Organized by Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce:

Best Entrepreneur Award 2008

The Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce has continuously supported the business community in the district to start up, improve and expand their businesses and thereby bring about socio-economic development in the district.

For the eighth time in its 16 year history, the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce is organizing the competition and selecting the outstanding entrepreneurs of the year for 2008.

Business people will be recognized and rewarded for good business practices and innovative entrepreneurship. The competition is designed to promote a competitive culture among the business community and to encourage business people to strive for excellence.

A special feature of this year’s program is an increase in the number of categories in the competition to six, namely:

* Best Entrepreneur of the year.

* Best Woman Entrepreneur of the year.

* Best Social Corporate Responsibility Entrepreneur of the year.

* Best Youth Entrepreneur of the year.

* Best Employee of the year.

* Best Employer of the year.

The first category carries four awards, one each for small, medium, large and extra large companies. It also carries additional awards for winners in each of seven business sectors.

The youth category is for beneficiaries of the Youth Business Program of the Chamber, and the best employer and the best employee categories are for businesses registered with the Career Service Centre of the Chamber.

The entries for the competition from June 30 end on July 31.

The panel of judges consists of senior managers from leading commercial banks, development banks, professionals from the education sector and professionals from leading institutions including IDB and SPREAP. In addition to paper evaluations, the semi finalists and finalists will be visited by the judging panel.

Awards will be presented at a ceremony on September 26 coinciding with the 16th Annual General Meeting of Chamber members.