Diaspora bolstering their egos

Shirajiv Sirimane

Terrorists should be further weakened to negotiate from a position of strength. It is also pressing on the Government to look at all people in the North as Sri Lankans, recognise the plight of the victims of terror and therefore as soon as possible end this menacing situation and give redress to the people.

Chairman of Munch- ee, Mineka Wickramasinghe who put Sri Lankan biscuits to the global market speaks to Daily News Business.`

He said negotiate from a position of strength is a fundamental practice before negotiations.

“I read in the newspapers that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has been criticised for some comments he made particularly that he wants to aggressively go to Wanni. . “I think everybody should support his efforts as it is the right thing of the hour before negotiations to end this conflict.

Wickramasinghe said that several NGOs are openly supporting the terrorists according to some newspapers and few countries too are surreptitiously supportive.

Supporters of terrorists have forgotten the fact that due to the war the Northern citizens are facing severe hardships and children are also being scarified for the war. “Peace would end the misery,” he said.

He recalled that Sir John Kotelawela went ahead and proposed the Colombo Plan at the Bandung Conference when the then Indian Prime Minister, Nehru asked him as to why he was not informed of it earlier before he spoke it in openly.

Sir John simply replied, “Why should I. You don’t tell me what you propose to speak.”

This should be the attitude even today. Sri Lanka should not bow down to foreign influence when it comes to end the war and should go ahead taking bold decisions to end the conflict.

The Government’s attitude is one of conciliation and even in trade matters, thinking that other countries would take offence.

A classic example is the India-Sri Lanka FTA which is blatently violated by Indians. “Our companies pay over 23 per cent in the form of various duties but Sri Lankan attitude is transparent and without transgression. “So where is the duty free?”

A former tea taster who took to the profession to follow his father later pursued the science of food technology in flour confectionery and went overseas (England) for higher studies. I did not go behind degrees as I am self taught.

A former Peterite and a national level badminton player Wickramasinghe loves to spend his leisure reading and meditates. He loves to travel to India.

How was Munchee established?

I joined Williams which was run by my father. However I found going very tough during the ‘good old’ days since the then Ministry of Industries had to issue me a license for the expansion of Williams which they refused.

The civil servants who were influenced by the colonial flavour treated businessmen like a tribe whose sole motive is making money and was not keen to support us - industries.

They wanted Williams to export if I wanted expansion. But still I did not get approval, although I found a lucrative buyer in Dubai. Expansion was necessary to survive as our contribution in the market was under 10%.

Therefore I decided to look for other ways of breaking this barrier. After extensive research we developed a biscuit with high protein content acceptable to the CARE Organisation of the USA and the Ministry of Education.and was awarded the tender.

This project gave me permission to import machinery and in July 1968 Ceylon Biscuits a public company (unquoted) supplied schools with high protein nutritional biscuits to replace the glass of milk and bun given to schoolchildren to supplement their mid-day meal.

This was the major turning point in my business. Even at that earlier stage I continued with exports.

How did you manage to export to European countries?

Since Sri Lanka is a third world country, Western Countries thought local food products are of inferior quality and not hygienic. Therefore first we concentrated on improving quality and this was the key to break into the world market. “A quality product at the correct price was our slogan. Once we broke this barrier it was easy to expand the export network.

The company initially exported its products in small quantities to the Middle-East and in the Nineties, Munchee products had secured markets in USA, Bahrain, Doha, Canada, Dubai, Maldives, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, Australia and Bangladesh.

In 1983, the company was also awarded an International Food Award at the Anuga Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Are you happy with assistance provided from the Government to local entrepreneurs today?

No I am not. The Foreign missions and Trade councillors are mostly political appointees and they do not assist us when we go overseas. During a global fair they will call the Sri Lankan participants and entertain us with Sri Lankan hospitality.

Well and good. But a greater effort to promote trade is what we expect. Arranging one to one meetings with prospective buyers are priorities.

In India they are so dedicated. Over 20 years ago the then High Commissioner in Paris, Tissa Wijeratne, asked me what I want to do to promote exports, I said throw us a cocktail party which he did and arranged it professionally. There were several buyers who graced the occasion.

Another mistake the government makes is that they think that big companies like us do not need any assistance.

Is the cost of living affecting you?

As for me it does not have an impact as I am a simple man. However I see a drop of sales in our high value products.

How do you see the local education system?

Well to be frank I have not studied the school admission issue. However our education system is not geared to meet the requirements of the private sector.

We see this when we interview graduates for employment. Some of them even do not know the history of the country. And they are not being taught discipline and this is seen in roads.

Do you follow politics?

Yes I do. However today politicians lack intense patriotism. I think the political erosion started after 1977.

Foreigners get precedence over Lankans. One cannot understand the support to monopoly companies like Prima and the Duty free shop. Lankan companies are not given an opportunity to showcase their products.

Politicians should change their attitudes and think of Sri Lanka First, Sri lanka second, and Sri Lanka always. Dr. Gamini Corea said at a Task Force Meeting when a former Minister of Industry presided “ Concessions should be given to Sri Lankans and not adhere strictly to a level [playing field.” Unfortunately the reverse is applicable in Sri Lanka.

We should take a lesson from India. Despite their economic boon they have not forgotten, at least the bureaucracy, of the patriotic attitude that has helped them to forge ahead.