Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Wednesday, 4 February 2015 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Joint Chambers of Trade and Commerce, in a message to the public ahead of the country’s 67th Independence Day, urged Sri Lankans to celebrate their diversity while proceeding on the path ahead. The following is the full statement of the Joint Chambers: The Joint Chambers of Trade and Commerce sends greetings to the people of Sri Lanka as we celebrate 67 years of independence. A momentous occasion such as this gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the future we seek as a nation and as a people. Sri Lanka is a land of much diversity. As people, we are a wonderful amalgam of diverse cultures, religions and languages. Although a small nation, we are blessed with the deep rooted presence of the world’s four great religions and have the privilege of being protector of one of them, Buddhism. Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, a blessing we must celebrate rather than fear. With the Government committed to a process of reform that aims to establish institutionalised good governance, transparency and law and order, many of the challenges we have faced in the past will be overcome. We call on the Government to introduce a robust Bill of Rights as part of the ongoing reform process to further strengthen the constitutional amendments envisaged. Since independence, the business community has contributed greatly to the progress of our nation. We stood resiliently by our country and continued to invest in her future during her darkest days. Today, the business community accounts for 61% of all employment in the formal sector, almost 80% of annual investments and helps collect approximately 90% of tax revenue for the Government. Thus the private sector has been an inalienable and committed partner in our country’s journey since independence. Going forward, the Joint Chambers wish to assure the Sri Lankan people that we remain committed to our nation’s progress and prosperity and that we will contribute the skills, capacity and resources at our disposal in a manner befitting a responsible partner. On this day of our independence, we call on all Sri Lankans to commit to building a nation that celebrates our diverse cultures, religions and languages. Let us focus our energies to build a shared vision for our country since it is only by coming together that we can reach our full potential and take our rightful place on the global stage as a respected member of the international community.
