FCCISL to strengthen regional chambers

Hiran H. SENEWIRATNE

Newly inducted President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Kosala Wickramanayake said he will take the initiative to promote rural development through the regional chambers in the country.

He said they will be continuing to work with SME sector projects to promote rural development in the country. Therefore they will also link up with public and private sector partnerships for that purpose.

Wickramanayake said the Eastern Province has to develop with the blessing of the Government and the Opposition. Therefore, infrastructure projects especially roads have to be developed to expedite the Province to a greater level.

He said they are also going to work with the China Chamber for Promotion of international trade to attract Chinese investments to the country. Nawaz Rajabdeen has been the President of FCCISL for the last three and a half years and played a key role to rebuild the ruptured damage after the tsunami with the rehabilitation programme of ‘Back to Business’ and the ‘Business for Peace Initiative’.

It was unprecedented not only in local terms but also in international terms as it won the prestigious award the Best Unconventional Project for SMEs at the fifth World Chambers Federation Competition in July 2007.

Relinquishing his duties as President, FCCISL, he said he has taken steps to strengthen the FCCISL Secretariat with a centralised management and strengthened the financial resources as in 2005. When he took over turnover was Rs 45 million but at the end of 2007 it was Rs 255 million and an after tax profit of Rs 13.4 million. Rajabdeen said in the national economic and business policy arena, FCCISL has been aggressively pushing for a pro-business agenda emphasising on the local enterprises and small and medium sector. Rajabdeen said “I step down with a sense of achievement and with a feeling of satisfaction that I have rendered my best to my fellow business community.”