely today as the United Professionals’ Movement or UPM Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Secrecy surrounding ETCA proposal is damaging
In the first part of this series published last week (available at: http://www.ft.lk/article/525181/Sri-Lanka-faces-crucial-tests-ahead-
with-growing-opposition-to-ETCA ), it was pointed out that the secrecy surrounding the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement, now commonly known as ETCA, had left both supporters and opponents in a state of confusion.
As a result, fear has engulfed the local professional bodies of every description that Indian professionals would flood Sri Lanka’s limited job markets. Such a flooding, it has been argued by protesting professionals, would not only displace those currently employed in respective professions but also deny opportunities to those waiting to join them in the future.
In this background, the article also commended that one of the ardent opponents to ETCA, the Government Medical Officers’ Association or GMOA, has developed a rich webpage giving publicity to both critics and supporters of ETCA equally, a good practice which the Government should also consider emulating. Hence, the article concluded that in the name of good economic policy governance to which the present Government is committed, a wide and continuous consultation should be conducted between the Government and ETCA’s main stakeholders.
Tendency to equate ETCA with old CEPA
The critics of ETCA have equated it to the old Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or CEPA that was negotiated with India during 2002-2003 and was to be implemented as from late 2004. However, with the change in government twice, first in 2004 from one party to another and later in 2005 within the same party, CEPA was permanently shelved from the Sri Lanka side, though India was still keen on having it with Sri Lanka.
- See more In the first part of this series published last week (available at: http://www.ft.lk/article/525181/Sri-Lanka-faces-crucial-tests-ahead-
with-growing-opposition-to-ETCA ), it was pointed out that the secrecy surrounding the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement, now commonly known as ETCA, had left both supporters and opponents in a state of confusion. As a result, fear has engulfed the local professional bodies of every description that Indian professionals would flood Sri Lanka’s limited job markets. Such a flooding, it has been argued by protesting professionals, would not only displace those currently employed in respective professions but also deny opportunities to those waiting to join them in the future.
In this background, the article also commended that one of the ardent opponents to ETCA, the Government Medical Officers’ Association or GMOA, has developed a rich webpage giving publicity to both critics and supporters of ETCA equally, a good practice which the Government should also consider emulating. Hence, the article concluded that in the name of good economic policy governance to which the present Government is committed, a wide and continuous consultation should be conducted between the Government and ETCA’s main stakeholders.
Tendency to equate ETCA with old CEPA
The critics of ETCA have equated it to the old Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or CEPA that was negotiated with India during 2002-2003 and was to be implemented as from late 2004. However, with the change in government twice, first in 2004 from one party to another and later in 2005 within the same party, CEPA was permanently shelved from the Sri Lanka side, though India was still keen on having it with Sri Lanka.
