International Gem and Jewellery exhibition in Colombo

‘JEWELS – 2017’ - a Gem and Jewellery Exhibition, Competition and Jewels’ Talk, opened at the Taj Colombo hotel on Friday.
The event is dominated by a 40-strong Chinese delegation along with Russian, German and Belgian delegates at this international gem and jewellery fair and exhibition. The event held for the 10th consecutive year concludes today (Saturday).
The event was opened by Karunaratne Paranavithana, Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training with Dr Kithsiri Dissanayake, Chairman, National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) and Dr. Navaratne Bandara, Chairman, National Gem and Jewellery Training Institute (NGJTI). 
Mr. Paranavithana assured that he would work to start an insurance scheme for the gem miners as well as a pension scheme.
Udaya Senarath Yapa, President, Gemologists Association of Sri Lanka (GASL) on the sidelines of the event told the Business Times that one of the perennial setbacks in the gem industry has been that miners sell their stones in the raw rough form, without any value addition. Value addition at one time was around 50 per cent but now it has come down to more than 10 per cent.
He said another major hindrance is that miners leave the large pits abandoned after mining which has caused many environmental problems including landslides.  He said that once these abandoned pits are filled with rain water they tend to contribute landslides.
He pointed out that Sri Lanka’s market share in the international market is getting reduced due to the fact that Sri Lanka’s landmass available for gem mining is shrinking compared to countries like Brazil, Kenya, Namihia, Tanzania, Some South African and South American countries which have abundance of land for mining and they mine mechanically, whereas in Sri Lanka it is not.
To prevent miners abandoning the pits after mining, he said that the NGJA has introduced licensing these pits in a bid to monitor and compel miners to refill the pits.  Mr. Paranavithana said that it is not 100 per cent successful as there appears to be some corrupt officials.  
He said that in a bid to educate the stakeholders of these dangers, they organize workshops and field trips to mining areas and they even take school children on these field trips so that everybody involved are educated on the issues.  
On Sunday 17, Richard Hughes, a world famous Gemologist will deliver a talk on legendary gems like Rubies and Sapphires and would also speak on ‘Padparadsha Sapphire’  rare and popular gem varieties in the sapphire family.  (Quintus)