FCCISL bags prestigious award

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) bagged the prestigious award for the best Unconventional Project for SMEs of the World Chambers Competition 2007, awarded by the World Chambers Federation recently.

President, Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Sri Lanka, Nawaz Rajabdeen, told a stakeholder felicitation ceremony in Colombo last week that the FCCISL was the only Chamber in Sri Lanka to win a prestigious award.

The Chief Guest at the ceremony was Avijit Mazumdar, the 2007 Chairman of the World Chambers Federation. Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama, Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona, Representatives of Diplomatic Missions, Heads and Representatives of Donor agencies and Representatives of the UN missions, were present.

Rajabdeen said the Back to Business project launched by the FCCISL to rehabilitate the livelihoods of persons affected by the tsunami disaster had rehabilitated 11,119 enterprises including 859 enterprises led by women.

"My memories go back to the days after the tsunami when Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, the then Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotions visited Galle with us and discussed details of the rescue and rehabilitation operations."

"We recognise and appreciate our financial, strategic, implementing and training partners, the electronic media sponsors and staff of FCCISL. We were supported financially by Handworkskamar, Kohlenz Germany, German State of Rheinland-Pfalz, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Asia Foundation, Shell Live Wire Programme and the German Technical Cooperation (GTC), Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands," he said.

Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotions, Dr. Sarath Amunugama said he was proud that FCCISL had won a prestigious world award. Sri Lanka has friendly relations with every country. The whole world came to our rescue after the tsunami disaster. Tremendous assistance for rehabilitation came from all over the world. In Paris schoolchildren, religious bodies, the public and NGOs donated large sums of money for tsunami victims.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) donated US $90 million to Sri Lanka on a mere chit signed by me. The monetary assistance we received was channelled through our banking system and was accounted for, he said.

The Minister said that every major sector in the country such as telecommunications and aviation had been opened and had formed strategic alliances with multinational companies. The Chairman of the World Chambers Federation Avijit Mazumdar also spoke.

Several stakeholders were presented awards.

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