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| Tuesday, 27 May 2003 |
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Improve lot of SMEs to uplift economy - Lalith Kotelawala by Victor Alahakoon, Peradeniya Special Correspondent "We need not fall prey or look up to foreign investors as the entrepreneurs in the country have the potential and ability to uplift the economy. The aim should be to improve the lot of the small and medium level businessmen in the country," said Lalith Kotelawala, Chairman, North West and Central Region Economic Development Commission. He was addressing the opening ceremony on completion of Stage 1 of the Commercial complex which will house a shopping centre, a car park and a mega project in the heart of the Kandy City built at a cost of Rs. 3.8 billion by Property Finance and Investment (Pvt) Ltd, Kandy. Kotelawala said that President R. Premadasa during his tenure in office did his utmost to help local enterprises. This he said should be the policy of the country. He said that the country cannot look up entirely on the Board of Investment BOI for economic progress. We have to focus our attention on local investors to develop the economy. The poverty alleviation program of the late President Premadasa was a landmark exercise and taking a leaf from his work, he said he will take steps to improve the agricultural sector by focusing on water resource management and supply and constructing new tanks and reservoirs in the country. He said he would accelerate the development process by doing away with all red tape in his department. Thusitha Wijesena, Managing Director, Commercial Complex, Kandy, said that the project was started in 1994 but due to certain drawbacks construction work was delayed and was resumed in 1999. The car park in complex was originally designed to accommodate 375 vehicles but on a request by the Kandy Municipal Council it would be expanded to accommodate 990 vehicles. The project is expected to be completed by November this year. Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Thera of the Hunupitiya, Gangaramaya, Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji of Kirinde, Kesera Senanayake, Mayor of Kandy and Neranjan Wijeyeratne Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa were present. |
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