by Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The Chamber of Construction Industry (CCI) has embarked on a capacity building project for competitiveness and qualified employment for the construction sector.

This is in accordance with the need to integrate the SMEs and the informal sector of construction industry to the value chain promotion.

This decision came as a result of the two day workshop organised with GTZ recently where a cross-section of academia and contractors represented issues pertaining to the industry.

Unless the Small and Medium Enterprises(SMEs) of developing countries are linked to the Global Value Chains the future of these enterprises is doomed and so would be the prospects of economic growth and poverty alleviation, said the CEO of the Chamber Dakshitha Talgodapitiya.

He said that fifteen segments identified include information, research and integration, machinery, quality, skilled labour synergy and sustainability, training, project management, marketing and policy programs.

A core group of fifteen members headed by Chairman CCI Surath Wickramasinghe has been instituted to carry forward the program.

The core group is awaiting proposals of action addressing the issues for capacity enhancement to introduced to increase the competitiveness of the sector.