President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stated that the traditional industries must not be allowed to collapse by working within the framework of out-dated rules and regulations.
President said that as a result of enacting laws that are not sensitive to the needs of traditional industries, those industries had collapsed and the lives of those depended on them have been disrupted. “Those who engage in industries adhering to relevant laws should not be allowed to suffer because of a small number of wrongdoers,” President added.
The President made these observations at a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (August 18) on the future plans of the State Ministry of Cane, Brass, Clay, Furniture and Rural Industry Promotion.
“It is necessary that officials be innovative to develop local industries. Grass root level issues need to be prioritized. After the implementation of a government decision at grass root level, continuous follow up action is also vital. The development of traditional industries which have not received proper attention for long is a task that needs to be carried out according to well-designed plans,” President emphasized.
President Rajapaksa explained that because of these reasons, the State Ministries were formulated and structured giving consideration to each sector of the economy. Traditional industrialists were worried due to the lack of state patronage. President Rajapaksa said that this was clearly exposed during his visits across the country during the election campaign.
Issues affecting the rural industrial sector including cane, brass, pottery and furniture were discussed in depth. The President emphasized the importance of implementing short-term and long-term strategies to solve these issues in order to uplift those industries while monitoring the progress regularly. President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to investigate the problems industrialists encounter in the processes of collecting and transporting clay and to reopen the closed entities which manufactured clay related products.
“Children need to be educated about the importance of traditional industries from young age. Traditional industry is also an appropriate subject for research dissertations of university students. It can make a considerable contribution to the development of the industry”, President stated.
President Rajapaksa highlighted the importance of close coordination between the Provincial Ministries and Line Ministries in the development of local industries and the need to attract the youth to the field. He added that it was the responsibility of the Ministries to which these subjects have been assigned to give professional recognition to the traditional industrialists.
“Wetlands that have no agricultural value can be used to plant industrial crops like cane. A large sum of foreign exchange is spent annually on the importation of bamboo sticks used for the production of incense sticks. We can manufacture them locally and stop foreign exchange being drained to other countries,” President advised the Industrial Development Board.
Minister of Industries, Wimal Weerawansa, State Minister, Prasanna Ranaweera, Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, S.R. Attygalle, Secretary to the Ministry of Industries, Chulananda Perera, Chairman of the Industrial Development Board, Upasena Dissanayake and Chairman of the National Crafts Council, Sudath Abeysekera were also present at the discussion.
