Gem Authority sets up service centre in Beruwala

Anjana Samarasinghe in Beruwala

NEW CENTRE: The National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) has introduced new services for gem traders in Paththekade, Beruwala to facilitate their trading through a service centre last week.

The Chairman of the NGJA, Hasitha Thilakarathne said that through this service centre, traders will be able to do gem testing and gain professional opinion on authenticity. Information on imports and exports will also be provided.

Issuing of gem dealers' licences, issuing diamond and gem cutting licences and facilities for registration of jewellery manufacturing will also available at this service centre.

However this service will be only for one day per week but the authority expects to provide these services daily in the future.

Deputy Director General of NGJA, Bandula Vithanage said they expect to provide these services five days per week and make a one stop shop for gem traders in the Paththekade.

Senior Manager, NGJA, Ajith Perera said that most traders in Paththekade are not aware of the services that NGJA provides and he calls upon traders to work closely with the authority to gain fruitful results.

Perera also said that new export office in the cargo village situated in the Colombo International airport is now open 24 hours to facilitate gem exports.

A smallscale gem trader in Paththekade H.J.M. Hussain stressed on the necessity of another commercial bank in the area. Traders face many problems due to the lack of commercial banks in the area.

There should be a commercial bank that could provide ATM facilities for the traders, he said. He also said that infrastructure in the trading area such as telecommunications also needs to be developed.

A gem trader in the Paththekade area Mohomad Salih told Daily News that Paththekade is just like an international market for gems. "Every day a large number of stones are coming from all the gem producing areas in Sri Lanka and there will be Rs 5 million worth of transactions per day at Paththekade".

"Gem trading is done from 12.30 p.m to 2.00 p.m. daily with nearly 4000 buyers and sellers participating. Foreign buyers specially from South India also come for the trading," he said. In addition to gem trading, gem cutting too is done in this area. A gem cutter could cut 10 stones per day and they charge around Rs. 200 per stone.