Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Over 1 mn local entrepreneurs could enter global market – Minister Bathideen

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen (far right) hands over the Best Western Provincial Entrepreneur of 2017 to the Chairperson of Sethma Hospitals Mrs. Y.M. Sudumenike as Managing Director of Sethma Hospitals Dr DCS Jayasuriya (far left) a Hospital executive (second from left) and President of National Chamber of Commerce Sujeeve Samaraweera (second from right) loo on in Colombo on 17 October.

Over one million Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, currently engaged in micro, small, medium and large scale business enterprises should now focus attention towards entering the global markets as it will help to swell the country’s economy to the maximum.

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathideen made these remarks at the ‘Entrepreneur Awards 2017 - Western Province MSMEs ‘ ceremony, conducted by National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) in collaboration with the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCC).

The objective of conducting the Awards Ceremony was to encourage micro, small, medium and large scale entrepreneurs in the Western Province for the service rendered by them to develop the country’s economy and also providing employment to youth.

He said the one million registered SME’s provides 45 per cent employment to Sri Lankan youth and this contribute to 52 per cent of the Gross Domestic Production (GDP).

NEDA, Chairman and Director General Omar Kamil thanked the officials of the National Enterprise Development Authority for encouraging local entrepreneurs by giving awards and said the NEDA has already commenced programmes to help more and more youth in the country to become entrepreneurs in the future.

“Accordingly, the NEDA launched the country’s first ever SME incubator at Wayamba University last month to introduce technology transfer to the country’s SME’s.”

Chairman Kamil also said the country’s first e-commerce web portal ‘BEPOST’ was also launched recently for the benefit of people involved in the SME sector.

He said Lankan SME products could be ordered directly through this web site and thanked the Korean International Co-operation Agency for extending their support in this b-commerce initiative. Industry and Commerce, State Minister Champika Premadasa , NEDA, Chairman and Director General Omar Kamil, NCC, President Sujeewa Samaraweera and NEDA, Director Lakshman Wijewardena were also present. Over 20 Sri Lankan entrepreneurs in the Western Province received awards and certificates.

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