February 01, Colombo (LNW): Merchants operating at key wholesale hubs have voiced firm resistance to a government proposal to place their centres under the control of a newly created state-owned enterprise, according to reports from a meeting held yesterday (31) at the Dambulla Economic Centre.
The discussion brought together Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, several deputy ministers, local Members of Parliament, senior public officials, and delegates from the Dambulla Economic Centre Traders’ Association.
Business owners argued that the centres, which have been run by private traders for over three decades, were set to be transferred without meaningful dialogue, formal contracts, or written notice. They made it clear that they were unwilling to relinquish day-to-day management to a government-appointed body, describing the process as abrupt and dismissive of those who built and sustained the markets.
Concerns were also raised over suggestions by certain officials to redraw the operational limits of the centres, a move traders fear could tilt control in favour of the state while marginalising existing enterprises. Representatives warned that such changes could undermine incomes and destabilise long-established trading networks. Accounts from the meeting suggest exchanges between officials and traders became tense at several points.
Meanwhile, a government spokesperson defended the plan, stating that management would be transferred to National Agri Market Services Ltd, a state-owned firm overseen by a seven-member board. The spokesperson said the initiative is aimed at bringing greater structure, transparency, and modern management practices to the country’s economic centres.
