To further build investor confidence:

Business sector, chambers upbeat on CHOGM 2013

Business Desk

The decision to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo and the subsequent business leaders summit in 2013 will bring numerous economic benefits to the country. Former Federation of Chamber of Commerce President Nawaz Rajabdeen said it will open the doors for unprecedented investment to the country.

“The country will be automatically exposed to over 70 countries directly and the whole world would be following the developments in Sri Lanka,” he said.

“It would also build investor confidence even further,” he said. He said that hosting the event in Hambantota would add value to the destination. An official of the Hambantota Chamber of Commerce said that this is the best this world could do to Hambantota and it would definitely help to make Hambantota from an underprivileged area to a developed district.

President of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka Anura Lokuhetty said this is an excellent opportunity to showcase for Sri Lankan tourism.

‘The event will also market Hambantota as both a tourist and investment paradise,” he said.

Laugfs Holdings Chairman W.K.H. Wegapitiya said the event would accrue many benefits to the country. “If the country succeeded in winning the bid, Hambantota will witness new development by way of a new city.”

The present conducive socio-economic environment and political stability will pave way for rapid economic growth and the CHOGM will have a huge impact on our future, economy and society.

“However, we need to fast track the infrastructure and related facilities to accommodate the expected large number of visitors,” Wegapitiya said.

“We have seen GDP disparity among the provinces as development is mainly concentrated in the Western Province and this event will be an ideal platform to focus attention on Hambantota. This will shift the development and create a new economic boom.”

It will be the turning point of transforming our country’s image and position Sri Lanka as an aspiring country in a rapid development path. The holding of CHOGM is timely, exciting and tempting and we are eagerly waiting for the opportunity. “We will be able to enjoy the benefits for a long time as we did by holding the Non-Aligned Summit in 1976.”

The Finance Chairman Preethi Jayawardena said there will be lot of openings to Sri Lanka because the whole world will come to know about the country.

He said the CHOGM will improve to world standards and it will give a lot of benefits. More than everything else the investors will be attracted and foreign exchange will flow to Sri Lanka which will help to develop the country.

Having it in Hambantota will have special benefits because it will balance the GDP growth across the country rather than confining it to the Western Province.

Pelwatte Dairies Chairman Ariyaseela Wickramanyake hailed the government’s decision to host the event in Sri Lanka remarking that it will fulfill the long-felt need to develop infrastructure facilities in the Hambantota area.

“Having sound infrastructure facilities of the district will attract more investors to the area particularly in the tourism industry while also popularizing Hambantota and Sri Lanka as a preferred destination among business and holidaymakers in the world,” he added.

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka CEO and Secretary General Harin Malwatte said: “We are pleased to know that Sri Lanka will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2013.

It will indeed be an honour to have the Heads of Commonwealth nations visiting our country, and it will provide the State leaders a firsthand experience of the beauty of our country, the warmth of our people and the many potential investment opportunities available here. During the past it would have been difficult to host such a high powered delegation from across the world, but now with the end of the war, we are ready to host the leaders of the world and it is a without doubt a great honour for our country.

We look forward to welcome the Commonwealth heads of States in 2013,” he said.

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