Today businessmen are faced with many challenges - President FCCISL

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura additional district group corr.

Today more than at any time of our history businessmen have to face many challenges internal and external, such as soaring oil prices, unaffordable electricity tariffs, less encouraging tax regime, inflation, lack of skilled persons which are the main ongoing issues.

To top it all a financial tsunami has hit the western world, said Kosala Wickramanayake the President of the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL).

He was addressing the maiden Regional Chamber President’s Conference - 2008 at the Anuradhapura Central Bank auditorium on Saturday October 11.

The conference was organised by Anuradhapura District Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in collaboration with FCCISL and the Asia Foundation.

The event is considered unique and very special since chambers from all over the country amounting to 30 such institutes assembled on a common platform to discuss the important issues to stimulate the network of chambers to serve the local business community more efficiently, and to deliver prosperity to the nation.

Wickramanayake said that economic prosperity has to come from the private sector since the policy of the Government today is encouraging public-private partnership on par with this policy.

Employment and development are the functions and responsibilities of the private sector to a large extent he indicated. He pointed out that for this purpose the trade chambers were expected to mobilise the private sector, supporting them to offer prosperity to society, the President of the FCCISL stressed.

Wickramanayake said, “As we aware, the road network, electricity and energy are severe problem areas faced by the business community. Due to the scarcity of those facilities particularly in rural areas, even existing business enterprises cannot run profitably and efficiently.

It has been observed that these issues have affected badly in starting new industries and business ventures. The Government has to incur high costs to provide such amenities. As these requirements are of highest importance the chambers will have to involve in a process of advocacy and lobbying with the Government in improving those facilities on a priority basis.”

He pointed out that access to credit and finances was also a severe problem faced by the business community. In most cases cost of credit, mainly the interest rates were high.

Also the preparation of various feasibility reports and collaterals would become a problem due to reasons such as proper and acceptable deeds have not been issued to the land holders. He said these were some of the significant issues that were to be dealt with by Chambers with the Government for solutions.

Wickramanayake in conclusion said that once Sir Winston Churchill the renowned Prime Minister of UK, said “some regard private sector enterprise as a predatory tiger that is to be shot. Others look at it as a cow that they can milk. Only a handful sees it for what it really is - the strong and willing bull that pulls the whole cart.”

North Central Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake said that the standard of the industrial progress in NCP was very low and poor. He appealed to the Chamber authorities to consider establishing several factories manufacturing animal feed since he expected to produce 20 million metric tons of maize in the province within two or three cultivating seasons.

In last Maha season he revealed that the farmers in NCP, produced 120,000 metric tons which earned them Rs. 3,600 million, a record income. All infrastructural facilities and possible incentives would be offered to the investors, he pledged.

Amal Piyatilake the President of the Anuradhapura Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture said that it was a historic event for the maiden regional Chamber President’s Conference to have been held in Anuradhapura where our ancestors made the country self sufficient with the highest degree of productivity. The North Central Provincial Minister of Industries H. B. Semasinghe and P. B. Dissanayake the Chief Executive Director of Anuradhapura Chambers of Commerce were among the speakers.

At the end of the summit on the basis of discussions in the business sessions on infrastructure and utility services, business development services, peace and security, and chamber experience and issues, a declaration was drafted to be brought to the notice of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Cabinet of Ministers and the relevant Provincial Authorities.

Kosala Wickramanayake, President FCCISL told the Daily News that since the Chamber President’s Conference would become another vital item in the calendar of FCCISL they planned to hold the conference once every year.