Swiss envoy tells Basil :

Bright future for Sri Lankan exports

Sri Lanka's investment-friendly policies have made it possible to manufacture and export high quality products with no difficulty, Swiss ambassador to Sri Lanka Thomas Litscher said.

He said large scale investments Swiss companies in the island have generated employment for Sri Lankan youth in areas like Badalgama, Gampaha where a factory for manufacturing electronic items for export has been set up.

Litscher who met Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the ministry office recently, said programmes to improve employees' technological knowledge, library facilities and residential facilities for staff officers have been provided by the company running the electronics factory built under environmental friendly regulations.

He said the rate of production will increase in the coming years since Sri Lanka's technological level is on a high level. "This factory's products are already being exported to USA, Britain and other European countries," he said.

Minister Rajapaksa said steps are being taken to increase the production rate of industries in the investment promotion zones through advanced environmental-friendly technology. A leading cement manufacturing company is using glyseri timber to generate electricity which the company's factory requires, the minister said.

He said these measures helped train unskilled labour and acquire more man power to raise production.

Observing the great demand nationally and internationally for skilled labour, Minister Rajapaksa said the country's higher educational and vocational training institutions provide youths with technology-oriented training and knowledge.

Minister Rajapaksa told the Swiss ambassador that Sri Lanka's tourist industry was rapidly developing and the number of tourists from European increasing.