Financial Times

Congratulations and celebrations
Mahinda similar to ‘grassroots’ Premadasa
The Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) the apex umbrella body of the private sector for 50 trade and industrial bodies which represent over 9,000 enterprises, last week congratulated Mahinda Rajapakse on his election as the fifth Executive President.

In a statement FCCISL said the people of this country has again elected a politician who has emerged from the grassroots having an impressive and multi-disciplinary political career. “Mahinda Rajapakse who is having quite a similar profile and background to the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa is expected to bring benefits and relief to the common masses in the process of his economic development initiatives,” it said.

The chamber said it was hopeful the new President will not delay commencing the implementation of a socio-economic development strategy and vision outlined in “Mahinda Chinthana”. “The new President will have to take the bull by horns and address burning issues such as creating durable and honorable peace, accelerating economic development process, maintaining law and order and creating just and equitable society.”

FCCISL said it will extend its support and blessings to the new President on any pro-private sector policies and far reaching economic reforms in order to accelerate the economic development process in the country. A balance between maintaining a high level of FDI flow while stimulating the development of the Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) sector is one of the key economic challenges that FCCISL would like to draw the attention of the new President. Special emphasis should be given to agricultural development, animal husbandry and fisheries sectors which are vital sectors neglected by every successive government that came to power.

A fast track development of these sectors will have a positive impact on poverty alleviation, rural income generation, employment creation and value added exports etc, the statement said.

The apex chamber urged the government to kick start a 100-day programme in order to set the phase of the implementation of such development activities and closely monitor with private sector participation. The private sector should be consulted and be made partners in such a development process to make it sustainable in the long run, it said.

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