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| Sunday, 27 January 2002 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Restoring
North-South trade ties
by P. Krishnasamy Marketing a glut of vegetables, fruits, onions and other agricultural produce has caused concern for the Jaffna farmer. This was observed by a delegation of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) who visited the Jaffna peninsula recently on a fact finding mission to restore business ties between the traders of the north and the south. Former president of the FCCISL, Granwille Perera, who organised the visit said that the Jaffna farmers as well as the southern consumers would greatly benefit if arrangements could be made to make available the surplus agricultural produce of the northern peninsula to the south and sell them at comparatively cheap prices. He said that their visit was very fruitful and encouraging and they had already briefed the Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, on the primary requirements for the improvement of commerce and industry in the peninsula and they would also meet Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya in that connection soon. Minister Jayalath Jayawardena had arranged a meeting in Jaffna with K. Poornachandiran, President of the Yalpanam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to discuss on how to sort out the problems of the business community of the peninsula, Granwille Perera said. The FCCISL delegation observed that the immediate problems faced by the northern business community were power supply and transport, which hampered all their activities. A 12-hour power cut was in force there and as a result, a large number of industrial enterprises were not functioning, Granwille Perera said. They had the occasion to visit a fishing-net manufacturing industry where, only 2 out of five machines were functioning and that too during the few hours of power supply, whereas the other machines were out of order due to lack of spare parts, which was also a problem, he said. New motor vehicles, except motorbicycles and scooters, were rarely seen in sales outlets in the peninsula and it was time to remedy the situation, Mr.Perera said. Following the recent lifting of the economic embargo, more supplies of vehicle spares have begun reaching Jaffna and the Vanni. |
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