Sri Lanka’s Netherlands Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard was the Chief Guest. Over 50 Sri Lankan exporters of local products including agricultural, rubber, tea and spice and spices based products were felicitated at the ceremony.
Delivering the keynote address Guest of Honour Sekaram valued the service rendered by local exporters to prosper the economy and thanked the National Chamber of Exporters for their untiring support extending towards our exporters to market their exports.
“Since Sri Lanka has no large domestic population such as India and China to drive the economic growth by domestic consumption, we have to increase our exports to convert Sri Lanka as an export oriented country,” he said.
e also highlighted the invaluable service rendered by Sri Lankan exporters and said statistics revealed that Lanka would be able to reach a record foreign exchange target due to the tireless efforts of our exporters.
NCE, President Ramal Jayasinghe said the Lanka export sector should be developed to the maximum to achieve the expected goal and said the Chamber also actively participated and contributed to the development of the export sector. He said the problem Lankan business community faced was the impacts of the impending free trade agreements and other matters such as lack of skilled labourers and the effects of increased taxes imposed on Lankan export sector.
Senior Vice President NCE Ramya Weerakoon said their prime objective is to provide all award winners to gain national exposure among clients, prospective buyers and business partners both locally and internationally.
The Vice President also valued the bilateral relations between Sri Lankan and Netherlands that have existed with the mutual understanding between the two nations. She said this awards ceremony for exporters was inaugurated in 1992 and continued uninterruptedly for the last 26 years. She said such recognition of exporters will undoubtedly take their enterprises to greater heights .
Netherlands Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard also highlighted the longstanding trade relationship with Sri Lanka.
