The Sri Lanka Trade Development Council (SLTDC) has expressed serious concern over the near collapsing of business activities of one million Small and Medium Scale Business Enterprises in the country owing to the present economic crisis and requested state authorities to take stringent measures to revamp their business enterprises considering the country’s future economic prospects.
The SLTDC said the deterioration of small and medium scale business enterprises in the country will badly affect a large number of workers who are involved in these business enterprises.
Addressing a press briefing in Colombo SLTDC, Chairman Roshana Waduge highlighted the invaluable service rendered by employees who are engaged in small and medium scale business enterprises by manufacturing varieties of food products and other goods.
He said the products manufactured by Sri Lankan small and medium scale business enterprises are distributed within the country and also to several other countries in the world.
“Our products which are distributed worldwide bring a colossal sum of dollars to our country annually,” he said.
Waduge also requested State authorities to consider the invaluable service rendered by our small and medium scale business enterprises and look into the needs of them, since currently the employees are facing immense difficulties to sustain their business activities, especially at this crucial juncture when the country’s economy has fallen to zero.
He said when the country is facing a dire situation the responsibility of authorities is to protect the small and medium scale business enterprises.
SLTDS, Vice Chairman Indika Merenchige said the Government should appoint the main members of the small and medium scale enterprises to the proposed economic council rather than appointing professional businessmen who are engaged in mult million business enterprises since such persons are not aware of the day today needs of the employees involved in small and medium scale enterprises
He said the SLTDC has also submitted certain proposals to key Government ministers in regard to the future developments of small and medium scale business enterprises with the objective of submitting them for Cabinet approval.
He said the SLTDC also urged the ministers to submit the already given proposal to the Cabinet as early as possible unless there will be a severe collapse in the small and medium scale business enterprises before long and it will also affect to nearly one million workers, their dependents and also the consumers.
