South’s BAIZ gets $ 460,000 upgrade

Tuesday, 30 September 2014 01:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

106-acre BAIZ located close to MRIA and Magampura Port

Bathiudeen says work to start immediately

BAIZ investors buoyed by Minister’s decision

Sri Lanka’s largest industrial zone in the South, which is within 30 km of the Magampura Harbour and the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), is to receive an immediate infrastructure boost, Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen revealed.

“We understand the importance of the strategic location of the BAIZ (Bata-Ata Industrial Zone). I am instructing my ministry to immediately enlist regional Government officials to upgrade BAIZ access roads as a start,” Minister Bathiudeen said while speaking to members of BAIZ’s Investors Association on 26 September in Tangalle. The minister made these remarks during a surprise inspection visit to BAIZ – a 106-acre zone which hosts five active industries and provides employment for 1200 people. As soon as Bathiudeen arrived at the BAIZ he held an investor relations meeting to address pending issues. An urgent concern was the need to upgrade the main access road to the zone. To remedy the situation Bathiudeen facilitated the allocation of the $ 460,000 need to cover the cost of repair work and enlisted assistance from regional government officials to complete the work. “Each of our industrial zones has its own and different needs. We understand the importance of the location of the BAIZ. I am instructing my ministry to immediately enlist regional government officials to start upgrading access roads,” Bathiudeen said. “With less than 30 km to the MRIA Airport and Hambantota Magampura Port with a travel time of 50 minutes, this zone is well placed for fast-cycle manufacturing, especially export industries that need to ship fast.” The minister said that he had also instructed the relevant officials to look into enhancing the effluent treatment process of the zone and to consider its upgrade in the second stage of development. BAIZ Investors and industrialists praised Bathiudeen’s actions. Chairman of BAIZ Investor Association and CEO of Senaka Builder Ltd. Senaka Gurusinge said: “Due to the zone’s close proximity to MRIA and the Magampura Port, there is strong potential for it to grow faster. Therefore now is the time that we should prepare.” Officials from the Industry and Commerce Ministry also revealed that a new polythene recycling and steel assembly project were also on the card for the BAIZ. Furthermore, Bathiudeen instructed officials from his ministry handling BAIZ to monitor pressure levels of water flow to various industrial plants in the zone and evaluate their capacities. He then toured various BAIZ factories and inspected their production processes.