|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Friday, 17 September 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Business | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Move to avoid unnecessary delays : Project Secretariat mooted to expedite work of automated cargo system by Ramani Kangaraarachchi The reconstituted Advisory Council of the Automated Cargo Clearing System (SLAACS) has proposed to the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Jeyaraj Fernandopulle to set up a Project Secretariat in the ministry to facilitate and expedite the longstanding work of the automated cargo system. Chairman Advisory Council and Director Customs P.D.K. Fernando said that all 14 members in the Council are working in different places and are doing a voluntary job in the Council, therefore when they go to their main workplaces they are compelled to give priority to those. As a result work of the Advisory Council gets delayed. But if there is a Project Secretariat the staff there can proceed with the decisions taken at the Council avoiding unnecessary delays, he said. The Council has also proposed to the minister to include more members to the Council from the Inland Revenue Department, Ministries of Science and Technology and Finance as their role is also vital in this process. The Council appointed four sub-committees to attend to technical, legal, public awareness and training matters and to co-ordinate with other statutory bodies at the first meeting held last week. When questioned about the problems faced by the Technical Committee in implementing the system the Chairman Technical Committee Upul Jinadasa said that there are lapses on the part of all stakeholders involved in this project where the majority is within the Customs. He said that certain inter-related statutory bodies are not competent on new technology and that has become a major problem. However, the committee is looking into interfaces and is trying to standardise the process with the relevant statutory bodies. For example, how to submit applications electronically to the public, how they can submit the filled application and how to deliver the services. Meanwhile, the legal committee has submitted a draft for the electronic transaction law which enables the authorities to legalise the electronic process in the cargo system, Fernando said. The minister has agreed to meet the Council once in two months to review the progress. The Council is due to meet again today. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
