Unique ‘Speak up before the Budget’ Forum on 8 October

Monday, 30 September 2013 01:21 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

  • Daily FT-Colombo Uni. MBA Alumni Association joint initiative breaks new ground
  • Postage-paid envelope in printed advertisements today and ear booths in select locations this week for people to submit their wishes for 2014 Budget
The unique ‘Speak up before the Budget’ Forum organised by the Daily FT in partnership with the Colombo University MBA Alumni Association will be held on 8 October 2013. The event, held for the third consecutive year, is a first-of-its-kind where a select group of top business and industry leaders are brought together to list three key recommendations for the consideration of the Government ahead of the 2014 Budget. Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Planning Dr. P.B. Jayasundera will lead the team of officials from the Treasury at the breakfast forum. Standard Chartered Bank will be the exclusive sponsor of the pre-Budget forum, also for the third consecutive year. Conducted in a focused business-like manner, the two previous events have been highly effective and useful for both the private sector and the Finance Ministry. It is an invitee-only forum held at Hilton Residencies, preceded by breakfast. The organisers have this year introduced a new feature where the larger private sector and the public will have the opportunity to make their voice heard as well. In today’s Daily FT page 7, an innovative advertisement appears in which a postage-paid envelope is provided for anyone to express their wish for the forthcoming 2014 Budget. Submissions have to be sent in by 5 October. The Daily FT’s sister papers Lankadeepa, Ada and Daily Mirror also carry the envelope bearing the advertisement today. As an additional opportunity, specially designed 2014 Budget ear booths will be made available at the World Trade Centre, Colombo, Nugegoda Supermarket and Fort Railway Station later this week for the general public to record their wish or recommendation for the 2014 Budget. Creative partner for pre-Budget forum and initiatives is Phoenix Ogilvy. All submissions will be handed over to the Ministry of Finance during the Forum on 8 October. The Forum is also a forerunner to the popular and open to the public post-Budget seminars jointly organised by the Daily FT and the Colombo University MBA Alumni Association.

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