Financial Times

The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI), has welcomed a recent announcement by the BOI Chairman Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala to impose duty on imports of 11 listed construction materials by BOI companies.

“We welcome this decision as all listed products imported hitherto by the BOI companies are manufactured locally to international standards,” chamber President Nimal Perera said in a statement. It said the CNCI has made representations in the past to the government on this matter and “we recall that we have had intense negotiations with the relevant government officials requesting them to persuade BOI companies to procure their needs from the local market instead of importing these items which are mainly related to the construction industry.” “We recall that we represented the steel manufacturers and cable manufacturers in Sri Lanka requesting that the BOI companies requirements of the Electrical Wire and Steel Torbars and other steel products respectively used in construction industry be purchased locally. The response we received from the government at the time was not favourable. We have no doubt the recent decision by the government will be a great encouragement and impetus to the local industrialists.

We congratulate the government for their nationalistic view in promoting local industries,” the statement added.