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| Wednesday, 31 December 2003 |
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Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce celebrates 10th anniversary A little over ten years ago, seven leading businessmen of the Hambantota District formed a company, Limited by Guarantee under the Companies Act No. 17 of 1982 and called it the 'Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce' (HDCC). The first ever District Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka was thus formed. The primary objective of this exercise was to promote and develop the Economic Advancement of the District through good business practices and progressive entrepreneurship. A long felt need among the business community of the district was fulfilled by this chamber. Among the Foreign Aid Agencies active in Sri Lanka in the early nineties, USAID, through its Policy Support Unit (PSU) Project was on the lookout to aid Regional Business Communities organise themselves into 'Units'. A group of leading businessmen from the Hambantota District calling themselves the Hambantota Entrepreneur Agency, approached USAID for assistance to form an umbrella organisation. The need was mutual. Both found what they were looking for in each other. The HDCC was in business. The Hambantota Integrated Rural Development Project (HIRDEP) under the auspices of the then Ministry of Plan Implementation and funded by NORAD set up the 'Hambantota Entrepreneur Service Centre' (HESC). A One Stop Shop for the entrepreneurs of the district. Then towards the end of the nineties. HIRDEP set up in 1979 with a 20-year life span was nearing the end of its tenure and looking for somebody to take over HESC. There couldn't have been a more natural choice than the HDCC to undertake the adoption of HESC. It was then that the Government of the Kingdom of Norway through the Royal Norwegian Embassy (RNE) in Colombo stepped in via its connection through HESC. It is to the credit of the Government of the Kingdom of Norway through the Royal Norwegian Embassy (RNE) in Colombo that the HDCC is what it is today. The encouragement guidance support and assistance of the RNE has been invaluable as it is indispensable. For a better part of the last decade, the HDCC owes its existence to the RNE and is privileged to be associated so. Ten years on the HDCC can proudly look back on a decade of progress and achievements. The HDCC is affiliated as Associated Member to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), The National Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (NCCISL) and the International Chambers of Commerce Today apart from its normal chamber activities as the official representative of the business community in the district, the HDCC has diversified into collaborative partnerships with International Donor Agencies to organise and implement programmes that provide opportunities to the unemployed, underprivileged and disadvantaged youth of the district to improve and enhance their 'employability' or 'entrepreneurial ability' and become gainful and useful citizens. The chamber is also involved in collaborative partnerships with local bodies to facilitate the business community specially the Youth to acquire knowledge and skills required to be better equipped to face the future with hope and confidence. The Chamber will celebrate their anniversary on Saturday, January 3, 2004, where the chief guest will be the Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapakse, MP. Photographs of Past Presidents will be unveiled in the HDCC Board Room on that day. |
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