The Organization for Professional Associations(OPA) stated that they would look to push for legal and regulatory reform that would help Sri Lanka realise its economic potential. The OPA has begun internal organization structures to discuss broader policy issues in the country.
OPA President-Elect Dulitha Perera said, “The story we are unveiling through our conference theme and logo is the collectivism of our associations to help unlock the potential of our country and the society that we are living in.”
Perera was speaking at the Shangri La Hotel on October 14 at the Annual OPA Conference. Perera strongly suggested that the OPA would be supportive of legal reform that would centralise and bring about collaboration in economic thinking.
Perera said, “It is only through innovative thinking, collaboration, and collective vision that we are able to achieve resurgence in the new order.”
Perera likened the OPA approach to the policy discourse on the economy as being close to a centralized institution. He said, “To be seen with a bird’s eye view and those key subject matters brought to the forefront to deliberate.” Perera highlighted that the current COVID-19 pandemic was causing severe economic strain on emerging economies. As with other institutional structures, Perera said, “We realise the importance of an apex body such as OPA to help Sri Lanka navigate itself.”
Perera said, “Because of the war we have been going through, our laws and regulations are fairly archaic. “Here we would be looking at the key thrust areas in which legal and regulatory reforms for business and regulatory reforms would be required. What measures can be taken to strengthen our legal and regulatory framework taking into account subject areas such as agriculture, investment, and healthcare?”
Perera implicitly endorsed the centralization reforms in the tourism regulatory infrastructure and has invited Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando to share insights on how the leisure sector is going to be restructured. Perera recalled how the economy had been battered by the Easter Sunday attacks and that after that the economy had just begun to show signs of a resurgence before being hit by the COVID-19 crisis. He said, “It is very challenging for everyone to come out of the crisis.”
As the OPA is a voluntary institution he thanked all members for parting with their time in the success of the organization. Perera further individually thanked KPMG for giving him time away from his profession to further the cause of the OPA. During the conference, the OPA will look to discuss how to reform education so that it is more aligned to the requirements of STEM fields. The OPA Conference will also look to discuss the economic situation.
Perera said, “How are we going to overcome the current economic situation? Sustainable economic deliberations that need to be taken into consideration for our country to be revived and for an equitable society.”
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