Financial Times

Mannar – focus of 47th chamber of FCCISL
The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCISL) opened its 47th chamber last week in Mannar, in its effort to spread the chamber movement far and wide across the once-difficult northern and eastern regions of the country.

After a two-year struggle to set up the Mannar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, FCCISL officials with the facilitation of the Vavuniya Chamber finally succeeded on Saturday.

The FCCISL, with the largest network of chambers across Sri Lanka, has been driving its expansion from north to south and in recent months raising the profile of chambers in Jaffna, Trincomalee and Batticaloa. Chambers are also due to be opened in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

Chamber officials say the drive will spawn a new breed of entrepreneurs in the micro, small and medium business segments, a vital part of the economy.
FCCISL President Nawaz Rajabdeen said at the opening of the new office that the area has been neglected for more than five decades. “There is a lot of potential for development but every successive government has neglected this area.”

He said it was unfortunate that no government agency has undertaken a needs assessment in the area and devised programmes to support war-affected people. “We are seriously thinking of upgrading and resurrecting all these damaged shops under our Back-to-Business programme.”

The FCCISL chief said his chamber was looking at development in war torn regions in a positive sense and keen on helping small businesses, industrialists and budding entrepreneurs.

“This is a society of Christians, Hindus, Muslims and a few Buddhists who are living in peace and harmony. This was a two year-dream that we have realised today,” he said, adding that the Federation hoped to help set up a business school, guide start-ups in micro enterprises and small industries.

He said there was a lot of potential for packaging of fish and a large ice plant, cement-based industries and light engineering enterprises.

FCCISL Secretary-General Samantha Abeywickrema, the driving force behind the project, said the Vavuniya chamber had helped immensely in accelerating the opening of the Mannar chamber. He promised to send an officer under the Back-to-Business programme to do a needs’ assessment of businesses.

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