President made these comments during a meeting with the representatives of beauty culture and hair dressing business held at the Presidential Secretariat june (25).

Enhancing professional standards of those who are engaged in beauty culture and hair dressing, provide financial assistance and increasing trade promotion capabilities are the responsibilities of the Government.

Upon the request of the many present, President agreed to ensure the assistance of the National Enterprise Development Authority to the beauty culture sector. President emphasized that this is not to bind them but to contribute to meet their demands.

There are around 90,000 small, medium and large scale beauty salons in the country with a workforce of more than 400,000. Around 1.5 families depend on the industry. Provision of required training to maintain the beauty culture as a standard profession was discussed in length. President directed the officials to take measures to conduct NVQ Level 05, 06 and 07 in Sinhala, Tamil and English medium.

The representatives commended the President for his knowledge about the prevailing issues in the industry.

Minister Dinesh Gunawardene, Secretary to the P. B. Jayasundera and Ministry Secretaries, Chairman of the National Enterprise Development Authority Anushka Gunasinghe and several experts in the beauty culture and hair dressing industry were present.