Laud Security Forces on avalanche of recent military victories:

Private sector yearning for durable peace

Ravi LADDUWAHETTY

Frontline Trade Chamber leaders yesterday, lauded the Armed Forces for their recent avalanche of military victories in the North, and said in unison and in combination, that they were yearning for durable and sustainable peace for accelerated economic growth to kick off.

President of the umbrella chamber- the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka -Kosala Wickremanayake said: “The priority of the Government should be to settle the displaced people and develop the damaged infrastructure with international assistance from the donor community so that rapid and accelerated economic development should take off.

The FCCISL Chief stressed that the Government should also as a matter of priority provide opportunities for the people of the area to be trained and provided employment, which they were deprived of for the last two decades or more. He said that the opening of the land route will also bring opportunities for traders and later manufacturers which will be a part of the peace dividends.

He also said that the arms of the Federation in the Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar and Vanni Districts would also aim to enlighten the people of these areas on the new opportunities for development.

Chairman of the umbrella private sector lobby Group- the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Ceylon Tobacco Co PLC Jayampathi Bandaranayake said: “The government now has the responsibility to bring forth a political settlement that addresses minority concerns. This, the government has agreed to do via the APRC process, and we hope that all political parties will cooperate in this initiative, which is of paramount importance,” he said. The elimination of terrorism will provide the best possible opportunity to develop the country economically.

This is the only way we can ensure that the people of the country can be provided a better standard of living free of hunger, fear and disease.

Chairman of the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries and Central Industries Managing Director/ CEO Newton Wickremasuriya said: “The opening of the land route which will initially ensure that the flow of essentials will be cheaper and will open up new vistas for reconstruction trade and industry with the citizens of the north where the cost of living will be billed to drastically decline and create opportunities for the rehabilitation of a new era of industry where there will be the emergence of factories producing industrial goods for the people of the North and East which have been hitherto produced and transported from Colombo.”