Business

Ceylinco Gem Corp to collaborate with laboratory

by Anjana Samarasinghe

Ceylinco Gem Corp hopes to collaborate with a foreign laboratory to facilitate growth in the gem industry. Director/CEO of Ceylinco Gem Corp International Ltd, Tennekoon Rusiripala, said they hope to sign a MOU with a reputed foreign laboratory soon.

Today the Sri Lankan gem industry needs to be expanded.

It can even become the prime foreign exchange earner for the country but only if it is organised with a well planned strategy, Rusiripala said.

"If we look at our competitors we are far behind in what we should do in the industry. I have noticed no developments in the industry but requirements are still there.

There are many problems the industry is facing at the moment. You cannot specify these issues as in many other industries. What we need is to move with the trends of the world," he said.

"Trade leaders have to play a role to attract the attention of authorities.

They should educate the authorities about the current situation in the industry. There is huge competition among our gem traders.

There should be some encouragement in the industry to come together and work as a powerful body. In India traders are united and they represent their problems to authorities and make use of them."

We are world famous for gems but we have only one gem exhibition for the whole year. In Bangkok they have four or five exhibitions per year. If we are mindful of this we should have international gem exhibitions every month.

Ceylinco Gem Corp will organise an international gem exhibition in May, by inviting foreign buyers , end users and jewellers as much as possible.

We have well skilled labour in gem cutting.

If there is a proper training programme utilising latest technology, we can provide skilled labour for other countries.

Gem cutting is a highly paid job where one can earn US $4 to $5 per hour.

Ceylinco Gem Corp also expects to print a monthly gem journal including information of all its traders who register with them. Through this journal they hope to provide latest information on the gem industry.