Online edition of Sunday Observer - Business: "'We are anxious to see the government's clear and comprehensive plans on which we want to invest in the proposed nation building effort in the tsunami hit areas, but there is no such constructive work being mobilised and coordinated as yet for us to go ahead', they said in unison. They said that they were ready to take on different projects immediately and later for local and foreign partners to follow suit. 'But we want our money being used on correct jobs and such projects being realised passing on the benefit to the target groups, members of the European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (ECCSL) said during a panel discussion on the role of the private sector in the post-tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation effort held at the Taj Samudra in Colombo recently. The participating entrepreneurs also asked the Government to allow them import all goods required under this scheme duty free similar to that of the procedure followed for tsunami relief goods. Dr. Nihal Jinasena representing TAFREN said that he would take up the issue with TAFREN Chairman Mano Tittawella to find immediate solutions to ECCSL members. Dr. Jinasena who has been assigned to handle the fishing and power sectors said that TAFREN would be given legal teeth soon to enable it to act on its own and expedite work by avoiding unnecessary delay due to State tender procedures and other bureaucratic procedures that are time consuming. He also said that TAFREN was mainly doing a match making job and it would strive to bring more donors and working parties together rather than involving physically in construction activities. 'This is a huge area of activities and TAFREN has no time to directly handle projects alone. We will match parties for every project allowing the donors and the constructors to negotiate, implement and complete projects as soon as possible"
