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| Sunday, 21 April 2002 |
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Women's Chamber calls for more support to SMIs by INDUNIL THENUWARA Sri Lanka's banking industry can do much more for small and medium industrialists (SMI), Chairperson of the Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) Daya Jayaratne said. "Banks do not provide loans without collateral and their interest rates are too high which deter many small industrialists. Although we have made representations on this to the authorities, nothing positive has happened," Jayaratne, who is also Managing Director of Daya Jayaratne Associates which deals in agricultural vehicles and equipment, furniture and accessories and household linen, told the Sunday Observer. There are not enough incentives for SMIs. The government should give them preference as they need support. If the government can arrange a financial support scheme at lower rates of interest, this will benefit a lot of SMIs. They should be given preference even for the Indian Line of Credit, although interest rates are high there too, she said. WCIC Assistant Treasurer Sunanda Weerasinghe said a lot of support is given by the Indian government to its SMI sector. "Although we have nothing like that here, we need such assistance if the sector is to develop," she said. Weerasinghe is the Chairperson of Super Sun Food Products, which processes vegetarian food products and spices. "We should develop the rural economy to draw people out of poverty. We must promote entrepreneurship development specially in rural areas. This is exactly what the Women's Chamber is doing. We intend to get more and more women into the business sector," Jayaratne said. The Chamber, formed in 1985 to develop the capabilities of women in business, has over 130 members now. It has conducted seminars on various topics to increase women's awareness on those issues. It has also formed women's wings in other trade chambers. A food fair will be a highlight in its calendar for this year. "At this fair, we hope to display food items from many countries made by local manufacturers. Any company in the food business can take part in the fair and we are expecting some large companies as well," Weerasinghe said. The Chamber has also networked with women's chambers in the SAARC region. The SAARC Women's Entrepreneurship Council was formed last year by the WCIC to build close contacts, fellowship and cooperation among women entrepreneurs in the SAARC region. |
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