Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council holds 26th AGM

• Says resilient SL biz community optimistic for the year and future

David Holly

Michael Appleton

Ruwan Rajapakse

The 26th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council of the

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (SLANZBC) was held virtually recently where Ruwan Rajapakse was appointed as the 26th President, succeeding Delano Dias on his completion of office.

The Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is one of the pioneer business councils found in 1994, and is an active body promoting trade, tourism and investments between the three countries. It has a membership of more than 120 from key industries. The council organises and supports many business promotion activities such as trade delegations, seminars, networking events, trade related studies and business matchmaking.

The newly-appointed President of the council Rajapakse highlighted that Australia and Sri Lanka would be celebrating the landmark of 75 years of diplomatic relationship in 2022 where the council will join with simultaneous activities. Moreover, with the opening of the New Zealand High Commission in Sri Lanka and with the New High Commissioner taking office, the business community is excited for the new opportunities that has been created towards trade and investment between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Rajapakse added: “The resilient Sri Lankan business community is optimistic for the year and future and it begins with the recovery. Depending on where you sit, the recovery may be going fine, or even well. Some industries, businesses, and segments of the workforce have thrived. We see the evidence in record profits, robust consumer spending on goods, but it’s a very different scenario for those who have been negatively affected by the pandemic. Some of the industries have been decimated because people aren’t traveling, gathering, shopping, or going out like they used to. Small businesses (majority of women-owned) and family owned businesses have been disproportionately impacted, the investors and businesses want 3Cs (Clarity, Consistency and Continuity) while maintaining a competitive and business friendly environment.”

The newly-appointed High Commissioner of New Zealand to Sri Lanka, Michael Appleton, said the new High Commission in Colombo would be operational in the month of August and it was a huge privilege for him to be New Zealand’s first resident High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. 

Appleton highlighted that one primary reason for New Zealand to have open a new High Commission in Sri Lanka was the need to lift the relationship between the two countries and hunt out opportunities for cooperation between both countries. He further stated that trade and economic cooperation was another focus for the new High Commission. 

The Honorary Consul for New Zealand in Sri Lanka Senaka Silva also participated at the AGM. 

High Commissioner of Australia for Sri Lanka and the Maldives David Holly congratulated Rajapakse and the SLANZBC Executive committee and stated: “The High Commission, with the support of the SLANZBC Executive Committee has been active in seeking to strengthen the foundations of existing trade and identifying new areas for both trade and investment. This work is based on the premise that we do not want to return to ‘normal’ after the pandemic is over. And it has a focus on the regional advantages that Sri Lanka holds due to its location and growing logistics infrastructure.”

Focusing on sectors Holly elaborated: “Gor tourism Australia continues to adapt its skills and market development programs to help ensure the Sri Lankan SME tourism sector is ready for the return of tourists. On education, despite international students being unable to arrive in Australia until conditions allow, there has been significant advancement in our bilateral education engagement to deliver higher education studies in Sri Lanka. Reducing the cost of trade and investment is also a priority. Government and the private sector are looking at the removal of non-tariff barriers, supporting improvements in trade facilitation, and challenging status quo trading inefficiencies. Costs may also be reduced through direct shipping to Colombo Port for container trans-shipment to the region and beyond.”

Holly thanked the council for establishing a team to examine whether direct shipping between Colombo Port and Australia would be a less costly sea freight route for Sri Lankan, Oceania and regional business compared with traditional shipping hubs.

For the period of 2021-2022, Jiffy Products Ltd. Managing Director Ruwan Rajapakse was appointed as the President while E C D Global Ltd. Chairman/Managing Director Emil Kronemburg Eduko Lanka Ltd. Dean of Academic Affairs Dhanajay Kulkarni, Infomate Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Jehan Perinpanayagam and SAGT Ltd. Manager Commercial and Marketing Udara Cumaratunga will be serving as the Vice Presidents. Cargills (Ceylon) PLC CEO/Managing Director Delano Dias will serve as the Immediate Past President.

The committee appointed will be represented by CMA CGM Ltd., Fonterra Brands Lanka Ltd., Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd., hSenid Business Solutions Ltd., Lanka Hospitality Consultants, Island Leisure Lanka Ltd., Lidechsi Group of Companies, MAC Holdings Ltd., Qantas Airways Ltd. and Spillburg Holdings Ltd.