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| Sunday, 16 March 2003 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Ceylon Chamber of Commerce : 164 years of service to businesses The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) will celebrate 164 years of service to the business community this month. It is one of the few institutions in the Asia Pacific region to continuously and successfully serve the private sector for such a long period. The CCC presently has over 500 member organisations and, as the voice of the country's private sector, it makes policy recommendations to the government on economic issues and assists governmental authorities in the implementation of development plans as well as regulating and promoting industrial sectors. Birth of CCC The Chamber was founded in March 1839 on an initiative by the then Governor J.A. Stewart Mackenzie, who was interested in promoting agriculture and trade. The main objective of CCC was promoting trade and commerce in the country. Services offered to local businesses CCC offers a range of services to the local business community. In addition to expressing the views of the business sector on various issues, it also helps ascertain the views of the private sector on current issues, thereby playing a catalystic role between the government and the business community. Export and investment promotion is carried out through circulars and bulletins on business opportunities, markets, products as well as through the establishment of bilateral councils to promote exports and joint ventures. The Chamber provides information on trade procedures, markets and products and trade contacts. Its Foreign Trade Information Division maintains databases on businesses and details of overseas trade promotion organisations such as chambers of commerce, import promotion offices and overseas buyers and sellers. The CCC is linked to international networks such as Trade information Service Network of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry, World Chambers Network and the Trade Information Network of the Group 77 Chambers of Commerce and Industry. It also provides letters of introduction, EAN-Sri Lanka, registration of commercial documents, quality surveys, arbitration and conciliation, opportunities for overseas training programs, seminars and workshops. The Chamber is also equipped with a Legal Advisory Unit, which provides information and assists the Chamber subcommittees in making representations to the government on legal and regulatory issues while the Economic Intelligence Unit monitors and analyses the current economic development of the country as well as other economies. Services for foreign businesses CCC helps overseas business representatives visiting Sri Lanka in many ways including arranging contacts, a business information system, overseas business organisation system, product and market information, publications, business visitors to Sri Lanka, membership and registration of commercial documents. Registration of commercial documents CCC registers trade and commercial documents required by overseas buyers including certificates of origin, invoices, agency agreements and Force Majeure certificates. Auctions Tea, rubber and spices and allied product auctions are held at the CCC. The tea auctions are the largest in the world and have a history of over 100 years. The rubber auctions constitute one in a chain of international auction centres. The auctions are conducted by the Ceylon Tea Traders Association, Colombo Rubber Traders Association, and the Spices and Allied Products Traders Association, which are affiliated to CCC. The Chamber has 38 trade and product associations affiliated to it while 18 bilateral business councils have been set up to promote trade, investment and tourism. The chamber has 21 sub-committees. IMEXPRO 2003 About 250 foreign delegates have confirmed participation for IMEXPRO 2003, the International Trade Fair to be held in Sri Lanka from March 30 to April 1, 2003, at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention centre. It is the showcase for local and international products and services, said Chairman CCC Tilak de Zoysa. CCC is organising the trade fair to coincide with the meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation, scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka from March 29 to April 3, and the CCC's 164th anniversary celebrations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Board of Investment and the Ministry of Industries will jointly promote the fair. The exhibition is expected to boost exports and imports and move Sri Lanka forward to new heights in the global competitive market, he added. "As a result of the peace process, there has been an upsurge in the interest for investment in Sri Lanka from all parts of the world. Therefore, it is opportune to hold such a fair," said de Zoysa. He said: "CCC is confident that it will open new avenues for local and foreign enterprises to expand their activities in the global market and also make a significant contribution to developing Sri Lanka's position in the international marketing arena," he said |
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