Sri Lanka - Greater Mekong Business Council of the Ceylon … · 1 day ago · 3 Introduction to the Council The Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber

Sri Lanka - Greater Mekong Business Council

of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce

Annual Report

and Audited Accounts 2019 - 2020

2

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Council 03

Executive Committee 04

Membership 05

Review of Activities 07

Secretariat 11

Financial Review 12

Trade Between Sri Lanka and Grater Mekong Countries 15

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Introduction to the Council

The Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of

Commerce (formerly known as Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Sub Region Business

Council and Sri Lanka – Vietnam Business Council) was inaugurated on 8th June,

2010. The main objective of the Business Council is the further expansion of

trade, investment and tourism between Sri Lanka and the Greater Mekong:

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The Sri Lanka – Greater

Mekong Business Council functions through a group of Businessmen in Sri Lanka.

The Council also maintains a close relationship with the diplomatic missions of

the Greater Mekong in Sri Lanka.

The functions of the Business Council include:

Liaising and coordinating with Sri Lanka’s Diplomatic Missions in the partner countries, on matters of relevance to achieve the objectives

Exchange of information with relevant parties in the partner countries, with regard to trade, investment and tourism.

Facilitation of meetings between persons from the partner countries seeking business and investment opportunities and relevant persons in Sri Lanka, including Government functionaries.

Making arrangements for the provision of relevant services to persons from the partner countries seeking business and investment opportunities

Making recommendations to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce with regard to policy interventions that may be required, to create a conducive environment for the promotion of trade, tourism and investment.

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Committee for the Year 2019 - 2020

Seated (left to right): His Excellency Han Thu, Ambassador for Union of Myanmar, Her Excellency Chulamanee Chartsuwan,

Ambassador of Thailand, Ranil Seneviratne President; Her Excellency Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, Ambassador of Vietnam;

Julianne Boulton, Secretary

Standing (left to right): Nishan Seneviratne, Vice President; Mahen Weerasekera Committee Member, Nimal Rathnayake

Committee Member; Sirimal Fernando Immediate Past President, Trevor Rajaratnam, Vice President; Venura Fernando

Vice President, S M D Suriyakumar Committee Member; Annes Junaid Committee Member

Not in Photograph: Mr. Dhanawathrie Goonathilake, MAC Holdings (Pvt) Ltd.

President Mr. Ranil Seneviratne, Director, Ranfer Teas (Pvt) Ltd. Immediate Past President Mr. Sirimal Fernando, Deputy Managing Director, Astron Ltd.

Vice Presidents

Mr. Venura Fernando, Siam City Cement (Lanka) Limited Mr. Nishan Senaveratne, General Manager (Outbound), Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt) Ltd.

Mr. Trevor Rajaratnam, Executive Director, Travel7 (Pvt) Ltd.

Committee members

Mr. S.M.D. Suriyakumara, Chief Executive Officer, Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd

Mr. Dhanawathrie Goonathilake, Director, MAC Holdings (Pvt) Ltd

Mr. Annes Junaid, Cluster Director, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd

Mr. Nimal Ratnayake, Chief marketing Officer, Lanka Hospitals PLC

Mr. Mahen Weerasekera, Chairman, Capital Developers Ltd.

Secretariat

Ms. Julianne Boulton, Manager, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Ayoni Rangala, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (from October 2019)

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Membership AITKEN SPENCE TRAVELS (PVT) LTD

ARCHTYPE CHARTERED ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS

ASTRON LIMITED

BRITTOS

BROWN & CO. PLC

C. W. MACKIE PLC

CAPITOL DEVELOPERS LTD

CARGO-PARTNER LOGISTICS (PVT) LTD

CEYLINE TRAVELS (PVT) LTD

CEYLON BISCUITS LTD

CINNAMON LAKESIDE COLOMBO

CITIHEALTH IMPORTS (PVT) LTD

DIPPED PRODUCTS PLC

E W INFORMATION SYSTEMS LTD

ECO POWER (PVT) LTD

ELECTRO METAL PRESSINGS (PVT) LTD.

