Mind your Business
Wheeler-dealers
The greens are sure a confident lot when it comes to predicting the outcome
of the polls though one would expect them to be once bitten, twice shy.
The talk is now that if the greens take over the reins of power major
privatisation deals involving telecommunications, airlines and gas distribution
will be reviewed. And that is why some overseas stakeholders are already
running for cover, seeking assurances from the rival camp - and getting
them aplenty!
Bears and bulls wary
The Colombo bourse is set for the Big Bang on polling day - a Bull Run
that will take the market to new heights.
Already major institutional players are reportedly buying small parcels
of value-for-money blue chips at bargain prices hoping to cash in, in a
few weeks time but at the same time being careful not to push the market
up right now.
Even then the response of overseas buyers has been lukewarm because
they are very sceptical about the outcome of the elections, especially
about a smooth transfer of power.
Chain for the better
Sri Lanka has its fair share of supermarkets, with at least three big names
indulging in the business but the country doesn't boast of a single international
supermarket chain.
That may soon change, if the initial responses of a well-known retailer
are anything to go by. If this trend continues, we may soon have not only
'cities' and 'supers' but 'marts' as well!
Pre-poll patchwork for garments
By Feizal Samath
Faced with an unpopular vote base in the form of garment manufacturers
and close to one million workers, the government is stepping up efforts
to provide quick relief to the industry.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga has summoned an urgent meeting tomorrow
with the garment trade where she is expected to announce a series of concessions
and incentives to placate a crisis-hit industry.
Not to be outdone, the main opposition United National party (UNP),
confident of victory at the December 5 poll, is also working out relief
measures including sending a high-powered ministerial team to the US and
Europe to press for duty free concessions for Sri Lanka.
The trade has not been officially told the agenda for Monday's meeting
with President Kumaratunga but the word is out – there is an "X-mas" bonanza
in store for garment exporters. "Our letter of invitation just says the
president is inviting us for a discussion on the industry," noted Nihal
Seneviratne, general secretary of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters.
However, meetings between the Chamber, Treasury, Textile Quota Board
(TQB) and the Board of Investment (BOI) has triggered speculation that
President Kumaratunga would announce a series of measures to ease the garment
crisis.
The concessions are particularly aimed at the small and medium sized
industries, which raised a stir in government circles, some weeks ago,
calling a press conference to explain the seriousness of the situation.
Industrialists told reporters that they are facing a major crisis with
the feared closure of at least 50 small and medium-scale factories as manufacturers
grappled with a "no work" scenario.
"I have never faced such a crisis in my 17 years in this industry,"
noted Seneviratne, also managing director at Nilano Garments Ltd. Cassian
Fernando, past president of the chamber and a veteran manufacturer, agreed
saying this is one of the worst crises faced by the industry.
Some 200 factories are either working at 50 percent or have shut down
production in many of their production lines. UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe
told The Sunday Times Business he had plans to revive an industry, which
was propelled into a major export earner during the UNP's run of power
between 1977 to 1994.
He said he was planning to give BOI status and similar concessions to
all small and medium scale industries, which would probably be in force
by December 5 since Kumaratunga is planning to announce similar concessions
at tomorrow's meeting.
The UNP leader also said his government would negotiate with US and
EU authorities to provide duty-free access and concessions similar to what
Bangladesh and Pakistan have obtained.
A note on the garment industry crisis prepared by a foreign consultancy
says that contrary to what trade negotiators say, the end of the quotas
(in 2005) will not create a level playing field for Sri Lankan garments.
"Quotas may disappear but tariffs will remain and these tariffs are
levied at the highest rate of all major producers."
At a meeting chaired by Treasury Secretary, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera on
Thursday, there was general agreement of a level-playing field between
BOI and non-BOI industries. "The secretary agreed that these two sectors
should be brought under one umbrella," Seneviratne, who was present at
the meeting, said.
He said small and medium garment factories are likely to be provided
with concessions enjoyed by BOI firms except for tax concessions, which
needs parliamentary approval if changes are to be made.
The chamber, citing factory closures and increasing layoffs, has pleaded
for a series of concessions and subsidies to pay salaries, reduce the cost
of utilities and for re-structuring of their factories.
"We need some cash in our hands to tide over the crisis at least for
six months and then hope there would be a turnaround," Seneviratne said.
Upgrading factories is the key towards Sri Lanka's garment exporters
meeting the challenges of the industry when the non-quota regime starts
in January 2005.
The 2001 budget provides for the creation of a re-structuring fund for
the garment industry where a 75 percent state grant will be given to factories
while the industry invests the balance 25 percent. "We fought for this
for a long time, as this is our money and we need to gear up for 2005.
But sadly this has not been implemented," said Cassian Fernando.
"I hope this is not an election stunt and would not be subject to change
whoever is in power after the poll," said another industrialist referring
to tomorrow's likely announcement.
Lyn Fernando, a former chamber president and managing director at Creations
Ltd, said that current indications are that garment exports from Sri Lanka
will fall sharply this year while countries in the sub-Sahara region, which
have concessions, are increasing their exports.
Fernando, part of an EDB delegation that visited the US and Canada last
month to whip up support from buyers, said the EDB should immediately set
up an office in New York with a representative and an assistant concentrating
only on promoting the country's apparel industry.
