May 13, 2020 (LBO) – The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has established a Center for SMEs to play a more active role in building a dynamic SME sector in Sri Lanka.
The Chamber has been offering a range of services to SMEs through different departments within the Chamber as well as through a large number of donor-funded development projects.
The Chamber has also worked very closely with relevant Government agencies, SME Development Organizations and the Regional Chamber Network in extending business development services and resolving regulatory barriers.
However, the absence of a focal point for SMEs at the Ceylon Chamber has led to a lack of adequate awareness among SMEs as well as other SME sector stakeholders about the services offered and contribution made by the Chamber for SME sector development.
The Centre for SMEs will assist and guide SMEs to be geared, skilled, and informed to face the demands and trends of the future business world. Services of the Centre will include
- Business advisory services and professional business development services to improve performance
- Facilitating market and business linkages
- Assistance to resolve regulatory barriers faced by SMEs
- A conducive environment to foster SMEs through influencing policy
This will be conducted through seminars, webinars, workshops, and training programmes, in addition to providing business advisory services and business counselling.
The Centre will also organize SME Forums in the region to increase outreach of business development services, and create an SME platform to facilitate an active dialogue on constraints, challenges, and operational issues faced by SMEs. This will in turn, influence minimizing legal and regulatory barriers.
Previously, services offered to the SMEs were provided through the different divisions of the Ceylon Chamber, including the Foreign Trade and Information Desk, Projects, YBSL, GS1, the Economic Intelligence Unit, and more.
With the launch of the Centre for SMEs, the Chamber will be able to take an integrated approach to, and improve the dynamics of the SME sector moving forward.
For more information, please contact:
Chandrarathna Vithanage - 077 2200771, chandra@chamber.lk
V K. Guru - 075 7287151, kumaraguru@chamber.lk
Yasura Samarakoon - 077 7486558, yasura@chamber.lk
Mohomed Inshaf - 0757374135, inshaf@chamber.lk