Promote rural craftsmanship - President

Chaminda PERERA

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said the Traditional Industries and Small Industries Development Ministry should highlight and promote the creativity and craftsmanship among people in rural villages.

He said hidden talents and high standard of creativity among the people in rural Sri Lanka can easily be demonstrated to the world with the end of the 30 year conflict.

President Rajapaksa was speaking at the inauguration of Shilpa 2010 exhibition at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Exhibition and Conference Hall yesterday. Over 1,500 handicraftsmen and small scale industrialists are showcasing their outstanding creations and productions at the exhibition.

The Palmyra Development Board has also made a remarkable contribution for the success of the exhibition after a lapse of several years. Industrialists producing palmyra based products in the northern province are also displaying their products at this exhibition.

The salient feature of this exhibition is that the producer or handicraftsmen themselves display their productions sans middlemen. The people visiting the exhibition can purchase their productions and creations.

The President said the Traditional Industries and Small Industries Development Ministry has been tasked to upgrade 5,000 indigenous industries to the status of medium scale industries and 200 selected small medium industries into the status of large scale industries.

President Rajapaksa added that indigenous industrialists show the country's rich cultural heritage through their creations. "We have received an opportunity to bring Sri Lankans' high standard of craftsmanship and creativity to the world with the increase in tourist arrival."

The President was of the opinion that the value of the product is sometime determined on how we present them to the customer. He said industrialists should have a proper knowledge on how they should be presented to the customers too.

He said the Ministry should involve itself in introducing new designs to craftsmen to suit the local and international demand.

President Rajapaksa commended the Ministry's effort to set up handicraft centres similar to the Battaramulla National Craft Centres in other provinces particularly the tourist destinations.

Traditional Industries and Small Industries Development Minister Douglas Devananda, Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake, Ministers Rishad Badiudeen, S.B. Navinna and Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana and Northern Province Governor Major General G.A. Chandrasiri were present.