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Mr.Ranjith Hettiarachchi, president of
Ceylon Chamber said the main objective
to organise this type of exhibition is to
promote small and medium scale footwear
manufacturers in Sri Lanka. He also added that
this exhibition would help to create a large
number of jobs. He thanked the Sri Lanka Govt.
for additional duty of Rs 100/- per pair imposed
on imports and assured that footwear manufacturers
will do their best to stand up to the Government
expectation.
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Mr Mohan Kumar, Dy High Commissioner, High Commission of
India said that the politics should not affect the
cordial trade links and economic progress between India
and Sri Lanka, because future of economic relationship
between the two countries is very bright. He informed of
the surplus trade balance in favour of India and requested
industries to explore possibilities in mutual interest.
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Mr. Bernard Hettiarachchi, Senior technical
consultant to Sri Lanka - German Private
Sector Promotion Project said that the Footwear
Manufacturing is one of the industries that has a
minimum impact on the environment. He arranged a
group of shoe manufacturers from Kandy area on 6th
to look at the components / accessories and explore
storing possibilities to strengthen availability, quality
and quantity at the artisan levels.
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Honorable Chief Guest Mr. Ranjit Fernando,
Secretary for the Industrial Policy &
Development Ministry asked the industry to
upgrade themselves to meet the global competition because the support of Import
duty on finished footwear of Rs 100/- is short term and can not be for longer
period. He said India is the best neighbour to have a connection with
industrial, political or cultural affairs” and expressed open and spontaneous
approach to agree to provide a venue for opening a wholesale center in Colombo
for footwear components. He further informed that the Honorable
Prime Minister Mr.Wickremesinghe's is trying to make Sri Lanka a Free Trade Zone
and they have taken initiative to commence a Free Trade Agreement with India and
said that the Government has reduced import duties on Footwear Components to 10
percent.
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