CEOs pledge support for peace effort

MEETING: Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of multi national companies operating in Sri Lanka yesterday pledged their support to the Government's effort to bring peace through a negotiated settlement.

The CEOs who met the Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Rohitha Bogollagama lauded the Government's commitment to a negotiated settlement to the North-East problem, and said that the Governments restraint is remarkable at a time when the LTTE repeatedly violate the Ceasefire Agreement.

CEOs of major multi-national companies were among those who attended the round table meeting in Colombo yesterday.

Speaking to the CEO's Minister Bogollagama said the Government valued the presence of multinational companies in the country and would do its utmost to facilitate their businesses.

"The Government expects big companies like yours to be present in areas such as Trincomalee. The Government is planning major developments programmes there and we have already started developing the roads there.

There are plans to build a Free Trade Zone in Trincomalee and we invite you all to be a part of that process of development," the Minister said.

Meanwhile some CEOs said that they are disturbed by arbitrary price controls brought in by the authorities which could have a negative effect on their businesses.

The Minister said that the benefits of economic development should be shared by everybody and no one can be given certain advantages over the others.

"That's what you all are seeking and that's what I am advocating as the Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion.

The Government introduced the SME Authority because we have major SME presence in this country. It should be the support base for big companies like yours. We can lift them up with the corporation of countries such as India, Singapore and other countries in the region.

We would also bring in big investors in the infrastructure sector so that you all can be part of the infrastructure development," the Minister said.

He said the Government's message to the international business community is that the Government will look after their interests and their investments in this country.

Among the CEO's present were Hans Wijayasooriya - Dialog Telekom, B.C. Tan - Prima, Nael Ahmed - Reckitt Benckiser, Ehsan Malik - Uni Lever, Kishu Gomes - Chevron Texaco, Edmand Neo - Asia Pacific Brewery (Lanka) Ltd, Hussen Madani Shell Gas Lanka Ltd. R.J. Mollo - Bata, Basil Gadziaos - Coca Cola, K. Ramakrishnan - Lanka IOC, Jeremy Huxtable - Suntel, Stuart Young - Nestle Lanka and Cubby Wijetunga, Director Nestle Lanka.