CIOB congratulates President with hopes of reviving construction industry

President Ranil Wickremesinghe

CIOB President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne

Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB), the premier, long-standing association for building professionals in Sri Lanka congratulated Ranil Wickremesinghe on his appointment as the eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka and also extended their thanks for his continued efforts to keep Sri Lankan industries and economies from total collapse. 

CIOB, established in 1961 has been contributing actively towards the development of the Sri Lankan construction industry in raising its professional standards. 

The membership consists of architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, valuation professionals, builders, construction companies, other stake holders connected to the construction industry and similar allied professionals who work to inspire, encourage, educate and train students, builders, and professionals in the country.

While sending their well-wishes, CIOB hopes to work with the newly appointed President to restart the Sri Lankan construction Industry. The construction industry is one of the largest industries in Sri Lanka, which has contributed approx. 9.6% to Sri Lanka’s GDP and employs in/directly over one million people. 

As such, CIOB requests the newly appointed President to take the best use out of the construction industry to help the country come out of this precarious and detrimental situation, and consider recent proposals given by the industry to revive Sri Lankan construction.

It is important to note that hundreds of thousands of people from material suppliers, manufacturers and sub-contractors to the poorest labourer (and their respective families) in Sri Lanka are affected by contractors. The finances of the contractor trickles down to all levels of society and through various supply chains. Therefore, ceasing construction harms all these systems and families. 

If this issue is ignored, 5 to 600, 000 workers who have lost their jobs would be released onto the streets. To prevent the dissolution of the construction Industry as well as the bank sector, which benefits directly and on a large-scale from the construction industry, it is essential to keep contractors alive, so that they can help the country at such a critical junction.