Focus on rebuilding North:
North-South traders, investors meet
by Ananth PALAKIDNAR
The Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce and the Jaffna Traders Association
met for the first time in Jaffna on Friday in order to enhance the
trading and investment activities in the war-torn North.
“The meeting between the traders and investors of the North and the
South is significant as President Mahinda Rajapaksa is determined to
rebuild Jaffna with extensive investments, agricultural and trading
activities.” Minister of Industrial Development Kumara Welgama who
presided over the meeting between the North-South traders said. A 42
member delegation of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce comprising
traders, investors, industrialists and bankers from the South is
currently in Jaffna exploring ways and means of bridging business and
industrial communities of the North and the South.
The Jaffna Traders Association represented by a 60 member delegation
engaged in the meeting with the Chamber of Commerce members at the
office building of the Jaffna Traders Association.
Minister Welgama speaking at the event said that President Rajapaksa
was very keen that the development activities in the North should be
commenced without leaving room for any discrimination.
The Minister also assured that the government would provide its
fullest cooperation to investors and traders in their efforts in
rebuilding Jaffna.
The delegation of traders and investors also visited several sites to
explore possibilities of making investments for their industrial and
trading activities.
They also met academics and students of the university of Jaffna and
members of the Jaffna Civil Society. The North-South traders unanimously
agreed on the need for expanding commercial transportation via the A-9
highway and urged the Industrial Development Minister to expedite the
process of allowing more interaction between the North and the South.
Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce Secretary, E.M.W. Wijetillake and the
Jaffna Traders Association President, M. Janak Kumar conducted the
meeting where it was agreed to have follow up action with regard to
trading and investment activities between the North and the South.
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