Investor friendly climate in country

by a Special Correspondent

There is immense potential for relationships with the United Kingdom to be strengthened in every sphere of activity, both political and economic, as Sri Lanka emerges from a painful conflict with the now defeated terrorist organisation and turns its energies to the development of her economy for the benefit of the whole nation, Professor G. L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade, said in Cambridge, England.

He was delivering a keynote address in the opening session of an international symposium held at Jesus College, University of Cambridge, last week.

The audience consisted of more than 600 representatives of governments, judges, legislators, diplomats, State officials, academic and professional leaders and prominent members of civil society organisations from all parts of the world.

Professor Peiris, a Quondam Distinguished Visiting Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, and former Smuts Visiting in Commonwealth Studies in the University of Cambridge, gave an account of Sri Lanka's recent achievements in challenging circumstances and explained the approach by the government of Sri Lanka to pressing issues at this time.

In Manchester, Professor Peiris addressed business leaders at a meeting organised by United Kingdom Trade and Investment, in association with the High Commission of Sri Lanka, on the theme "Spotlight on Sri Lanka."

Forty companies participated in the proceedings, the focus of which was an update on trade and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka after the restoration of peace and stability.

The major sectors of British industry represented at this meeting were energy, information technology, agriculture, food processing, manufacture with value addition, rubber based products and fisheries processing.

In London Professor Peiris met with Lord Brennan, Queen's Counsel, for a wide ranging discussion about current political and economic developments in Sri Lanka. A specialist in banking and investment law, Lord Brennan has been following keenly current developments relating to Sri Lanka's trade and investment potential.

Lord Daniel Brennan assured Minister Peiris of his strong support for the initiative proposed by Lord Mervyn Davies of Abersoch, Britain's Minister of State for Trade and Investment, for assembling a group of British business leaders to visit Sri Lanka in the near future to take advantage of the investor-friendly climate in the country.