Shot in the arm for craftsmen

By L.B.Senaratne

The Defence Ministry has approved the release of brass and copper casings of spent bullets, to be turned into metal sheets for use as raw material by craftsman in the Central Province. Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa who initiated the programme said Defence Secretrary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had given approval and granted permission for the collection of spent bullet casings to be turned into sheets for the use of craftsmen.

He said the Industrial Development Board would be involved in turning out these sheets. Central Province craftsmen who turn out brass and copper items have been short of raw materials for sometime while what is available in the market is expensive. They claim they cannot sell their products for a reasonable price if they have to buy the raw material at high prices.