The missing pages of the Sri Lanka - Singapore FTA

COLOMBO (News 1^st) - Professionals claim that the recently signed Singapore - Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement has not been made public in its entirety. According to the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, the Sri Lanka - Singapore free trade agreement consists of 1500 pages, however, professionals claim that only 1082 has been released to the public. A question arises whether the remaining 418 pages were concealed deliberately. An activist on International Trade Agreements, Nalaka Jayaweera speaking to the media stated that even though he was told and was charged for 1500 pages, the report only consisted of 1082 pages. He added that it was given to him as if the other 418 pages were not relevant and if you take a proper look at the agreement article 17/13 clearly states the agreement includes annexes, appendix, side letters, and protocols, but, none of those documents were provided. In addition, there is no cover for the 1082 pages, said Nalaka Jayaweera adding that this has become a merger of documents. He said it is clearly an attempt made to mislead the Cabinet, Parliament and the Public by concealing certain sections of this. There are allegations that when the agreement was signed, the Cabinet of Ministers too were misled. Isn't concealing a certain number of pages from the agreement, concealing information from the Public?