PUM Netherlands renovate tsunami hit businesses in Galle
Sarath Malalasekera
|
PUM Bakery expert advising South Ceylon Bakery in Galle in
improving their product quality and introducing of new recipes,
in the presence of South Ceylon Managing Director Athula
Mudaliga PUM Expert H. van Kerkhoff, the baker of South Ceylon
and PUM Sri Lankan representative S.P.C. Kumarasinghe.
|
Netherlands Senior Experts (PUM) extends a helping hand to Tsunami
devastated industries in Galle District.
Twenty six businesses in the Galle District are being assisted by the
PUM Netherlands Senior Experts programme by offering them loans and
grants plus free technical assistance where necessary, said the PUM
Netherlands Senior Experts representative in Sri Lanka S.P.C.
Kumarasinghe.
The project was initiated in late 2005 under the Netherlands post
Tsunami assistance to economic recovery in Galle District at a cost of
over Rs.80 Million.
PUM Sri Lankan representative Kumarasinghe said under the normal
programme 25 PUM experts missions are allocated to Sri Lanka to provide
free Technical assistance to industries and service organizations by the
Netherlands.
Kumarasinghe said that he was able to convince PUM Board of Directors
that free technical assistance alone is not sufficient to revive the
Tsunami devastated businesses and financial support is also necessary to
put them back on their feet.
The PUM Board of Directors were able to obtain financial assistance
from the Netherlands Government agencies, Cord Aid and SHO to enhance
the free technical assistance package with loan and grant funding
packages.
After discussions with a few local banks Sanasa Development Bank came
forward to assist the programme by taking over the loan disbursements
channelled from PUM, the PUM representative said.
The former Galle District Secretary P. Hewawasam was appointed to
work with the PUM Economic Expert Pim de Bekker to make an assessment in
January 2006 and following this PUM commenced work in this project.
Out of many requests for assistance 26 commercial enterprises in
Galle were selected as recipients. Eight enterprises needed further
technical assistance to develop their businesses, he said. |
