Tourism industry targets SMEs to attract tourists

The Tourism Ministry has focused attention in improving the quality and thereby creating a market locally and foreign for the small industrial products in Kandy District which the Ministry feels will attract more and more domestic and international tourists.

The Ministry has decided as a policy to intervene and find a market for the small industrial products of the craftsmen of Ballapana, a village close to Galigamuwa, situated along the Colombo Kandy road, whose livehood is turning out clay products. They told the Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda, that they are continuing this industry in a small way facing several odds and obstacles and requested him to find a market, when he in the company of Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning visited the area recently.

The craftsmenof Ballapana complained that as they have no permit to transport clay, they have to seek the help of middlemen and how they have to pay around Rs.12,000.00 to hire a lorry. They also told that as they cannot afford to buy new machinery for mixing purposes and that they have to use their bare hands and as a result they cannot maintain high sandards of their product.

The industrialists also told the Minister that another draw back was that they have no suitable place along the Colombo-Kandy Road to market their products, and if the government or any agency intervenes to resolve these problems they contended that the industry coud be improved. The villagers mentioned that if the Tourist industry joins hands with the traditional craftsmen, they will be able to sell their products to tourist.

In reply Minister Milinda Moragoda said that steps would be taken to help get the equipment and offer technical know-how and also to open sales outlets. The Minister also said that funds could also be had from the Tourism Ministry and thereby the skills of traditional industrialists could be taken to the international forum.

He also said that the Ministry will explain the possibility of getting Laksala and other Government agencies to sell their products. Mr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Deputy Minister of Finance and planning, Secretary Tourism Ministry Mr. P.M. Leelarathna, Divisional Secretary Galigamuwa Mr. W.M.A.P.Wanninayake, Chairman Galigamuwa Pradeeshiya Sabawa Mr. Saman Jayasingha and Deputy Chairman Mr. Kelum Pathirana also participated.