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| Wednesday, 14 January 2004 |
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Macky Hashim to take over SCCI Presidency this year Vice President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and immediate past President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) Macky Hashim will take over the Presidency of the SCCI this year. He will be elected President at the tenth general assembly meeting on January 29 and 30 at Hotel Galadari with the full member participation of all seven member countries India, Pakistan Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. According to Hasshim, a founder member of the organisation, SCCI since its inception has made rapid progress. The South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) that was signed by the Foreign Ministers of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives will operate the Free Trade Area by January 2006. "This is a landmark treaty that will allow free trade among member countries by eliminating trade barriers and bringing down tariffs to 0-5 per cent in the next 7-10 years," he said. He said that the SCCI within two years launched the South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement and this was a major success for a young organisation. The SCCI is also looking at customs harmonisation in the region and also a single currency for the region by the end of the decade. The South Asian region with a population of 1.4 billion has fallen behind by nearly two decades due to under development. The region is rich with natural resources and has a very large untapped human resource base. To enable a free movement of SAARC personnel, particularly the business community, the SCCI will provide the recommendations to grant visas on a preferential basis on relaxed terms. Simultaneously, it will endeavour to make travel in the region restriction free for businesspersons and professionals. He said almost all the SAARC countries are facing major political problems. "The SCCI had originally decided to launch the SAFTA in 2002 but had to put it on hold due to the Indian and Pakistan political crisis," he said. He said that the SCCI is not confined only to the South Asian region but it has also global recognition with the members attending the World Trade organisation Ministerial conference in Doha in 2001 and had delegations to the European Union (EU) and EU Chamber of Commerce. Hashim who is the Managing Director of Malship (Ceylon) Limited, was a founder Director of Confifi and Palm Garden Hotels and a founder member of the Sarvodaya movement. He was also the former Secretary of the Footwear Manufacturers Association of Sri Lanka and Institute of Rubber Industry. Hashim is the Chairman of FACETS organising committee and organised the annual Sri Lanka and International Gem and Jewellery show. He has represented the Ministry of Trade and Commerce and Hotel Industry as Country Representative at international Trade Fairs in the United Kingdom, Middle East Japan and continues to represent the Ministry of Trade and Commerce in various delegations. The seven-member associations representing each country are the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL). |
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