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To secure GSP+ facility:

Govt, other bodies hail efforts of business community

The Government and other leading bodies have commended the efforts taken by the business community to secure the GSP+ facility.

A high-powered business delegation will visit the European Union shortly to lobby for the GSP+ facility.


Ranjith Siyambalapitiya

The Government appreciates the efforts taken by the business community to lobby for the GSP+ facility and we are confident that the GSP+ facility would be made available to us. We obtained the IMF standby loan facility despite all odds and we can face this challenge successfully. The granting of the loan facility shows the country’s credibility”, said State Revenue, State Finance Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

“The development activities in the Northern and the Eastern provinces are progressing well and the European Union needs to carry out a proper assessment before arriving at a final decision. The initiative taken by the business community is a positive move”, he said.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) Anil Koswatte said that it is good to put in an additional effort to secure the GSP+ facility.

The EDB would support the private sector to arrest the situation. Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and his Ministry is alert about the issue and is working for a favourable solution. It would be beneficial to have a public-private partnership as in the event of a withdrawal of the GSP+ facility the most penalized party would be the industrialists, he said.


The ceramic industry would be one of the industries to be affected in the event the GSP+ facility is withdrawn. The industry has also generated a large number of employment opportunities. Here an employee puts the final touches to a product.

A collective effort is needed and it is heartening to see the business community taking up the corporate responsibility. There are many challenges in the global market and we need to be strong and competitive to face them, he said.

“We have talents, skills, resources and diversity that are necessary for improved performance in the export sector. It is important to harness our capabilities to sustain international markets”, he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Leadership Excellence and Personality Development Dr. K. Kuhathasan said that the efforts taken by the business community to lobby for the GSP+ facility should be encouraged and congratulated.

“The leaders of the business community in Sri Lanka have always been in the forefront to win business deals at critical junctures and has earned the goodwill, trust and confidence of the business community both locally and globally”, he said.

In the past, they have led several business delegations to the West and have been very successful in negotiating favourable terms which have been very beneficial to Sri Lanka, he said.

Today, they have taken very bold, ambitious and courageous steps to take a very noble and commendable case before the global business community. I hope that their pioneering efforts will be crowned with success, he said.

Chairman, Mawbima Foundation Ariyaseela Wickramanayake said that the decision by the business community to negotiate with the European Union would help the country to secure the GSP+ facility.

“We need to meet the requirements of quality and good price in our products to enable the country to export the best products in the global market. This will enhance our credibility”, he said. The role of the private sector is to earn money for the country. For this they need assistance and the GSP+ facility would play a big role in our exports by generating foreign exchange and employment, he said.

This is a once in a life-time opportunity to change the economy for the better. We use the bulk of our foreign earnings on imports. If the country could produce the food items that are imported we would save a great deal of money and also create market and employment opportunities, he said.

Director, Postgraduates Institute of Management Dr. Uditha Liyanage said that lobbying for the GSP+ facility is timely. The country as a whole would be affected if the facility is withdrawn.

The business community’s effort is not only confined to the apparel sector, but also for the whole country. “The business community has a key role to play not only by performing but also in thinking. It is important to have a clear way forward. A clear strategy for each export sector is necessary. A country’s branding is important to promote the entire export sector.

We also need to have a clear implementation and performance standard and the progress should be monitored carefully and regularly, he said.

At a glance

# Additional effort is beneficial - EDB

# Negotiations would help export sector to secure the GSP+ facility - Mawbima Foundation

# Business community has to play a key role

 

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