NCE delegation visits UK

A business delegation led by Director Trade Promotion, NCE, Shiham Marikkar visited the United Kingdom recently.

The delegation included Managing Director, Straight-Line International, Ramesh Muthukumar, Director, Lanka Plastic Industries, T. Abidally, Managing Director, Faga Tyres, K.A.C. Vidyaratne, Managing Director, Paramount Print Pack, Priyanga Perera, Director, Fanam International, T.F.N. Amith.

The NCE coordinated the program with the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK. It involved meetings with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in London, retailers, and end users of products for which business was sought in the UK.

The delegates met coir fibre importers, and importers in the food sector. Prospective business partners also discussed with the delegates their printing and packaging needs.

They also met High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in the UK, Dr. Chris Nonis.

Director Trade Promotion, NCE, S. Marikar briefed Dr. Nonis on the work of the NCE and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to join suppliers and producers in the North of Sri Lanka with exporters in the South, for economic development of the Northern communities, which will also strengthen the reconciliation process of the Government.

Dr. Nonis welcomed this initiative under the Local Empowerment for Economic Development (LEED) Project and said that he would communicate with the Sri Lankan expatriate community in the UK regarding the project.

The South East London Chamber of Commerce participated in a networking session with the NCE delegates. Twenty-three members of the Chamber who were interested in the profiles of the NCE delegates joined the half-day networking session.

Those who attended the networking session were from the services sector - trade investment and consultancy, legal services, warehousing and storage, logistics and banking.

The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce hosted the delegates to a breakfast meeting at the chamber premises at which 25 members of the Chamber were present.

Director of International Trade of the Chamber, Jonathan Webber joined the business heads who discussed future business opportunities with the delegates. Webber also discussed with the NCE delegates and the Sri Lankan High Commission representatives plans of the Government to transform the country into a strategically important economic centre by developing five strategic hubs, knowledge, commercial, naval and maritime, aviation and energy, making the most of the strategic location of Sri Lanka and her resources.

The delegates also met 15 members of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

The LCCI hosted a general networking reception titled 'Meet the Sri Lankan business delegation' at which the Chairman of the Asian Business Association, Vijay Goel and Deputy CEO, LCCI, Peter Bishop addressed the delegation on the business opportunities in the UK.