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| Thursday, 31 July 2003 |
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Chamber leaders meet today to formulate plans The Chamber leaders will meet today to discuss issues to prepare a strategy plan on 'creating employment opportunities in the private sector' following Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's call last week. The Premier at a meeting with the leading industry leaders extensively discussed this issue last week where the private sector agreed to present a set of proposals to the PM within a month. President, Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and President JBIZ (Joint Business Forum) Nihal Abeysekera said that the chamber leaders would come out with proposals to create more employment opportunities and 'leap frog' from the present situation as the current business environment is conducive for industry expansion. He said that the chamber leaders are scheduled to meet the PM in one month's time with a set of 'concrete proposals' in this regard. The FCCISL has also launched a research program to ascertain the number of vacancies currently prevailing in the industrial sector, divided into 10 categories. "Though there are many incentives given and much has been talked about the progress it has made, a visible growth has not really been shown. We want to find out the real reasons for this issue, so that we will also interview about 100 companies to verify matters faced by industrialists. The final outcome of the research which is being conducted at present will be handed over to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Tilak de Zoysa said that at today's meeting, the chamber consortium known as JBIZ would put their strengths together to find a speedy solution to create more jobs in the industrial sector. Speaking at the Chamber AGM on Tuesday, de Zoysa appealed to the business community to employ as many undergraduates as possible under the new Tharuna Aruna program. He said, "Employment generation through private sector initiatives is crucial if we are to fulfil the aspirations of the youth who have rebelled twice before in 1971 and 1988. High unemployment and poverty breed crime and provide the fuel to ignite hatred towards the free economic policies and institutions and the private sector." He said that the Prime Minister has made a fervent request to all chambers to make use of new fiscal incentives to expand existing business units and start new ventures with investment in technology, property, plant and machinery. The Government and the private sector are in a concerted effort to create as many job opportunities through several initiatives such as Tharuna Aruna and JobsNet projects. President, Ceylon National Chamber of Industries, Rangit Hettiarachchy said that his chamber has already informed its members to provide information on employment opportunities and current hindrances they are facing with in creating such opportunities so that the CNCI can respond to the Government's call accordingly. Meanwhile, an official for JobsNet project told the Daily News that they have received over 7,000 vacancies in a range of sectors. "But, only 3,614 'match making' has been done so far." He said that though there are a number of vacancies with good salary packages, the youth are not even keen to be present themselves at interviews. (CJ) |
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