Browsing by Author "Rajapakse, Amrit"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Effective States and Engaged Societies: The Case of Sri Lanka
    (World Bank, 2005-07) Knight-John, Malathy; Rajapakse, Amrit
    This report is part of an international study by the World Bank titled, “Effective States and Engaged Societies: Capacity Development for Growth, Service Delivery, Empowerment, and Security in Africa.” The objective of the Sri Lanka case study is to examine three areas pertinent to overall capacity of the State – capacity of the public sector, capacity of the private sector and other key stakeholders such as “civil society”, and the role of the country’s international development partners, so as to complement the wider study of the twelve African States.
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    Gaining Competitive Advantage through the Protection of Geographical Indications: An analysis of the Tea, Sapphires and Cinnamon Industries of Sri Lanka
    (2013-09-06) Yatawara, Ravindra; Rajapakse, Amrit
    Geographical indications (GIs) are a category of intellectual property protected under the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 1994 Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), alongside other categories of intellectual property such as copyrights, trademarks and patents. This study evaluates the costs and benefits of pursuing protection of Sri Lankan GIs, in Sri Lanka and abroad, with particular reference to the tea, sapphires and cinnamon industries. It presents the economic benefits of protecting GIs. Study also shows how they are protected multilaterally along with their national implementation in Sri Lanka. Further it discusses the costs involved in GI protection and provides sector-wise analyses of the appropriateness of GI protection for the tea, sapphires and cinnamon industries, respectively. Finally it provides a way forward strategy on GI protection.
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    Promoting trade and pro-poor growth through
    (2007) Rajapakse, Amrit
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    Regulation of biotechnology goods and issues for developing countries before the multilateral trading system
    (2006) Rajapakse, Amrit
    Modern biotechnology has the potential to provide a major impectus to global food security and trade. Therefore, this field is of special concern and interest to developing countries. On the other hand, much of its implications remain unknown, especially the possible human and animal health impacts as well as the impacts on receiving environments. The concern is heightened in developing countries. Which are custodians of rich biodiversity. Further, international rules governing states' freedom to regulate biotechnology products in their territories are fraught with uncertainty, due to the lack of clarity regarding the applicable multilateral trading system (MTS) rules,and their relationship with the multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) dealing with biosafety. This paper sets out to provide a legal analysis of the prevailing uncertainty in the international rules and then taking the case of Sr Lanka submits that the prevailing impasse works particularly against developing countries. It concludes by highlighting some courses of action developing countries may take both at the national and international level to safeguard their biodiversity heritage.
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    Study on the Impact of the Economic Service Charge on Authorized Distributors
    (2013-09-06) Rajapakse, Amrit; Knight-John, Malathy
    This Study was commissioned by the All Island Authorized Distributors Chamber of Commerce, having as its general objective to perform an independent study of the impact of the Economic Service Charge (ESC) on authorized distributors, as presently imposed in terms of the Economic Service Charge Act, No. 13 of 2006. The study takes a preliminary view of the actual and potential costs and benefits for the different stakeholders – the Government, distributors, principals and consumers – resulting from the present basis of assessing Economic Service Charge (ESC) on authorised distributors. It reveals that there are several important actual and potential costs for all of the stakeholders. The study then considers the available regulatory alternatives to achieve the objective of the ESC, and evaluates them against the internationally accepted principles of good regulation – efficiency, effectiveness and equity.