Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) affected by the Easter Sunday attacks are facing further difficulties due to the banking sector’s failure to implement recommendations from the Ministry of Industry, the Joint District Entrepreneur Organisation has said.
Its President, Chamli Kumarasiri, told a news conference yesterday that the Industry Minister had proposed several measures to support affected businesses following feasibility studies, but these recommendations were not accepted by the banks.
Kumarasiri said the affected entrepreneurs are seeking relief through a merit-based evaluation process rather than outright loan write-offs.
He also criticized the Finance Ministry for a lackadaisical approach and noted that attempts to secure a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had been unsuccessful.
Kumarasiri urged the government to appoint an independent committee to make recommendations on bank loan approvals and to establish the development banks outlined in the Budget.
As part of relief measures for businessmen impacted by the Parate law, he suggested that such loans be absorbed by the government’s asset management unit and called for a loan scheme without collateral requirements to support these entrepreneurs.
