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| Wednesday, 22 October 2003 |
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The Government has commenced a programme of creating 2000 jobs in the leather sector where unemployed youth from rural areas will be given employment oriented training. Private sector employers in the leather and footwear industry such as Bata, DSI will be providing employment opportunities for these trained personnel who will be receiving training at the leather and footwear industry institute of the Industrial Development Board. A batch of 135 trained personnel were awarded certificates on completion of the training by Minister of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy, Investment Promotion and Constitutional Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris at Visumpaya on Monday. Prof. Peiris said: "The empowerment of youth is one of the priority areas of the Government and the leather sector has the potential to be developed to levels that the apparel industry has achieved today. The Government has decided to establish 20,000 new or refurbished industries, he said. The Government's tariff policy was also conducive for the development of the leather industry and that was the reason for imposing import duty of Rs. 100 per pair while the import duty for raw materials for the local footwear industry was also reduced. The Minister said that there was scope for industrial growth due to the dividends of the peace process. He said that the Government was also promised technological assistance from Italian Labour Minister Prof. Marazano as Italy's footwear industry has been developed to global standards. He said that these employment opportunities will be given to disabled soldiers of the Gajaba Regiment of the Senapura Camp. Industrial Development Board Chairman Dr. Bandula Perera said that the private sector was willing to pay attractive salaries to trained people despite malevolent elements who were attempting to incite youth by claiming that the private sector salaries were unattractive. |
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