The Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) has signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Yarlpanam (Jaffna) Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce as the first step to extending its services to businesses across the island, the country’s premier employers’ association said in a statement.
The EFC already represents a wide variety of industries from plastics to plantations and practically the entire financial and service sector to name a few.
However up until now, its membership has been fairly Colombo-centric and last week saw the launch of a new initiative, with the signing of two MoU’s with Hambantota and Jaffna’s Chambers of Commerce.
Whilst the government rebuilds Jaffna’s infrastructure, the Yarlpanam Chamber of Commerce and Industries has taken on the development of the small and medium industry sector in the district.
“If we had not had 30 years of war, Jaffna would be flush like Singapore,” said K. Poornachandran, Chairman of the Yarlpanam Chamber. “95% of the people living in Jaffna are peace loving citizens of Sri Lanka. Because of the war we lost all our wealth, but today we have been entrusted with a big task of developing Jaffna. I am really pleased to sign this MOU with the EFC, an organistion with more than 80 years of service in Sri Lanka. Our chamber is only 10 years old so the EFC is like an 80 year-old mother feeding and helping her 10 year old child.”
When asked how he thought his chamber could best make use of the EFC’s services, the Jaffna businessman referred to EFC’s skill in advising on labour law. “In developing the SME’s we have entered into many Public Private Partnership Agreements and are encountering various legal labour impediments. I am sure that the EFC can come forward and solve these labour problems for us”.
For Director of Hambantota District’s Chamber of Commerce, Suresh De Mel, the alliance with the EFC is a ‘dream come true’. “The regions are notorious for expecting a hand out,” he said. “But this is an example of a ‘hand up’, where we are going to be helped to empower rural organisations.” As a former president of the Business for Peace Alliance and himself a member of the EFC for over 20 years Mr. De Mel is passionate about the role of business as a generator of peace for the country. “In Sri Lanka the biggest challenge at the moment is sustainability of peace.
I believe that if we do not create more formal structures at the district level, then the Western Province and Colombo will keep developing much faster and the gap between the regions and Colombo will continue to widen so it will be tougher for us to sustain peace. This is a ground breaking initiative by the EFC and I hope other organisations in Colombo will follow suit and join chambers in the regions.” |
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