BOI head underlines importance of investor-employment link

Hiran H. Senewiratne

INVESTMENT: The country's investors have an important role to play in generating more employment opportunities in the country's development to meet global trends. Chairman, Board of Investment (BOI), Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala said.

"Unless we do so we would not be able to go as per with the other developing countries," Prof. Watawala said at the launching ceremony of a mini website of the BOI portal. He said this is yet another milestone with regard to customer services by the Investor Services Department (ISD).

He said that every year 5 to 10 new investors are being added to the list and none of the investors has been deleted from the list. The site will benefit BOI investors who will be able to obtain information about services offered by the Investor Services Department.

They will no longer have to go to the Service Centre to obtain information on various types of issues faced by them. The information is now available on the website, Prof. Watawala said.He said that we have look at international global standards and the launching of this mini website is part of a move to promote investors.

Further, BOI companies are provided with five-year tax holidays to establish factories outside the Western Province, which has prompted many investors to invest in the country, he said. ISD aims to enhance facilities that have been already provided to the investors making them superior, more stable and lasting.