Fillip for local lace manufacturing industry

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Handicraft Board (SLHB), together with the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) and the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), has entered into a partnership to promote the local, lace manufacturing and handicraft industry among tourists.

The travel foundation, UK has offered Rs. 4 million for the initial stage of this programme, and many outbound tour operators from the UK as well as UK tourists are expected to provide financial support to make this project successful, a senior official of the Ministry of Rural Industries and Self-Employment Promotion told Lankapuvath.

Under this partnership, the lace manufacturing centre in Dikwella will be renovated and a new handicraft showroom will be set up. This will indeed encourage the existing lace weavers as well as train newcomers to the business.

Weavers will be trained under various aspects in order to enhance the quality of the product. An agreement was signed in this regard, between the Minister of Rural Industries and Self-Employment Promotion. S. B. Nawinne and the SLHB Chairperson - Somakumari Tennakoon, Hiran Cooray, President, THASL and Wasantha Leelananda - President, SLAITO.

Dikwella is renowned for the traditional lace weaving industry. The government is also focusing on purchasing products directly from the weavers, in order to ensure maximum profit to the industry.

This would be of great benefit to the local craftsmen and also popularize their products amongst tourists. He further stated that this would create many job opportunities in the area, as well as uplift the livelihood of the weavers.

Lankapuvath