Great feat by SL engineers
The ingenuity of Sri Lankan engineers was recently showcased when a project
undertaken by Caterpiller engineers – through local agent United Tractors
& Equipment Ltd (UTE)– saved the country a massive Rs. 460 million
and gave Sri Lanka Railways a facelift.
The company said on November 1, the railway department commissioned
the first of four locomotives literally resurrected from the railway's
scrap yard and re-engineered with Caterpiller's local agents.
The project places Sri Lanka as the first country in Asia to re-power
locomotives with Caterpillar 35115 diesel engines. "This remarkable engineering
feat assumed greater significance with the locomotives assigned to the
gruelling upcountry line, where in earlier incidents, some of the best
known and brand new engines have failed," the UTE statement said.
"The locomotives selected for rehabilitation have been in the railway
scrap yard in Ratmalana exposed to the elements for over a decade. The
transformation since then has surprised even the hardest detractors of
the project," said Priath Fernando, chairman of UTE.
He said re-commissioning locomotives condemned as scrap metal not only
saves vast sums of public money but also pays tribute to local engineering
and technical skills.
A Sri Lanka Railways spokesman said the cost to the government for rehabilitating
one locomotive was just Rs. 45 million compared to Rs. 165 million, if
a brand new locomotive was purchased.
UTE, meanwhile, began a new phase in its 54-year old business journey,
moving to its own industrial estate along with sister companies. The company,
including the head office, has shifted to a prime site at Wattala.
Small scale firms face big crisis
745 wind up during the past six months
The Small and Medium Entrepreneurs' Lanka Organisation (SMELO) has informed
the government that more than 745 small and medium scale enterprises have
closed during the last six months.
''People have been left in the lurch due to the unavailability of any
support from the government and any other institution. We have informed
the government of this plight through letters and meetings with officials,''
a SMELO spokesman said.
Many members of the SMELO, at a news conference last week in Colombo,
blamed the situation on the current economic crisis coupled with economic
mismanagement, which they said has reduced the purchasing power of the
people.
They said last year the contribution from small and medium-scale enterprises
(SMEs) in the economic development of the country amounted to more than
50 percent of production.
"These small and medium size businesses are a force to be reckoned with
and are the driving force of the economy,'' President of the SMELO, D.G.W.
Muhandiramge said.
Every month at least hundred SME's were shutting down due to the absence
of proper economic policies to safeguard these industries.
He said that most of their entrepreneurs had many problems but no government
has listened to their grievances since independence.
The SMELO president said at present they have close to 5,850 members
in their organisation who are "hoping against hope" for some government
incentives and concessions to protect their industries.
Some of the problems faced by these industries include difficulties
in obtaining initial capital for the business, non-availability and the
lack of support from banks and financial institutions, Muhandiramge added.
SMELO has requested the government to establish a small and medium Entrepreneur
Investment Board to help and assist industries and those facing a crisis.
Relate your success story
Do you run a business that is unusual or against all odds? Have you succeeded
in life as a small or medium-scale business battling against multi-nationals
and giant local conglomerates and still made it to the top?
The Sunday Times Business Desk would like to hear from you to highlight
your success and the winning formula. Write/ contact the Business Editor
on e-mail – btimes@wijeya.lk, The Sunday Times, 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road,
Colombo 2 or telephone 304179.
Dispute with TRC costs Tritel Rs.20 million
By Hiran Senewiratne
A 20 million-rupee investment by Tritel, Sri Lanka's biggest payphone company,
in a new voice mail system at phone booths across the island went down
the drain after telecommunication authorities introduced a set of new regulations
this year.
"We are thoroughly disappointed with the relevant authorities for letting
us down," said Tritel Chief Executive Officer, Robert. J. Schuster.
To add to the disappointment, the company has delayed plans to invest
US $ 5-10 million to improve its network and also double the number of
telephone booths, due to economic uncertainty in the country.
Schuster, referring to the voice mail dispute, said the company was
the first to design and develop a voice mail system for payphones in Sri
Lanka at a time when permission was not necessary. This happened before
new regulations governing this facility came into place this year by the
Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC).
He said the TRC then gave negative replies to repeated requests to permit
the use of this system. The Tritel chief said permission was not necessary
until the new rules came into force. TRC Director General, R.D. Somasiri,
however, said Tritel has never applied for a license and is therefore not
a licensed operator to use voice mail.
He said licences to operate voice mail have been given to Sri Lanka
Telecom, Suntel and Lanka Bell - all fixed phone operators - and not payphone
operators.
A disappointed Schuster said value added products such as voice mail
systems were necessary to attract customers in the face of growing competition
from fixed phone and mobile phone operators.
Tritel has 3,000 telephone booths across the island and enjoys a 60
percent market share including rural areas in this telecommunication segment.
But reduced telephone call rate charges and stagnation in the market, plus
high taxes and GST have eroded the profits of the business in addition
to bureaucratic red tape.
Schuster said the company was not getting decent returns on their investment
and the cloudy economic environment has stalled future investment plans.
"We are coming out with value addition to our pay phone system to attract
more customers'' asserted Ranjan Guruge, General Manager Operations at
TSG Lanka Ltd, another payphone company.
He said his company had the lowest call charges in the town and were
offering customers novel products like the "Gold Card" to save money with
value addition including tariff advantages. "Since mobile phone charges
are high, it is cheaper to use prepaid phone cards." |
