Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry trade mission to Australia

The ten member trade delegation the Sri Lanka Chamber of Small Industry visited the States of Queensland and Tasmania in Australia led by its President Aloy Jayawardane.

The delegation were guests of Commerce Queensland in Brisbane and Tasmania Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hobart.

Sri Lanka Consul General in Sydney Gothami Indikadahena accompanied the delegation.

She made a Power Point Presentation, touching upon the benefits the foreign investors would enjoy by investing in Sri Lanka. It also covered the FTA agreements with India and Pakistan.

The delegation first met the Chamber of Commerce Queensland and the meeting was chaired by President of the Chamber Beatrice Booth with her were Manager, International Business Nick Ferris and other officials with around twenty business personalities.

The delegates exchanged views with the business participants from Queensland.

Jayawardane who had visited Commerce Queensland in early 2007 had proposed to start a training institute to train unskilled labour - carpenters, electricians, plumbers, welders etc. In this regard Jayawardane had more discussions with Booth and State Training Manager Phillip Wiley. It was decided that a project report be prepared and sent to “Commerce Queensland” for their study.

A project report is being prepared by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board which will be forwarded for study to “Commerce Queensland”.

“We need Government support”, Jayawardane said. “We will request the Government to give us the land and the building. From the Australian side, they will send the trainers with their tools and accessories. The training is to use Australian tools and they have to master their use.

The training will be for two years, trainees with advanced level education in Maths and Science subjects and a very good knowledge of English. Once they qualify, they will get their VISA to go to Queensland and work

for three years and if they perform well they could apply for permanent residence. Jayawardane is confident this will see the light of the day within a year.

The mission held meeting with Government Officials - Rob Whiddon, General Manager, Queensland Department of Trade and Ms. Gayle O’Brien, Business Manager South Asia of Trade Queensland.

They were also to meet Hon. John Mickel M.P. Minister of Trade and Industrial Relation, but the Minister was away in Canberra on State business. As the Hon. Minister failed to meet the delegation, Michel had written to Jayawardane assuring his ministry support as for the requirements of our delegation.

Ms. Gothami Indikadahena held a reception for the Sri Lanka delegates where Anton Swan Honourary Consul for Sri Lanka in Queensland participated.

A large number of business people attended this reception, majority of them were Sri Lanka, who has established business for well over 15-20 years. As interesting dialogue took place between over delegation members and the invitees.

In Tasmania we were received by Damon Thomas CEO of Tasmania Chamber of Commerce & Industry, with him were Ms. Cecilia Lawler, Manager Business Skills and few other officials from the Chamber.

Two Government Officials Martin Randle, Deputy State Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Phill Na Campassak State Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

A number of private sector Businessmen participated. Four of our delegates met their counter parts and the following day they were taken to their factories and presently discussions are going on for business materialisation.

The delegates met Allan Campbell, General Manager Export and Trade of Tasmania Department of Economic Development.

This meeting was extremely fruitful and Campbell gave the delegation an assurance to each of them to finding counter parts in Tasmania. A reception was arranged to the delegation by Lord Mayor of Tasmania Hon. Alderman Rob Valentine.

The outcome of this mission is that two of the members were able to get proper contacts - Alucop cables which is a part of Sierra group of companies was able to contact a reputed construction company for the supply of cables.

First Global wins finance award

First Global Investments (FGI), an emerging player in the global Islamic Finance industry, was presented the Silver Award at the 4th Annual Sri Lanka-Malaysia Business Council. FGI was adjudged the winner of the Silver Award in the Financial and Related Services Category.

The Sri Lankan-based group of companies which is involved in a variety of activities connected with Islamic Banking and Finance was awarded for its outstanding contribution towards the economy of Sri Lanka and to the rapidly growing Banking and Finance sector.

This event was organised by the Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka - Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC).

This annual event is aimed at recognising the contribution of business towards the Gross Domestic Product of Sri Lanka by way of exports, production, and services which would result in the enhancement of Sri Lanka’s relationship with Malaysia.

The President of the SLMBC said at the meeting that Malaysia is a major investor in Sri Lanka and that the SLMBC intends to expand on this relationship.

CBL introudces Munchee Curry Puff

Ceylon Biscuits Limited, introduced the Munchee Curry Puff to the biscuit market recently. The new Munchee curry puff adds a new category to an already crowded marketplace, and yet, strange though it may sound, a void had existed, and has now been detected and exploited by this innovative company.

Senior Brand Manager, Ceylon Biscuits Limited (CBL) Theja Peiris, said. This is a novel taste even for us at CBL. The world over there is a shift from sweet products towards particularly healthier ones.

This was the case with the biscuits category too. The traditional puff biscuit lover did not have a suitable alternative. We saw a savoury cream puff as the solution. It’s a matter of pride and joy to be the first into this savoury cream sandwich biscuit category.

The distinctive Sri Lanka curry flavour is also unique, and very well prepared for the Asian palate. The initial response to the new taste is truly encouraging, and it’s great to be first with something so much to our taste!, she enthused.

Recently launched in Sri Lanka, the Munchee curry puff, which is Halal and SLS certified, was introduced to an international audience at the Hikkaduwa Beach Festival held last week.

While foreigners with a preference for spicy curry found it to their liking, the locals were all in favour of the flavour.

Ceylon Biscuits Limited currently enjoys over 60 per cent of the biscuit market. It is further strengthened by the growth in its product portfolio, and the achievement of 53 per cent overall growth last year.

TrainEdge Institute launched

TrainEdge Institute of Education, a leading hairdressing and hospitality education provider in Australia, launched its first branch in Sri Lanka recently.

The Training Institute is an investment of US $ 150,000 and will create around 25 employment opportunities. Chairman Jean Paul Barallon and Managing Director Ranjeeva Perera signed the agreement on behalf of the company.

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka signed an agreement with TrainEdge Institute of Education Australia on 7th August to commence a vocational training centre. Sri Lanka has a great demand for internationally recognised skills and qualifications.

The training centre will offer hairdressing and hospitality qualifications. Hon Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion formally inaugurated the hairdressing campus at Papiliyana at the official launch held recently.

Hemas Piyawara opens pre-school off Kantale

CSR projects concentrate on East, heeding National Agenda:

The Hemas Piyawara Initiative recently opened its newest Pre-School in Ganthalawa, a remote area 06 Km off Kantale. Built at a cost of Rs. 5.3 million, the Pre-School has 78 children and is headed by three dedicated teachers. Funding for this project came from Ness Yammin, a donor in Monaco.

Chief Guest on the occasion was Director of the National Children’s Education Foundation. Ven. Bandagiriye Somawansa Thera. Also present were

Director Hemas Holdings Abbas Esufally, Corporate Relations Manager of Hemas Holdings Shiromi Masakorale and several others. Corporate Relations Manager of Hemas Holdings, Shiromi Masakorale said that Hemas involvement with the Ganthalawa Pre-School began in 2004.

“It was then housed in a small shed with 42 children. We enrolled the teachers in our annual Piyawara teacher training programme and formed a Parent-Teacher Association to develop the infrastructure.

With an initial donation of Rs. 50,000/-, we were in constant touch with the school and monitored its progress. We even conducted parental awareness programmes and brought the teachers to Colombo annually for training”.

Launched in 2003, Piyawara is the CSR project of the Hemas Group in collaboration with the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Empowerment. Piyawara has as its aim, the promotion of higher standards in early childhood development, by setting up child friendly model pre-schools and creating awareness throughout Sri Lanka.

Piyawara activities are categorised under education, psycho-social, health and environment targeting their employees, the community and society at large.