ICA/COOPFED Workshop on Development of Consumer Cooperatives was held on December 7, 2016 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Consumer Cooperative Societies Federation Limited (COOPFED) hosted the workshop, which was attended by 74 delegates from consumer cooperative societies in Sri Lanka, Japan, India, Nepal, and Vietnam. The objectives of the workshop were to promote understanding of co-operative principles, to strengthen management of consumer cooperative societies and to understand the present status and problem areas of consumer cooperatives. The theme for this year was, “study effective operation of small-scaled store.”
The inauguration ceremony started with welcome address by Mr D.S.K. Pathirana, CEO of COOPFED, followed by opening remarks from Mr. Amano Haruyoshi, Chairman of the ICA-AP Consumer Committee. The special speech was delivered by Mr. T.M.K.B. Tennekoon, Secretary, Ministry of Industrial Development in Sri Lanka, and special remarks by Dr. Bhagwati Prasad, Vice Chairman of Co-operative Housebuilding and Finance Co-operation Limited, India. Two reports were presented during the workshop on, “Consumer Cooperative in Sri Lanka” and “Cooperative Law in Sri Lanka.” Two lectures were delivered by Ms. Nguyen Bich Ly, Director of Coop Food, Saigon Coop on, “Effective Operation of Mini Super Market and by Mr. Rohita Annasiwatta, Head of New Business, Unilever Sri Lanka on, “Outline of Retail Industry in Sri Lanka and how to compete with the private sector for cooperatives.”
A field visit was organized to the Negombo Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited after the inauguration ceremony of COOPFED Workshop to revitalize Campus Co-operatives and launch of Financial Literacy in Sri Lanka. The Negombo MPCS has over 27,500 membership (40% of the population of the community) and its main businesses are co-operative bank, supermarkets, and pharmacies.
