Report of the NCC/ICA National Workshop 'Development of Consumer Cooperative Movement in Sri Lanka' - Workshop Reeeeeeport

Abstract

The International Co-operative Alliance - Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has undertaken country-specific and need based activities during the recent past in many of its projects. The Consumer Cooperative Development project undertook an as sessment of the regional situation at a recent vk/orkshop held in De cember, 1988 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Subsequently, many developing countries, including Bangladesh and Philippines w^ere made priority in terms of needs expressed, to strengthen the exisiting consumer cooperative movements. These two countries as well as Sri Lanka did not have a national level organisation for consumer cooperatives. Therefore, the national workshops held and the studies undertaken in the case of Philippines have high lighted the need for such an organisation. The national workshop held in Sri Lanka has highlighted important issues for future. It is worthwhile to mention here that Sri Lanka has already been able to establish a national level consumer cooperative federation, in order to improve the situation in con sumer cooperatives, which has been a major recommendation. The report also highlights many other legal and organisational issues, in addition to the policy issues. I have no doubt that the leaders in the co-operative movement of Sri Lanka would be able to pursue their efforts to achieve an ideal consumer co-operative movement for the country.