BizPAct Investment Forum (Jaffna)

Jaffna faced with daunting task

Senaka Weeraman

Building on the success of the first BizPAct (Business-Peace-Action) forum in Colombo last June, C. J. Gunaseela, Project Chairman of BizPAct, emphasized , at the BizPAct Investment Forum in Jaffna that the needs and aspirations of people need to be addressed to promote harmony, peace and reconciliation.
He also explained how a ‘hand-up’ is needed to develop skills and professionalism especially for the Small to Medium Enterprise sector (SME).
The Business for Peace Alliance (BPA) was commended for encouraging the business community to invest in the North and East and Jaffna investors are looking forward to working with the government, Chambers of Commerce and employers.
BPA President Suresh De Mel explained how progress could be made using Public-Private-People Partnerships, People-Planet-Profit business models, Corporate/Community Social Responsibility projects and a holistic ‘bottom-up’ approach to develop the whole nation on all levels.
K. Poonerchandran, Chairman, Commerce and Industries of Yarlpanam, revealed that there were more than 200,000 unemployed youth in Jaffna including 3000 graduates. Worryingly, this may lead to frustration especially with the daily arrival of IDPs into the equation but if this situation is managed correctly, investors can incorporate this eager, committed work force into their core businesses and services, it was noted.
The Bizpact forum panelists included Rezani Aziz - Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Rasanayagam Sharvanananda, UNDP Jaffna, Nagesha Wickremesooriya - Member of Sri Lanka Diaspora Australia, Dr. Anura Ekanayake - Ceylon Chamber of Commerce(CCC), Brindly de Zylva Lanka Orix, Deva Rodrigo - CCC, R. Jeyasegaran, Jaffna Chamber of Commerce, E. Saravanapavan - New Uthayan Publication, P. Wickremenyagam - Chamber of Commerce of Trincomalee District, George Perera - Sri Lankan Export Development Board, Arjuna Herath - Ernst & Young, Manique Mendis - BPA, A. M. C. Kulasekera - BOI, Dinesh Ariyasinghe - BOI, Sunimal Fernando - SANASA Bank, Sarath de Silva - National Chamber of Exports, Kanishka Weerasinghe - Employers Federation of Ceylon, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe - Ministry of Disaster Management & Human Rights, Radhika Hettiarachchi - International Alert, Sabrina Esufally - BPA, Sujeewa Ratnakumara - Youth Business Sri Lanka, Irfan Ahamad, Light to Life project, Joe Burns - BPA, Iroshini Perera - BPA and Azmi Thassim, Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce.
Other events included an open investment category where regional entrepreneurs were able to present their business proposals to potential investors in the audience.
At the end of this conference, there was overwhelming feeling of infinite possibilities with new friends made. Yet when faced with the immediate tasks at hand, they can all seem unimaginable if taken out of context and scale. The construction of roads, ports, sustainable transport networks, housing stock, public space, renewable energy sources, water purification, waste management systems, organic food production, facilities like schools and hospitals... needs to be phased in to the development proposals now. In fact these are all potential business opportunities but it is clear that in a new post-war environment there needs to be transparent communication and all bottlenecks have to be lifted or eased. This vision can only be achieved through the formulation of a workable territorial / economic integrated ‘Master Plan’ with full consultation on all levels and stakeholders, especially the young. Once these short/long-term targets are prioritized, it will be possible to move forward in unison without making the same mistakes of other countries.