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The government should appoint a team to assist the Micro Car project to get off the ground as soon as possible and enable the project to secure funding at the lowest possible cost as a pioneering initiative, Immediate Past President, National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) Chandra Embuldeniya said.

Embuldeniya referring to Monday's 'Daily News' article under the headline `Red tape hampers Micro's drive to conquer Lankan roads' said it was an extremely important issue relevant to the economic development of our country. the Government should hold hands of Technology based innovative enterprises to reduce gestation time, he said.

"Economic development is spearheaded by innovators and developers. The Micro car project is a similar project. But, does our recent policy reforms stipulated in Regaining Sri Lanka adequately address this type of issue? Has the government taken the initiative to develop the capacity of our bureaucracy to absorb technology-oriented development rapidly in our country? These issues are highlighted in the recent events surrounding the Micro car project," Embuldeniya said.

He said Sri Lanka go to great lengths to justify imports of cars, buses, push cycles, motor cycles, railway carriages, milk food, fish, wheat flour, other processed foods, software, banking services, insurance services, telecom services and as a result the nation is gradually becoming more bent on imports.

"We being a country at the low-income range needs more projects of the kind of Micro Car to add technology and value to a basic resource oriented production system existing in our country.

What Dr. Lawrence Perera, Chairman, Transmec Engineering (Pvt) Ltd. has done is tremendous. He has started the first micro car in Sri Lanka, which is a pioneering effort next to what Upali Wijewardene did several decades ago when he assembled a Mazda car.

There were also Lambretta scooters from Italy, assembled here during the 60s. These industries died a natural death because various 'policies, public institutions and individuals' to technology development in our country, which is at the heart of productivity and competitiveness.

Bureaucracy stifled a similar effort by Dr. Ray Wijewardene when he tried to introduce hand tractors to Sri Lanka in the 50s. Bureaucracy felt that Sri Lanka should have four-wheel tractors and thus Ray took his invention to Japan and thereafter benefits also went to Japan," Embuldeniya said.

He said according to the Daily News report Dr. Lawrence needs assistance from the government to get clearance for registration of his vehicles, fiscal incentives, and some protection, which he has not even asked for yet. "We need the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Ministry of Transport to hold Dr. Lawrence's hands to help him get off the ground in double quick time.

Speed is important and very soon there will be multinational forces trying to stifle this initiative since larger industries in this micro vehicle sector will be threatened. We need to be fully aware of this threat.

Thus it is extremely important for the government to get the fullest cooperation not just as a routine but also as a special project.We need more companies to take such initiatives to introduce technology-based production for the country to progress economically.

We have on earlier occasions deprived ourselves of such opportunities and should not repeat those mistakes. Lalith Kotalawala has been quick to realise the value here and should be commended for the role he has played," Embuldeniya said.

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