The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) held its 57 Annual General Meeting (AGM) recently in Colombo. Raja Hewabowala, who had been the Chairman CNCI for the past year was re-elected Chairman for another term of one year.
Presenting the Chairman’s Review, Hewabowala said that the post war era with a peaceful atmosphere after a three decades war, the infra-structural development programmes in the country, measures taken by the government to attract Foreign Direct Investors will hopefully create more opportunities in the areas of business both to start and improve. However, the CNCI believes that such opportunities alone do not suffice to make a good businessman without know how and the direction. This is an important era where the chamber involves in filling the gap.
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| Raja Hewabowala garland the official memento as the newly appointed chairman by the pro tem chairman. Pictures by Saliya Rupasinghe |
He pointed out that during the period under review, there have also been instances where the Sri Lankan industries have happened to face challenges. Global threats, natural disasters, labour issues, environmental issues, social and political issues coupled with competition have been among a bundle of challenges. The monetary an fiscal policy of the Government also created novel experiences to the local industries amid all these challenges.
He further said that the proposed Free trade Agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and China, ETCA with India and the already signed FTA with Singapore were significant factors to be concerned by the industrial sector. The Latest is the Singapore Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, where the association believed that there were certain adverse implications to the industrial sector. “We submitted the industrial concerns to the Committee appointed by the President,” he said.
Hewabowala added that as the pioneering chamber for industries in the country, their endeavour was to create a level playing field for the local industries which should be free of undue constraints.
Hewabowala is a graduate in Rubber and Polymer Chemistry at the University of Moratwua. After graduation, he joined the paint industry as an employee and later decided to achieve his future aspirations with great confidence. In 1979 he started a company named Silicone Coatings with the brand name of Nippolac with only three workers. After 33 yeas in the Industry, Silicone Coatings (pvt) Ltd entered into a strategic partnership with “Nippon Paint”, which became the Asia’s number one paint manufacturer by 2012 . Hewabowala is also the Managing Director of Can-tec Printing and Packing (Pvt) Ltd, Speciality Construction Chemicals (Pvt) Ltd and Resin and polymer Technologies (Pvt) Ltd.
(MFJ)
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