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| Friday, 14 November 2003 |
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Regulations of private security firms to be updated with rigid licensing by Ramani Kangaraarachchi The Industrial Security Foundation (ISF) has initiated action to update the regulation of Private Security Agencies Act No 45 of 1998 in line with the changing needs of civil security in the country. Additional Secretary of the Interior Ministry and Competent Authority on private security agencies, S. Wirithamulla who was the chief guest at a seminar and discussion organised by the ISF admitted that regulations of the existing Act are very rigid and agreed that they should be changed to suit globalisation. Wirithamulla said that the intention of having private security regulations at the inception was to have some control and earn some income. "But now the situation has changed rapidly and we have to get adjusted," he said. It was pointed out at the discussion that the Act does not cover the control of registering security services, training and minimum standards for security agencies. Only one hundred and fifty companies have registered with the Labour Ministry for the purpose of paying EPF and ETF so far while over 500 security companies have not obtained licences according to statistics of the Interior Ministry. However it was observed that most of those unregistered mushroom Security firms have got the opportunity of providing security coverage to most of the government institutions in the country. The Competent Authority said that he is aware of all these acts of malpractices taking place and requested more information to take necessary action with the assistance of ISF. Speaking on the legal interpretation and overview of the regulation of the act and the regulations made thereunder Chairman Legal Aid Foundation, S. S. Wijeratne said that it is essential to have professional security agencies in Sri Lanka as 75 per cent of business lie in the hands of the private sector according to a recent research conducted by the Colombo Chamber of Commerce. He pointed out that of the 48000 major crimes recorded in Sri Lanka in 2002 seventy per cent were related to property disputes. Wijeratne said that business crimes in UK in 2002 was estimated to cost $18 billion whereas in Sri Lanka the statistics of business crimes cost are not even available. He insisted the necessity of bringing the agencies without licences before justice and empowering security agencies to do investigations. The legal responsibilities of companies hiring private security and the penalties they may be liable for, by hiring security personnel who do not conform to the provisions of the Act and labour laws also were covered at the discussion. The ISF will follow up these matters in liaison with the Competent Authority shortly in order to upgrade the standards of security agencies and give it its due place, Secretary ISF, Ajith Jayasekera said. |
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