SLSBC concludes Trade mission to S'pore

A delegation from the Sri Lanka - Singapore Business Council (SLSBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, successfully concluded a business mission recently.

The mission was organized to attend the IE-SBF Seminar on Business Opportunities in Sri Lanka, followed by One-to-One Business Meetings which was organized by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Apex Business Chamber in Singapore with over 18,000 members, supported by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, the Government Agency driving Singapore's external economy and promoting the overseas growth of Singapore-based enterprises and international trade, in association with the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore.

Mission participants with officials of SBF, SICCI and SMCCI

The objective of the IE-SBF seminar had been to educate Singaporean companies on opportunities of doing business with Sri Lanka. The event was attended by over 100 well established Singaporean companies.

In her opening address Madam Ferial Ashraff, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Singapore, emphasized that organizing of seminars of this nature, would contribute to augment bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Singapore.

Timothy Sun, Manager of the South Asia Group representing IE Singapore, provided the participants with an overview of the Sri Lankan economy and Singapore - Sri Lanka trade. Sun, highlighted sectors such as Tourism, Infrastructure and Education, as having potential, with respect to business opportunities available in Sri Lanka.

Duminda Ariyasinghe, Executive Director (Investment Promotion), represented the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.

A success story of doing business in Sri Lanka was presented by Vivek Chhabra, Regional Director, Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd. Chhabra mentioned some of the key attractions of Sri Lanka, such as political stability, a favourable law and order environment, business friendly regulations, inexpensive and educated human resources and infrastructure development, which would entice Singapore companies to invest in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the gathering, Shamil Mendis, President of the SLSBC, mentioned that Sri Lankan delegates had participated in a series of successful seminars, organized by IE Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation in the past, for which he thanked the two organizations. Given the positive economic growth in Sri Lanka, he invited potential Singaporean investors to visit and explore the many opportunities available in the country.

Mendis further mentioned that Keppel Corporation of Singapore, had recently established its presence in Sri Lanka, via a joint venture. Mendis concluded by stating as to how the SLSBC could facilitate Singapore companies to establish business links with companies in Sri Lanka.

Niroze Idroos of Vijay & Co. Advocates and Solicitors, was invited to brief the participants on legal considerations of doing business in Sri Lanka.

The delegation also participated in a series of meetings at the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI), and the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SMCCI), which provided them an opportunity to network with the senior officials and members of the two Chambers.

The sixteen member delegation was led by the SLSBC President Shamil Mendis, Chairman/ Managing Director of Spear International (Pvt) Ltd., had a remarkably productive visit to Singapore. The delegation comprised of Janaka Gunasekera, Director, Agri Input, A. Baur & Co. (Pvt) Ltd., Prajeeth Balasubramaniam, Managing Director, Blue Ocean Venture (Pvt) Ltd., Daya Gamage, Chairman, Chamindra Gamage, Director, Daya Group (Pvt) Ltd., Sriyal Dissanayake, Managing Director, Eastern Maritime (Colombo) Ltd., U. C. Bandaranayake, Director, Forbes & Walker Fine Foods (Pvt) Ltd., Romeish de Mel, Consultant, Just In Time Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., Andre Fernando, Chairman/ Managing Director, MAC Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., Kanishka Samaraweera, General Manager, Marketing & Sales, Microcells (Pvt) Ltd., Jeevan Gnanam, CEO/ Director, Orion Development (Pvt) Ltd., H. J. R. Mendis, Managing Director, Prudential Shipping Lines (Pvt) Ltd., & Helanka Vacations (Pvt) Ltd., A. Samson C. de Silva, Managing Director, S. S. Impex (Pvt) Ltd., Vish Govindasamy, Group Managing Director, Sunshine Holdings PLC and Omar Fatha Rally, Director & CEO, Tellida (Pvt) Ltd. The visit was coordinated by Ms. Satheeka Kavisekera, Manager, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.