By Maheesha Mudugamuwa   The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Singapore and Sri Lanka will remain despite a committee being appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to study the terms of the agreement, a top cabinet Minister told The Morning. He said that since the government had already signed the agreement it will not change and the opinion of the government was that the deal did not have a negative impact on Sri Lanka. "The committee (appointed by the President) may suggest some amendments but the agreement would not be revoked under any circumstance," he added. President Maithripala Sirisena, after considering the views expressed to him by various parties regarding the agreement, appointed a five-member committee recently to study the FTA between Sri Lanka and Singapore and submit a report to him within two months. Contradicting statements are being given by different Ministers in the government while the Joint Opposition, JVP and many Trade Unions as well as Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) are against the signing of the FTA with Singapore. Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said this week that the FTA will be a huge benefit for a country like Sri Lanka which covers multifaceted areas from tourism, trade, financial, investment to science and technology. It would be a great opportunity for Sri Lanka to create links to these fields with other countries, Dr. Senaratne said. Meanwhile Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that a period of one year had been specified in the agreement, for amendments to be incorporated and the expert committee report would be tabled before the Cabinet of Ministers and in Parliament. The agreement was first sent to the Attorney General and it was presented to the Cabinet with the endorsement of the Attorney General. It was thereafter signed with the approval of the Cabinet. There was no requirement to present the Agreement to Parliament, he added.