FCCISL welcomes lifting fishing ban, opening A9 for private sector goods transportation

Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and the Chambers of the North and East praised President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Senior Advisor to President & MP Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa , Armed Forces and Police for working tirelessly towards the speedy lifting of fishing ban in the East as well as the North. FCCISL acknowledges with gratitude the government’s move to facilitate private sector trade by allowing the usage of the A9 road for the transportation of goods.
Kosala Wickramanayake, President of FCCISL was of the view that the chamber plea has been answered and these initiatives could be considered as the first important step towards economic rehabilitation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces. He added that the next key task of the government would be to ensure the speedy settlement of the displaced in the North and East and provide them with a conducive environment to carry out their normal livelihoods. Wickramanayake said that the FCCISL is already in the process of negotiating with donors for possible financial assistance to extend its cooperation to the government in the economic rehabilitation and social reintegration process.
Wickramanayake is of the view that the a mechanism has to be in place for post harvest preservation of fish and also to transport the fish and other produce of the  region to the south enabling a strong South/ North trading activities. He added that the FCCISL respects the current security concerns, but balanced mechanism with a ‘win-win’ situation for the producer, trade and the consumer, would positively address the high price issue of commodities and fish. 
FCCISL assures the government and the security forces their fullest cooperation to speed up the economic rehabilitation processes in the region.