FREIGHT LINKS INTERNATIONAL (PTE) LTD

GENERAL EQUIPMENTS LIMITED

GLOBE COMMERCIAL AGENCIES LTD

HALCHEM LANKA (PVT) LTD

HAYLEYS ADVANTIS LIMITED

HAYLEYS AGRICULTURE HOLDINGS LIMITED

HIRDARAMANI INTERNATIONAL EXPORTS (PVT) LTD

INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CONSORTIUM (PVT) LTD

ISURU ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD

JAGRO (PVT) LTD

JINASENA (PVT) LTD

LANKA IOC PLC

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MAC HOLDINGS (PVT) LTD

MACK AIR (PVT) LTD

MACKSONS HOLDING (PVT) LTD

MALIBAN BISCUIT MANUFACTORIES (PVT) LTD

MERCHANT LANKA (PVT) LTD

MICROCELLS (PRIVATE) LTD

RANFER TEAS (PVT) LTD

RPC MANAGEMENT SERVICES (PVT) LTD

SERENDIB FLOUR MILLS (PVT) LTD

SIAM CITY CEMENT (LANKA) LIMITED

SOLEX ENGINEERING (PVT) LTD

SPILLBURG HOLDINGS (PVT) LTD

STASSEN EXPORTS (PVT) LTD

TOS LANKA COMPANY (PVT) LTD

TRAVEL7 (PVT) LTD

WORLD EXPRESS (CMB) LTD

ZAM GEMS (PVT) LTD

Members Appointed

LANKA HOSPITALS CORPORATION PLC

SCIENTER TECHNOLOGIES PTE LTD

Members Terminated

STASSEN EXPORTS (PVT) LTD Category

SPICE OF LIFE (PVT) LTD

WALKER SONS & CO. ENG. (PVT) LTD

MACKWOODS LTD

AG INTERNATIONAL (PVT) LTD

UNION RESIDENCIES (PVT) LTD

DAYA GROUP (PVT) LTD

PRAGUNA MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS (PVT) LTD

MULTIFOODS (PTE) LTD

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Review of Activities

The Business Promotion Mission to Myanmar The Business Promotion Mission to Myanmar organized by the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council (SLGMBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce provided delegates with an opportunity to meet the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Myanmar and attended the Yangon Investment Forum organized by the Yangon Regional Government. The Council together with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Myanmar organized an information session for delegates, which was followed by individual meetings between delegates and potential business partners in Myanmar, which were arranged based on the requirements of each delegate. Delegates from member companies that participated in this business promotion mission were successful in establishing contact with potential business partners, while some of these companies have already begun joint trade activities with partner companies identified through this mission. The Business Promotion Mission was conducted during 8th to 11th May 2019.

8

8th Annual General Meeting & Interactive Session

The 8th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council was held at the

Colombo Club. Her Excellency Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, Ambassador of Vietnam, Her Excellency

Chulamanee Chartsuwan, Ambassador of Thailand and His Excellency Han Thu, Ambassador of

Myanmar were the Chief Guests at this event on 18th July 2019.

Mr. Ranil Seneveratne, Director, Ranfer Teas (Pvt) Ltd was elected by the Members as the President

for the year 2019-2020. Mr. Nishan Seneviratne, General Manager (outbound), Aitken Spence Travels

(Pvt) Ltd; Trevor Rajaratnam, Executive Director, Travel7 (Pvt) Ltd and Mr. Venura Fernando, Head of

External Affairs & Business Development, Siam City Cement (Lanka) Limited were elected as Vice

Presidents. The Member Companies, Capital Developers Ltd., Ceylon Biscuits Ltd., The Lanka Hospitals

Corporation PLC, MAC Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., and Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd.) were elected

to the Committee. The outgoing President, Mr. Sirimal Fernando, Deputy Managing Director of Astron

Limited will continue on the Committee as the Immediate Past President.

9

An Interactive Evening with Her Excellency Pham Thi Bich

Ngoc, Ambassador of Vietnam in Sri Lanka

An Interactive Evening with Her Excellency Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, Ambassador of Vietnam in Sri Lanka,

organized by the Sri Lanka Greater Mekong Business Council, held recently at the Ceylon Chamber of

Commerce on 03rd February 2020.

Tran Tuan Dung, Minister Counselor / Deputy Chief of Mission elaborated on the benefits of investing

in Vietnam. He pointed out that the country has stable politics, stable economic growth, and has

competitive production costs. Pointing out potential sectors for investors, the Deputy Chief of Mission

highlighted healthcare and the pharmacy sector, biotechnology, renewable energy, real estate, and

more. Meanwhile, Mr. Somasena Mahadivulwewa explained the role of the Department of Commerce

and Ms. Srimali Jayarathne spoke about the bilateral investment relations between Sri Lanka and

Vietnam. Mr. Nandana Ekanayake, Chairman/CEO, Siam City Cement shared a success story at the

event.

10

Liaising with the Embassies

Courtesy call visit to Vietnam Embassy

The Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council made a courtesy call

visit to meet Her Excellency Pham Thi Bich Ngoc, Ambassador of Vietnam, 22nd October 2019.

Participating at the Thailand National Day Celebration

The Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council patriated the reception

on the occasion of the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Birthday Anniversary of H.M. the

late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, The Great, and the Father’s Day of Thailand on 4 December 2019 at the

Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo.

Courtesy call visit to Thailand Embassy

The Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council made a courtesy call

visit to meet Her Excellency Chulamanee Chartsuwan, Ambassador of Thailand, 17th December 2019.

11

Dissemination of Trade Related information

The Council has continued to constantly update the Membership regarding Trade Fairs/Exhibitions held in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam as well as current trade related information via Circulars.

Secretariat

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce provided Secretarial Services to the Council during the

period under review.

Auditors

M/s. Edirisinghe and Co. were elected Auditors of the Council. The Audited Statement of

Accounts of the Council for the period 2018-2019 is annexed.

By order of the Committee Ayoni Rangala For Secretary

12

Financial Review 2019 – 2020

13

14

15

Trade between Sri Lanka

and Countries of the Greater Mekong Sub Region:

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand & Vietnam

Source: Sri Lanka Customs

Compiled by: The Foreign Trade/Information Division, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce

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Summary of Trade Statistics

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19

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Sri Lanka – Greater Mekong Business Council

of

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce

50, Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka.

Tel: + 94 11 55 888 56 (Dir), + 94 11 55 888 00

Fax: + 94 11 2449352, + 94 11 2437477

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.srilanka-greatermekongbiz.com