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Lanka anti-monopoly provisions scattered among 37-laws: Japan study

Published

3 years ago

2024/02/18

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka does not have a comprehensive regime to stop ant-competitive behaviour but there are provisions to promote competition scattered among 37 pieces of legislation, according to an assessment by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Harsha Fernando, President’s Counsel, had presented some of the findings at a recent forum had said Sri Lanka does not have a comprehensive competition law regime.

There were both legal and regulatory provisions for promotion of competition and prevention of anti-competitive practices in as many as 37 enactments, with the purview and enforcement responsibilities distributed among both regulatory agencies as well as service providers.

A high level delegation from the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) joined the seminar to share their insight on the background and key aspects of the competition laws the agency’s role in securing a transparent and competitive business climate in Japan.

Deputy Secretary General Tanaka Kumiko, Deputy Director Sakuma Yukiko and Chief Investigator Matsuo Akiko, explained the practices from Japan.

Japan had broken up the ‘zaibatsu’, giant corporate groups, after World War II, and opened opportunities for new entrants to the market and promoted competition.

The Anti-Monopoly Act of Japan introduced a comprehensive legal framework to prevent anti-competitive actions and promote competition.

The JFTC is the law enforcement authority on the provisions of the Anti-Monopoly Act, and also conducts advocacy activities to enhance public awareness and support towards measures fostering competition.

JICA said in expects that the findings of the assessment, coupled with the lessons from Japan would provide a strong foundation for the Sri Lankan stakeholders in determining the policy direction for Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile critics have said in Sri Lanka government itself has imposed high import duties, feeding corporate greed and monopolies of ‘domestic producers’ allowing them to exploit poor consumers with higher than world prices.

Due to high import duties and so-called para-tariffs Sri Lanka is no longer an ‘open economy’ it once was economists are now saying.

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Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis

Published

8 hours ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

There are 17 nursing schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media including the postgraduate primary nursing school.

There are 142 vacancies in the posts of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) as on 31.03.2026 in those schools while 24 officers are to be promoted to the special grade on 31.12.2025 owing to the vacancies existing in the post of Special
Grade Nursing Officer (Education). Therefore, the number of vacancies is to be 166.

In addition, there are 24 vacancies in the post of Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).

Although at present action has been taken to upgrade the nursing schools to nursing colleges and upgrade the nursing diploma course to nursing degree course, no action has been taken so far to carry out recruitment for the training relevant to the appointment for the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to recruit retired nursing instructors and nursing instructors who served in the nursing schools belonging to the three armed forces and are retired or have resigned legitimately from service to the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) on contract basis.

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Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka

Published

8 hours ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

It has been decided to establish a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility in Sri Lanka by entering into a Host Country Agreement at the second leaders’ summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) held in New Delhi, India, in 2008, with the objective of enhancing regional cooperation.

The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by the member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC summit on 30-03-2022 in Colombo.
The prime objective of this technology transfer facility is to provide technology, capacity building, and management of intellectual property for the micro, small, and medium-scale
enterprises of the BIMSTEC member countries.

According to the cooperation agreement, an agreement should be entered into between Sri Lanka, as the host country, and BIMSTEC Secretariat for formalizing the legal status, privileges, and immunities of the technology transfer facility.

The drafted agreement has received the relevant institutional approval and legal clearance.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign the proposed agreement.

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The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea

Published

9 hours ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 11-12-2023 to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka regarding mutual cooperation
in criminal matters.

However, according to the aforementioned approval, the relevant agreement could not be signed between both parties.

Through this agreement, opportunities will be provided
for mutual assistance to other countries in handing over judicial documents and collecting evidence for the use of criminal case matters.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution provided by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate in criminal matters.