App for entrepreneurs to contact Minister in the offing

Minister Wimal Weerawansa and State Ministers Dayasiri Jayasekara and Shehan Semasinghe at the launch of the CBA Rewards special discount card introduced by the Colombo Businessmen’s Association, at the Movenpick Hotel in Colombo 3 yesterday. Picture by Samantha Weerasiri

Small and Medium Enterprises and Enterprise Development, Industries and Supply Management Minister Wimal Weerawansa has said he will introduce a new app to enable local entrepreneurs and industrialists to talk directly with him about problems they are confronted with and offer their proposals for the development of their sectors.

This will eradicate any hardships they had encountered in meeting him personally or presenting their problems to him, the Minister has said.

Minister Weerawansa was speaking at a ceremony organised by the Colombo Businessmen’s Association (CBA) to launch a CBA Rewards special discount card, at the Movenpick Hotel in Colombo 3 yesterday.

He said our country has been blessed with natural resources. The climatic and soil conditions favoured the cultivation of any kind of vegetable and fruit. After being endowed with such favourable conditions, it was futile for us to lead a hand-to-mouth existence and therefore, we should strive to achieve self-sufficiency in food and other requirements.

As a government, they were ready to provide any assistance for the progress and development of entrepreneurs, Minister Weerawansa said. As such, he would request all entrepreneurs and industrialists to launch new ventures as they had a supportive government in power today.

Industries State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said it was by developing the small and medium scale industrial sector that many countries had achieved development.

As such, the government had laid special emphasis for the development of this sector. Development Banks and Loan Schemes State Minister Shehan Semasinghe, Small and Medium Enterprises and Enterprise Development, Industries and Supply Management Ministry Secretary N.B Monty Ranathunga, Mawbima Lanka Foundation President Ariyaseela Wickramanayake, Nawaloka Group Chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa, Colombo Businessmen’s Association Chairman Dr. Venkateswaran, actor Sanath Gunatilleke and officers of 30 other business associations attended the ceremony.