Committees to boost exports in 19 sectors

Public-private partnerships mooted:

Anjana SAMARASINGHE

ADVISORY COMMITTEES: The Ministry of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion yesterday appointed advisory committees to enhance exports through public-private partnership in 19 major sectors in the country.

The main objective of appointing these advisory committees is to develop the markets, enhance the production and the quality of the sectors with the involvement of all the stakeholders in these sectors.

Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Rohitha Bogollagama said these committees will reflect the public-private partnership in developing the country's economy.

The recommendations and guidance made by these committees will used for the sector development and strengthening the policy structure of the country. These committees will meet on a monthly basis and progress of the committees will be monitored on a quarterly basis, the Minister said.

The monitoring of the committees will be done by the Secretary to the Ministry of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion. The Minister also pledged to provide a meeting-point at the World Trade Centre to facilitate the meetings of these committees.

The committees appointed for the sectors are footwear, gem and jewellery, rubber, ceramics, engineering products, electrical items, spice, sea foods, aquarium fish, handlooms, giftware, lifestyle products, wood based products, printing, ICT, coconut, fruits and vegetables and marketing development.

Secretary to the Ministry of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Thosapala Hewage said these sectors are some of the important sectors in the export business.

There will be selected officers for these committees from the Ministry.

These officers will participate in the committee meetings and report the progress to me and important issues could be address immediately, the Minister said.

'We used this approach to develop the investment sector and we were able to implement most of the recommendations made by the advisory committee in the 2007 Budget, he said.

All these committees comprise with 300 members representing public and private sectors in different industries.

Representing the Business Community President of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka Nirmali Samaratunga said it is encouraging that the private sector could also get involved in providing inputs for the development of the country's exports.

There are some obstacles in the export business and through this advisory committee exporters could find solutions to these obstacles, she said.