NCCSL leads business delegation to Jaffna

A business delegation comprising of 43 members, representing diverse industry sectors of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) held meeting with the business community in Jaffna from 16-19 July 2009. The delegation headed by Asoka Hettigoda, Deputy President of the NCCSL was accompanied by Hon. Secretary, Tilak Godamanna , Immediate Past President D Eassuwaren, Secretary General E.M. Wijetillake and the representatives of the following companies:

Adamjee Lukmanjee & Sons Ltd, Alcobronz (Private) Ltd, A.S. Agri Exports Private) Ltd, Associated Motorways Ltd, Atlas Logistics Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, BTL Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Buddhi Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Cargoserve Shipping Limited, Colour Vision, Dellogistics (Pvt) Ltd, DFCC Bank, DFCC Vardhana Bank, ECD Global (Pvt) Ltd, Eswaran Brothers Exports (Pvt) Ltd, EXPO Lanka Freight (Pvt) Ltd, EXPO Lanka Freight (Pvt) Ltd, Falcon Trading (Pvt) Ltd, Farmers (Pvt) Ltd, Hettigoda Industries (Pvt) Ltd, Heyleys Advantis Ltd, Moceti International (Pvt) Ltd, Koolair Ltd, Macksons Holdings, Mackwoods Ltd, Nature's Beauty Creations Ltd, Nilkamal Eswaran Plastics (Pvt) Ltd, Ninehearts (Pvt) Ltd, Transgrow (Pvt) Ltd, Torento Engineering (Pvt) Ltd and Wasana Trading Lanka (Pct) Ltd.

The delegates had fruitful meetings with the members of the business community in Jaffna representing Jaffna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Yalpanam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Jaffna Women's Chamber of Commerce Industry & Agribusiness and the Government Officers at the GA's Office.

Hon. Kumara Welgama, Minister of Industrial Development, Mr. Piyatillake, Secretary to the Ministry of Industrial Development and other government officials also participated at the meetings held with the above District Chambers on 17th July 2009.

Main areas of focus were setting up of business pertaining to agro-based industries, transportation, logistics, manufacturing of machineries, business financing, hospitals and clinics both Western and Ayurveda medicine, power sector light engineering ,telecommunication, infrastructure, setting up of branch offices and appointment of agents and distributors.

NCCSL senior officials are in Jaffna inspecting the SMEs with the help of the Government Agent's Office in Jaffna and Senior Officials of Industrial Development Board of Sri Lanka.

Their task is to select deserving entrepreneurs for this assistance scheme during the course of this week and the awarding of machines and equipment will be done within a month. As per the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the NCCSL and the IDB, the progress of the recipient companies will be monitored by the IDB.

The National Chamber has requested the members of the delegation to continue their dialogue with their counterparts and set up their businesses activities in Jaffna within the next month and the Chamber will provide any assistance they require to fulfill their task. Many businessmen in Jaffna appreciated the National Chamber's effort in bringing such a important and a diversified delegation and they expressed their sincere thanks to the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka as the visit would result in creating many employment opportunities to the youth in the Jaffna Peninsula who have suffered for decades.