Finalisation of Public-Private Partnership Guidelines

The Department of Public Finance of Ministry of Finance conducted the final stakeholder consultation workshop yesterday to discuss the finalisation of the draft Public-Private Partnership Guidelines after receiving comments from various Government institutes. 

The workshop was conducted with the assistance of USAID Short-Term Assistance to Improve Public Financial Management Reform (STAIR) Project. The objective of the discussion was to review the comments received on the fourth draft PPP Guidelines before finalisation. Given the Government’s limited capacity to borrow money, Public-Private Partnerships is the only way forward to achieve development goals; however, the Government has not issued any guidelines for PPPs since 1998.

Addressing the gathering, Department of Public Finance Director General P. Algama mentioned that the revised PPP Guidelines clearly outline the PPP project management cycle and the procedures and roles of institutions included for each phase of the PPP project management cycle. The guideline will serve as the basis for new PPP legislation that will be drafted by the Government.

USAID STAIR Project PPP Consultant David Baxter drawing on his 25 years of experience in international infrastructure development discussed the final comments with key Government stakeholders. USAID STAIR Project Chief of Party Thomas Burola facilitated the workshop.

During the session participants were given the opportunity to submit verbal and written comments on the content of the fourth draft. The draft will be finalised before the end of the year and will be submitted to Ministry of Finance.

This final draft is the 4th draft of the PPP Guidelines that has been collaboratively developed between USAID and stakeholders from the Government during 2016/17. The document has also been shared with the World Bank and other development partners for input and comments on the PPP best practices proposed in the document. The 4th draft of the PPP Guidelines represents the cumulative input of the different reviewers. The drafters of the document have referred existing PPP and procurement related legislation to ensure that this document is harmonised with the laws of Sri Lanka. 

The institutions involved in the PPP process per these revised guidelines include the Ministry of Finance, Line Ministries, National Agency for Public private Partnership, Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee, Attorney’s General Department, National Procurement Commission and Cabinet Committee on Economic Management.