|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 10 August 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Business | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
NCED to help speed up UPFA economic policy by Shirajiv Sirimane The government has appointed members to the National Council for Economic Development (NCED) which is one of the initial steps taken with regard to the implementation of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) economic policy. According to committee member of the NCED Mackey Hashim this is the right step taken by the government and it has to be highly commended. "Many people have praised the UPFA's economic policy. However they ask as to how the government was going to implement this. The answer is the NCED," he said. The Council which was set up last week under the co Chairmanship of Lal De Mel will deal with issues relating to trade and tariffs. It would study the present duty structure and suggest ways and means to make them more industrial-friendly. NCED would also focus on anti dumping which is a serious threat to local industrialists. The Council would also study bilateral agreements and how they could be made more productive.Another key area would be the small and medium sector development and how to develop the rural economy. "This is a very important area as this sector had been overlooked for a long period," he said. He said that they would also assist to check anomalies of the forthcoming budget. The Council had already been briefed on the terms of References of the NCED by the Secretary to the Treasurer Dr. P. B. Jayasundera. Hashim who is the President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also a member of the former Tariff Advisory Council. The recent practice of relying on committee systems to formulate and implement policies has reduced the efficiency of the government due to lack of ownership and involvement by the relevant implementing agencies. There is also no effective co-ordinating body to ensure speedy implementation. NCED a permanent secretariat will be managed by a team of well qualified professionals drawn from the public and private sectors to improve policy formulation and implementation in a well co-ordinated framework. Line ministries and agencies will be empowered to perform their day-to-day activities efficiently and respond to the needs of the people in a timely manner. The NCED will be responsible for the formulation of national policies involving all stakeholders and monitoring and implementation of such policies through the relevant line ministries and agencies. The NCED is organised in terms of key economic and social sectors to ensure better co-ordination in policy formulation and implementation. It will also coordinate donor activities and provide a forum for the private sector to take up their concerns and any unresolved issues and promote private-public partnerships in policy formulation and provide a conduit for the private sector and other stakeholders for a regular dialogue with the government. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
