On Rishad’s Initiative 96th International Cooperative Day Celebrations of 2018 at Batticaloa

On an initiative taken by Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industries and Commerce, this years (2018) 96th International Cooperative Day celebrations are scheduled to be held on 7th July at Weber Stadium in Batticaloa. It is relevant to mention that the 95th celebrations was held in Kurunegala under the patronage of the President Maithripala Sirisena. The main theme of the 96th Celebration reads thus “ Sustainable Consumption and Production”.

In a preparatory meeting held  yesterday at the Ministry of Industries and Commerce, Minister Rishad Bathiudeen made the above announcement flanked by the Governor of Eastern Province Rohitha Bogollagama, Ministry Secretary K.D.N.Ranjith Asoka and commissioner of Cooperatives  S.L.Nazeer.

Minister Rishad further said that the Srilanka Cooperative Sector has seen vast development  in the recent past and extended its’ services apart from industry and commerce in promoting multi facet economic development, agriculture, insurance, consumers goods, fishing, banking, medicine and textile production. It injects energy to the above sectors. Youths are reluctant to involve in cooperative movement. Purpose is to identify the reasons for such reluctancy  and encourage them to participate in it resulting in an unshakable cooperative movement in Srilanka, he said. Though cooperative movement in Srilanka has a long history, it was only during Mrs.Srimavo Bandaranayake’s era it was reactivated. This is high time for all regional cooperative representatives to meet at Batticaloa, he concluded.