Dr. Sarath Obeysekera Investor & Project Promoter

Open Letter to Ministry of Investment Promotion, Chairman – UDA, Director General – BOI, President’s office Director of office of digitisation 

Dear Sir / Madam,

Sri Lanka urgently needs to exert far greater pressure on the digitisation and streamlining of statutory approvals for investment projects, particularly those involving skills development and vocational training.

I write this with deep frustration and disappointment, based on my personal experience over the past year in attempting to obtain approvals to establish a welding training institute in Galle.

The Urban Development Authority (UDA) office in Galle has required us to obtain concurrences from multiple agencies including the NBRO, Municipal Council, Fire Services Department, Central Environmental Authority, Coast Conservation Department, and the Road Development Authority. These approvals are not processed in parallel, nor coordinated by a single authority.

As a result, when one institution delays its response, approvals obtained earlier from other agencies expire. We are then compelled to reapply, repay fees, and obtain new approval letters—sometimes for the second or third time—for the same project and the same scope of work.

Even after full compliance, new requirements are introduced at the last moment. For example, although our training institute already includes three toilets and shower facilities, the UDA demanded additional sanitary facilities at a very late stage, causing further delay and redesign. Such moving goalposts severely undermine investor confidence.

I have been an investor and project promoter for over 20 years and have faced similar issues repeatedly. Despite successive governments speaking of ease of doing business” and investment-friendly reforms,” the reality on the ground remains unchanged. The absence of digitisation, fixed timelines, accountability, and inter-agency coordination has made statutory approvals one of the biggest deterrents to genuine investment.

It is high time the Government of Sri Lanka implements:

• A fully digitised, single-window approval system
• Parallel processing of statutory clearances
• Clearly defined timelines with deemed approvals where delays occur
• Validity extensions when delays are caused by government agencies
• Standardised requirements that cannot be altered arbitrarily at late stages

If Sri Lanka is serious about attracting and retaining investors—especially in critical areas such as vocational training, youth employment, and industrial skills—this system must be urgently reformed.

At present, many genuine local investors are not encouraged but exhausted, dismayed, and discouraged.

I trust this concern will be given the serious attention it deserves.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Sarath Obeysekera

Investor & Project Promoter