Business
SL’s membership of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme would enable it to grow – Deputy British HC
By Hiran H.Senewiratne
Sri Lanka is in the UK government’s special Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which aims at harnessing the power of trade to help developing countries grow and prosper, Deputy British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Lisa Whanstall said.
‘The new scheme offers developing countries one of the most generous sets of trading preferences for any country in the world. The scheme demonstrates the UK’s commitment to building long term, mutually beneficial relationships with emerging economies that are home to more than 3.3 billion people, Ms. Whanstall told an AICPA & CIMA special event held in Colombo recently.
Deputy High Commissioner Whanstall added: ‘The UK is already Sri Lanka’s second largest export market, but currently Sri Lanka is on a lower utilization of the UK trading preferences on offer and greater diversification of Sri Lanka exports will be key towards tapping into the opportunities presented by the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).
‘Sri Lanka has the second largest CIMA student population in the world and the private sector in Sri Lanka has exhibited flexibility and resiliency to face economic challenges.The deep educational and professional ties between Sri Lanka and the UK have bound the two countries together for generations and will continue to bring them together and the British Council has been on ground here in Sri Lanka for over 70 years representing the UK in various aspects of cultural relations, building relationships, opportunities and connecting people and organizations, as well as language training.’
Chairman, University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka Prof Sampath Amaratunge said the CIMA qualification is an excellent qualification, in that it is like a passport to go to any part of the world.
Zahara Ansary, Country Head, Sri Lanka, at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants said that during these uncertain times AICPA and CIMA aim to support their candidates and members to succeed in their careers and gain the skills that they need to stay ahead of the curve.
“We run a range of initiatives alongside our partners to help them adapt and thrive through challenging times and to show them that earning their CGMA designation and being part of one of the largest networks of professional accountants can help them to achieve in their careers and personal lives, she said.