Govt asked to tackle unemployment in Jaffna
by Zacki Jabbar in Jaffna
Around 200,000 young persons in Jaffna are unemployed and the government needs to take urgent remedial action to resolve the problem, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries Yarlpanam K. Poornachandran said.
He told The Island on the sidelines of the inaugural Jaffna International Trade Fair, which concluded on Tuesday at the Jaffna Central College, that unemployment and issues such as the high cost of living, have to be speedily addressed, if the end of the war was to be meaningful.
Poornachandran said that they have sought Indian assistance to establish an Industrial Estate in Achuveli. "Sri Lanka has enough resources stretching from Point Pedro to Dondra.Our aim is to bring in as many foreign and local investors into Jaffna. They will be encouraged to establish Joint Ventures that can spur economic development."
Asked about his impressions of the inaugural JITF, Poornachandran said that the response of the business community and the Jaffna public was tremendous and exceeded all expectations.
"Over 50,000 people visited the fair over three days. It is undoubtedly the biggest trade exhibition to be held in Jaffna. With over 200 foreign and local industrialists, entrepreneurs and manufacturers participating in JITF, it has given us hope and encouragement for the future," he said. "A wide range of items including construction material, food processing equipment, industrial plant and machinery, agricultural and consumer goods and apparel and accessories were snapped up in no time."
Infrastructure was very poor in Jaffna, but despite all the constraints Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka helped us to host JITF, he said.
Jaffna Government Agent K. Ganesh said that the peninsula had moved to a post conflict situation and it was the duty of all concerned to work hard, so that the people can regain their normal lives after decades of misery.
"Industrial production has to reach levels that were witnessed in the pre war days, if Jaffna is to develop rapidly. The organizers of JITF ,have to be congratulated for making it possible to host the event, after about six months of preparation."
President of the FCCISL, Kosala Wijetillaka said that JITF had opened up avenues for the development of Jaffna.
"FCCISL, as the apex organization of the private sector gave all assistance and encouragement possible for JITF," he said. "The message is now very clear. Jaffna is open for business and it is for investors to make the best of the opportunities available."
The three day event was jointly organised by Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services, the Chamber of Commerce and Industries Yarlpanam and Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services.
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