Chinafort Gem and Jewellery Traders Association welcomes Govt. moves to improve Ease of Doing Business
The Chinafort Gem and Jewellery Traders Association (CGJTA) in a statement yesterday said it welcomed the Government’s initiatives to promote Ease of Doing Business measures in the gem and jewellery industry through the Budget 2022 presented by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
CGJTA, styling itself as the largest association of gem
dealers in Sri Lanka, also welcomed the recent decision by the State Minister
for Gem and Jewellery Related Industries Lohan Ratwatte to set up a one-stop
fully fledged office of the National Jewellery Authority and a training centre
of the Gem and Jewellery Training Centre at the China Fort Gems Tower located
at the world’s oldest open gem market, the Chinafort Pathe International Gem
Market.
The Chinafort Gems Tower was ceremoniously declared open by
State Minister Ratwatte on 13 November.
According to CGJTA Secretary Liyakath Rasvi, the Chinafort
Pathe International Gem Market is one of the most popular and vibrant open
markets for gemstones in the world with buyers coming from many parts of the
world – the Chinafort Gems Tower and one-stop centre by the NGJA are key steps
in achieving the goals stated by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa in his Budget
speech to position Sri Lanka as the hub for gems and jewellery.
The CGJTA has over 1,500 members from across the country
including Beruwala, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Galle, Balangoda and Colombo. It also
has the highest concentration of gem dealer licence holders authorised by the
National Gem and Jewellery Authority and has the largest pool of exporters of
all gemstones from Sri Lanka. The CGJTA said its members were at the forefront
of sourcing and value addition and re-export of sapphires and other varieties
of gemstones from Sri Lanka as well as Africa.
CGJTA Chairman Marjan Faleel, who is also a Member of
Parliament, extended heartfelt gratitude of the entire industry to Finance
Minister Basil Rajapaksa, State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, State Ministry for Gem
and Jewellery Related Industries Secretary S.M. Piyatissa, National Gem and
Jewellery Authority Chairman Tilak Weerasinghe and the Gem and Jewellery
Training Institute in this respect.
Faleel further assured that gems and jewellery would
continue to be a major contributor of foreign exchange earnings and
highly-skilled employment opportunities to the country.
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