Private sector should discard despondency: Dr. Hans

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Hans Wijayasuriya 

• CCC Chairman says private sector should eliminate negativity, work with Govt. on development

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) Chairman Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya yesterday called on the private sector to discard sentiments of despondency and strengthen the State and Government to take the country forward.

Speaking at the Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2019 titled “Re-calibrating Sri Lanka’s Economic Trajectory: Towards 2025,” organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), Wijayasuriya pointed out that countries around the world are facing turmoil, and in that context, the constitutional crisis and Easter attacks should not be seen in a despondent light, but rather the private sector should be optimistic, given the resilience displayed by Sri Lanka.  

“These are nothing unique to our country. If you look at the world landscape today, even most matured democracies are going through similar issues.  It is therefore imperative that we accept that we revisit our strengths, and that we are determined as a resilient nation and as a resilient group of private enterprises in close collaboration with the Government, to overcome and go beyond,” he said. 

“It is our belief that it is our moral duty at this time to strengthen the arm of the State and strengthen the arm of the Government, and check over whatever is needed, transcend challenges, and to help this country forward.” 

He said in this context, the first obligation of the private sector is to be positive. “I think we need to cancel from our vocabulary the sentiment of despondency. I think there is no room for attitudes of negativity and attitudes of complaining. As the private sector, we should simply be positive and look forward for the future.”

He called for the private sector to cooperate and work with the Government to achieve mutually beneficial goals, rather than focusing only on the negatives and waiting for the situation to change without pushing for that transition.  

“We believe that the power of collectivism needs to come to the fore, and that it is not the private sector and the Government or the private sector versus the Government, but that it is the private sector with the Government, and mobilisation of this nexus, that will enable the cycle of growth to pick up momentum and move forward.” 

He also called for the private sector to focus more on regional growth outside of the Western Province, and said it was imperative that the private sector and Government create a nexus to take development and private sector investment to every corner of the country.