[Cabinet Decisions] 18.10.2014

The following are the decisions taken by the Cabinet at its meeting on 16.10.2014

Sharing of Information among Financial Sector Regulators - The Inter Regulatory Institutions Council has been established with the view to identify issues that require collective action by financial sector regulators to promote financial system stability and development of the financial sector. Financial institutions include licensed banks, licensed finance companies and leasing companies, money brokers, primary dealers, insurance companies, insurance brokers, insurance agents, loss adjusters, institutional agents, stock exchanges and stock brokers/dealers. The proposal made by the President in his capacity as Finance and Planning Minister to enact legislation for the purpose through an Act of Parliament and to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation for the purpose was approved by the Cabinet.

MoU on setting up Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) - The Chinese President has proposed to establish the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure regional co-operation for sustainable economic and social development in Asia, as well as to strengthen regional resilience against potential financial crises. Sri Lanka has been officially invited to join the said bank as a founder member. Sri Lanka is a founder member of two of the largest multilateral development financing institutions i.e. World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Establishment of the AIIB will help to mobilize much needed additional resources from inside and outside Asia, remove financing bottlenecks faced by individual economies in Asia and complement existing multilateral development banks to promote sustained and stable growth in Asia. 22 countries across the region have indicated their willingness to join the said bank as founder members. The proposal made by the President in his capacity as Finance and Planning Minister to proceed with the related activities pertaining to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the AIIB was approved by the Cabinet.

National Immunization Policy of Sri Lanka - The main objective of the immunization policy is to have a country free of vaccine preventable diseases of public health importance, by ensuring the use of safe and quality vaccines relevant to health care needs of the people in a sustainable and equitable manner.

The Health Ministry has developed this immunization policy in close collaboration with all stakeholders including relevant professional bodies and government institutions. The above policy document submitted by Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena was approved by the Cabinet.

International Conference on 'Community Water Service' - The third International Conference on 'Community Water Service' was held from August 22 to 24 in Kandy. The theme at the conference was 'Water, Community Development and Prosperity'. About 750 participants which included local representatives from 475 Community Based Water Organizations attended this conference.

The 'Senkadagala Declaration, Sri Lanka' was announced at this conference. The Conference was organized by the Water Supply and Drainage Ministry together with the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, National Community Water Trust and Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum and supported by UNICEF and International Water Management Institute. The above information was provided to the Cabinet by Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Promoting garments and related industries in Welioya and Musali Divisional Secretaries' Divisions - A survey conducted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel and the Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters in collaboration with the Welioya Divisional Secretariat revealed that there are more than 2,500 workers in the areas bordering Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee Districts who are interested in working in garment industries and around 500 of them have already acquired necessary skills by working at garment industries in other areas. It has been observed that construction of garment factories in these areas will uplift the living standards of the people who were resettled in the said areas by the government after the conflict situation which prevailed some time back. The proposal made by Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen to establish five projects to promote garments and related industries in the Welioya Divisional Secretary's Division in an extent of 50 acres of land belonging to the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority and another five projects in the Musali Divisional Secretary's Division in an extent of 25 acres of state land situated in Kallaru village in the Kondachchi Grama Niladhari Division and to proceed with the related activities was approved by the Cabinet.

MoU between Ceylon Electricity Board and China Machinery Engineering Corporation to provide technical co-operation for the stable and efficient functioning of the Norochcholai Coal Power Project of 3x300 MW - The proposal made by Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, to proceed with activities pertaining to signing of the above Memorandum of Understanding between the two Institutes was approved by the Cabinet.

Standard Operating Procedures for identification and protection of trafficking victims - The National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force chaired by the Justice Ministry Secretary has developed a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the identification and protection of trafficking victims. The objective of the SOP is to enhance the effectiveness of Sri Lanka's anti-human trafficking efforts. The SOP is a national strategy developed in conformity with international conventions to sensitize government stakeholders on their roles and responsibilities in protecting victims and ensuring successful conviction of offenders with the view to protecting human rights of victims. The SOP prepared for the identification of protection of trafficking victims submitted by Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem was approved by the Cabinet.

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[Cabinet Decisions] 18.10.2014