Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce holds 30th AGM

The 30th Annual General Meeting of Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce was held on 15 September at the Orchid Room, Hotel Galadari in Colombo.

With the objective of promoting mutual cooperation between businesswomen in Sri Lanka through networking and programs focused on women in business and trade, WCIC works with the ultimate goal of positive development in the country. 

The newly-appointed Board consists of Rifa Musthapha – Chairperson, Renuka Fernando – 1st Vice Chairperson, Indrani Fernando – 2nd Vice Chairperson, Kumari H. Perera – Joint Secretary, Eugena Jerome – Joint Secretary, and Mumtaz Siriwardena – Treasurer and Renuka Fernando – Asst. Treasurer. 

The Board Members elected for the same period include Samitha H. Perera, Yamuna Ganeshalingam, Nafisa Thahirally, Ashanti Fernando, Shazna Muzammil, Illanga Karunaratne, Chandani Bandara and Zarah Carder.

The Chief Guest at the AGM was Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe, Minister of Women and Child Affairs with the Guest Speaker for the evening being Kishu Gomes, CEO/Managing Director of Chevron Lubricants Lanka Plc. Special guests included Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils Faiszer Musthapha.

In her address as the Chairperson of WCIC, Musthapha declared the intentions that WCIC have in establishing a Federation of Women Entrepreneur Association by incorporating all key regional women’s chambers and entrepreneur associations across the country with the hope of it being the national voice for women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.

“The WCIC is also hoping to discus with both the Government and commercial banks in order to work out a scheme where they would be able to allocate a minimum of 5% of the total loan portfolio to women and women-led businesses,” said Musthapha. 

With the mission to emerge as the pre-eminent organisation in Sri Lanka for advancing the interests and views of businesswoman in the country, WCIC will become a powerful voice for improving the business environment for woman in Sri Lanka. 

In conclusion, the Chairperson said: “New thought Movement author and former advisor to US President Franklin D Roosevelt, Napoleon Hill once said, ‘If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way’. This is when our women can transform from good to great.”

The Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce also congratulated the newly-elected Cabinet, wishing them success in the future.