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The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), the largest private sector grouping in the country recently setup a Regional Development Unit at its Secretariat at Vauxhall Lane, Colombo. The broad objective of the Regional Development Unit is to promote trade, industry and investments in the regional areas of Sri Lanka and also to cater to regional private sector needs and development of Regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI) in the country.

The Regional Development Unit (RDU) is another pioneering effort of FCCISL. It will be the first dedicated and exclusive unit set up for Regional Private sector development, by any national level Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka.

FCCISL is the apex organisation for over 35 chambers and trade associations in the metropolitan, district and provincial level with a combined membership of over 10,000 businesses comprising sole proprietors, partnerships, private limited liability companies and public quoted companies.

FCCISL has been actively promoting for the expansion of the Chamber movement into districts and provinces over the last decade. All 13 regional chambers of commerce and industry of the country are member-bodies of FCCISL and most of them have been promoted and formed by FCCISL.

The regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry are as follows:

District Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Galle District Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Matara District Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce; Moneragala District Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Kegalle District Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Provincial Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Central Province; Central Province Women's Chamber of Commerce & Small Industries; Chamber of Commerce & Industry of North Central Province; Wayamba Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Sabaragamuwa Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Chamber of Commerce & Industries of Yarlpanam;' Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Uva Province.

FCCISL is currently planning to set up a few more District CCIs in Batticaloa, Nuwara Eliya, Kalutara, Vavuniya and Puttalam. The long-term objective of FCCISL is to cover each district with a Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The FCCISL has recognised the importance given to regional development by the new government by establishing separate zonal ministries to overlook the development efforts of various regions. The establishment of the Regional Development Unit is a parallel and Complementary step towards the government's efforts of Regional Development.

The regional private sector, as a whole and as against that of the metropolitan areas, is rather informal and disorganised by nature. Due to this, there is a sense of "backwardness" in the regional private sector often leading to isolation. Policy-makers too often find it difficult to find a suitable "representative" from the private sector in most regional areas for advice and consultation.

In Colombo, the interaction between the private sector and the public sector is healthy while it is poor at regional level. The regional authorities do not seem to be consulting the regional private sector as much as it happens in Colombo. Therefore, the public-private dialogue is poor. When it comes to lobbying at the regional level by private sector that too is very ineffective mainly due to the disorganised nature of the regional private sector and also due to lack of expertise.

There are other issues too, which demand for the regional private sector to seek assistance, and guidance, from the national private sector. On the whole, the linkage between the regional level private sector and the national private sector is not a very strong one. It needs further strengthening and enhancement.

In order to address these weaknesses the FCCISL has long-felt need for a dedicated unit for further facilitation, promotion, development and strengthening of regional private sector. As a result, the Regional Development Unit has come into existence with the support of a few donor agencies.

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