Presidential Export Awards on August 23

T. K. Premadasa Deputy Director/Marketing Sri Lanka Export Development Board

The Sri Lanka Ex-port Development Board after nearly a decade has now taken action to reintroduce the prestigious Presidential Export Awards.

The presentation of awards will take place at the Presidential Secretariat on August 23 in recognition of the exemplary record of performance displayed by those exporters during the period over last few years.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be the chief guest.

The introduction of Presidential Export Award again is a significant effort taken by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Export Development and International Trade encouraging the entrepreneurs to develop their skills in ameliorating the standard of export production under Mahinda Chinthanaya to be competitive with the International Market.

The national policy based on Mahinda Chinthanaya emphasizes the importance of the role played by the business community to help build the national economy unhesitatingly supported by the government with requisite assistance.

The Presidential Export Award is the highest prestigious award presented by the nation to the export production par excellence quality in recognition of the professional competence exhibited by the export community in boosting the national economy.

Presentation of the award signifies the appreciation of their demanding progression and outstanding achievements in the export development trade.

This award symbolises:

1. National recognition of individuals or organisers excelled in performance of export business, particularly in non-traditional products and services.

2. An influence to exp-orters to explore their skills in achieving similar accomplishments in the export business.

It is obvious that different award schemes are in effect both locally and abroad on many occasions. But the award recognised by the nation to be most prestigious would be considered the award sponsored by the government of the respective country in appreciation of the great achievement of the business community.

The Queen's Award Scheme - UK, The Presidential Award - USA, The Canadian Export Award Scheme, The Australian Export Award Scheme, Indian Presidential Export Award, and Pakistan Presidential Award are a few among those awards falling under this category.

The presentation of the Presidential Export Award in Sri Lanka is significant as it is the recognition of the entire nation.

In view of the past records available, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce initiated an award scheme in 1977 introduced as National Export Award assisted by the Export Promotion Secretariat under the Ministry of Planning and Implementation responsible for the promotional and development functions of Sri Lanka exports. This Award scheme was operated only in 1977.

Sri Lanka Export Development Board as an apex Government body was established in 1979 for development and promotion of export products and services. In recognition of the important role played by the export community, Sri Lanka Export Development Board launched the Presidential Export Award Scheme in 1980 to embolden the exporters on an ameliorative promotion of their production.

The Export Development Council of Ministers established under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act 40 of 1979 to formulate and implement the national export development policies and programmes, approved the proposed Presidential Export Award Presentation in 1980.

At the outset the major challenge was to create a sound and creditable criterion for selection of exporters. In a thorough study of the selection criteria in respect of those prestigious awards such as Queen's Award in the United Kingdom et al and information gathered with generous support of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, Sri Lanka Export Development Board perfected an acceptable selection criterion mainly on the basis of the invaluable contribution extended on the economic and social development to the country by the export producers.

The criterion stipulates the contribution on overall export earnings, product development, market development and social development made towards the country. The Award winners are being selected on evaluation based on their export performance during the last three years.

Awards under this criterion would be presented to the best exporter of excellent performance who obtained the highest number of marks for the respective product or services or any other sector and Certificate of Merit would be presented to those who obtained a satisfactory number of marks in order of merit.

The inaugural Presidential Export Award Ceremony was held on December 14, 1981 with presentation of nine Presidential Export Awards and thirteen Certificates of Merit. During the period 1981 to 1995, sixteen Export Award Ceremonies have been organised with nearly 136 Awards and 252 Certificates of Merit being presented.

In 1981 this award scheme covered only the product sector such as tea, rubber based products, coconut and coconut products, food and beverages, agricultural products, fishery and aquarium products, diamond, gems and jewellery, textile products, footwear mineral based products, gift wear.

But with the periodical development of the award scheme, the number of awards was introduced on various other service fronts namely, special award for Export Production Villages in 1986, award for packaging in 1987, special award for services provider in 1989 and special award for highest export earner in 1993.

In special awards for the exporters inside and outside the GCEC were also introduced in 1991.

At the re-introduction of Presidential Export Award for 2005 additional new awards were earmarked for the best brand, best SME exporter, and exporter of highest number of destinations and best service provider.

The Presidential Export Award scheduled for August 23, at the Presidential Secretariat will award to the winners of the Presidential Export Award 2005. 19 award winners and 19 merit certificate winners have been selected for the Presidential Export Award 2005.

The significant value of this Presidential Export Award presented to the award winner is the certification signed by the Secretary to the President, a symbol of its prestige and the national recognition of this award. It will increasingly conduce a healthy and sound environment for further development and beneficial promotion of company exports in high quality.

In terms of this award scheme, the award-winning exporter is entitled to use the Presidential Export Award logo for three years on his promotional publicity.

Re-introduction of the Presidential Award symbolises the national recognition of the best exporter of his professional competence at the Global Market.