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| Sunday, 1 December 2002 |
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FCCISL recognises entrepreneurs by Elmo Leonard Raja Hewabowala walked away with the Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year 2001 award last week at the ceremony conducted by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL). Hewabowala, who hails from Matara, founded Silicon Coatings (Pvt) Ltd 23 years ago. His first products were little tins of Chinese lacquer and the paint ingredients were hand-pounded by him. The consumer was satisfied with the product. Today, Hewabowala has competed in the highly competitive paint market, and established himself as a leader in the field. He is also recognised internationally. The UK-based World Organisation of Paint Manufacturers has acknowledged his work. Hewabowala has seen a steady rise in his business. He was jubilant in victory, and was widely cheered. He said it was not necessary for Sri Lankan manufacturers to seek foreign collaboration to achieve success. Hewabowala claimed that he was the only large-scale paint manufacturer in Sri Lanka who used 100 per cent local raw materials. His company had worked out the chemistry needed for paint manufacture with a lot of research and hard work. This was the seventh annual Entrepreneur of the Year awards presentation conducted by the FCCISL. A large number of entrepreneurs, including women, from all provinces took part. The contest was divided into three categories - agriculture, industry and services. The founder of the Entrepreneur Awards, Patrick Amarasinghe, a past president of FCCISL, said that Lankan entrepreneurs make a major contribution to the socio-economic development of the country, fighting in a fiercely competitive global battlefield. Entrepreneurs are facing more challenges with turbulent times within the country and globally. Amarasinghe, an entrepreneur himself, said there were many entrepreneurs who had made silent contributions, but were unheard and unsung. This awards scheme recognises them. "I have often been moved by the tears of joy of the many entrepreneurs who won the awards," he said. The World Bank's Country Director for Sri Lanka, Peter Harrold, said the nation needed serious and deep economic reforms to revive the economy. If there was peace, and if government enacted economic reforms the World Bank would be ready to provide financial backing to Sri Lanka's efforts. But Sri Lanka would need much more than the actions of the government, and development partners, Harrold added. "Sri Lanka needs entrepreneurs who could rise to the challenge of new opportunities, and provide the nation with jobs. Those jobs would be needed, not only in the Western Province, where most of the nation's development has been concentrated over the years, but also in the North and East. Such job opportunities are needed in the South, where too many people live in poverty and without hope for a better future." |
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