PARLIAMENT

• Recommendations from the Special Committee to register all businesses in Sri Lanka under a QR code
• Proposals to issue guidelines to government officials to make public service efficient

Member of Parliament Hon. Madhura Vithanage, said that the government does not get any income from several large-scale businesses conducted online in Sri Lanka and therefore a system for registering all online businesses in Sri Lanka through one system should be formed expeditiously.

Member of Parliament Hon. Madhura Vithanage mentioned this when the Select Committee of Parliament to study the practical problems and difficulties that have arisen in relation to enhancing the rank in the Ease of Doing Business Index in Sri Lanka and make its proposals met in the Parliament recently under his chairmanship.

The problems that have arisen in the process of business registration and the efficiency of the process were discussed here.

The chairman mentioned that more effective service can be obtained by creating an entrepreneurial mindset in government employees. The importance of regular and fair placement of government employees throughout the island was also discussed.

The chairman also pointed out that due to some weaknesses in the system in the divisional secretariat system, issues have arisen regarding the efficiency of the services provided.

The officials who were present mentioned that it is essential that the officials of the government institutions should work in the same way to cover all the nine provinces of the country.

The officials were of the opinion that it is essential to provide guidelines for those institutions and that by making the government mechanism efficient, they can provide high quality and friendly service to the people.

Also, the officials pointed out that if the respective ministries are included as a schedule in the constitution itself, it will be possible to make long-term, unchanging decisions. Also, the importance of recruiting multi-tasking government officials for public service was also discussed.

The chairman of the committee said that an efficient system should be introduced to complete the business registration process within an hour. Accordingly, the committee recommended that all businesses in Sri Lanka be registered under a QR code.

The chairman asked the officers whether there are measures to be taken against government officials who act unfairly in the public administration process. The authorities replied and stated that it can be dealt with under the Anti-Corruption or Bribery Act or through the disciplinary measures of the Establishment Code.

State Minister, Hon. Arvind Kumar, Members of Parliament, Hon. Mohammed Mussammil, Hon. Sanjeewa Edirimanna, Hon. Kokila Gunawardena, and a group of officials representing the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs and the Department of Registrar of Companies also participated in this meeting.