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The Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry formed an affiliated Association of Small and Micro Industry of Jaffna in mid September and also formed an affiliated Association in Ruhuna.

Fifteen members of the Chamber led by Aloy R. Jayawardene went by road a fortnight ago to meet the Small and Micro Industrialists of Jaffna. The Chamber obtained the co-operation of Bandula Perera, Chairman of the Industrial Development Board, in obtaining the services of T. Balasubramaniam, Regional Director of the IDB in Vavuniya. Balasubramaniam with the assistance of the officials at the Jaffna IDB, organised over 100 Small and Micro Industrialists to participate in this meeting at the MPCS Hall Jaffna. P. Ragavan, Asst. Director, Dept. of Small Industries Jaffna with S. Sivagengatharna, Industrial Officer of the IDB, Jaffna also participated.

Balasubramaniam Regional Director of the IDB in Vavuniya said that with hardship and repeated losses, the Jaffna industrialists did not give up hope and are still engaged in their industrial activities.

Though the external environment is not fully changed and favourable for full fledged industrial activities in the district, the courage and perseverance should be honoured and accepted, he said. He detailed the Small and Micro Industries that are functioning in the Jaffna district.

Metal crushers, lathe and welding workshops, light engineering, carpentry, foundry, distillery and toddy bottling, garments, confectionery, printing, soap manufacture, goldsmith and blacksmith, fruit and vegetable processing, palmyrah based products and wine manufacture.

Aloy R. Jayawardene, President, Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry said that the SLCSI is in Jaffna, due to the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. This agreement is being viewed by many as a prelude to a sustainable and honourable peace.

This agreement has welcomed with much enthusiasm locally as well as at international level.

Jayawardene said we have come to Jaffna throwing our arms to the Small and Micro Industrialists, those at grassroots level, to join hands with the Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry, to fight our cause and achieve what we need to make our Small and Micro Industrial Units sustainable. We are the backbone of Sri Lanka's economy, he said.

We in Colombo can present your problems at the highest forum, with Government officials and officers of other institutions taking part, where we are assured of redress, Jayawardene said.

T.E. Balasundaram, Proprietor of a Metal Crusher Unit was elected President while R. Thavargopal, Proprietor of Milk White Soap was elected Hony. Secretary. Seven members were elected to the Council of Management for the Association of Small and Micro Industry of Jaffna.

Balasundaram,the newly elected President thanked the small industrialists who had come from Colombo to extend their hands of friendship in Jaffna. We hope that the Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry to which we are to be affiliated will elaborate their vision, mission, objectives and goals of their organisation to promote our endeavors in the future.

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