A new book by Sumith Peiris on strategies of foreign trade

By Harsha Udayakantha Peiris

 A new book in Sinhala on strategies of Foreign Trade in Sri Lanka by B.A.H.P.Sumith Peiris was launched at the Cargo Operations Centre of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) in Peliyagoda recently with the initiative of the Minister of State Resources & Enterprise Development Dayasritha Thisera.

The newly published book is mainly aimed at GCE A/L students following the commerce stream with business studies and economics while expanding a complete and overall knowledge on the current process of foreign trade and the patterns of its exchanges with the global arena of trade and industry much useful to local entrepreneurs while keeping the development of historical international trade relations between Sri Lanka and other countries in the background.

More than 90% of the transportation and exchange of logistics via international borders are deployed by sea using mega vessels at present. “This is my second book. My first book was about the trade of imports and exports and related documents first published in 2008. At a time Sri Lanka is fast moving to become a maritime and logistics hub in the entire South Asian region, my objective through this latest presentation is to offer a first hand and wider knowledge to the students and entrepreneurs, in relation to this subject on the continued and collaborative process of international trade implemented via Sri Lanka Customs, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Shipping and cosigner agencies,” says Sumith Peiris, the author of the book.

The book also focuses on transshipments, international trade via the internet, MCC cargo as well as various international trade related MOUs such as GST Plus, CEPA and other trade agreements between   Sri Lanka and India and Pakistan that are essential concepts and ingredients in international trade procedures practiced in the country.

“The book will be distributed free of charge to the libraries of more than 150 schools in the country and if more schools needed copies they will be facilitated on request. Soon the book will also be translated into English language expecting a wider coverage of readership in and outside the country,” the author says. Sumith Peiris who has also served at the Joseph Vas College in Wennappuwa and Kumbukwewa Maha Vidyalaya in Kurunegala as the master in charge of Commerce, currently works at Sri Lanka Ports Authority as the warehouse Store Keeper of the Cargo Operations Centre in Peliyagoda.