PROMOTING SRI LANKA GLOBALLY-
DILMAH'S CEYLON (NOT SRI LANKAN) FOOD FESTIVAL IN JAKARTA, TRAGEDY
"DILMAH, SIRASA " DROP IN THE OCEAN

By M D P DISSANAYAKE

Dressing down given by the President few months back to the SL: Ambassadors in overseas postings was a shot in the right direction. But Ambassadors cannot clap with one hand. News bulletins about Sri Lanka through established TV network such as CNN, BBC,CNA, ABC, WIN,
etc not in anyway helpful to promote our products abroad or to establish investor relationship with the existing and potential on-lookers. The reports read by the overseas investors about SL are confined to LTTE bombs, air attacks and then retaliatory actions by the Sri Lankan Government. These reports are not going to encourage investors to come and put their money in Sri Lanka. The Central Bank statistics are showing 7.5% GDP, indeed a high percentage from a very low base. Only good news the world receive about SL is latest news on our Cricket . SL has failed miserably to carry out an extensive and elaborate marketing strategy to promote SL, just giving a warning to Ambassadors will not yield results.

In Marketing, you are told " if you have one bad news about you in the media, then the next day you should activate two good news about you in the media". This applies to an individual, a family, sole trader, partnership, legal entity, group of companies, conglomerates, or a COUNTRY.

The Indian sub-continent countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afganistan, Maldive Islands have several TV channels (free to air). By far, India has the largest number of channels with leading partners such as Sahara and Doordarshan. Pakistan has at least four channels, Bangladesh two, Afganistan 2 and Maldive one channel. Did I miss any country in the sub-continent? Oh! I am sorry readers. The Socialist, Democratic, Republic of Sri Lanka has ZERO channels globally! (give a big hand ladies and gentlemen).

The writer cannot believe why Sri Lanka cannot have a global TV channel, when countries such as Maldive Islands, Afganistan , Bangladesh successfully promote their image right around the world, 24 hours a day, through this excellent marketing tool. For example just to demonstrate how our so called leading national promoters are enhancing the image of Sri Lanka, last month Dilmah Tea conducted a Food Festival in Jakarta at the Ritz Carlton, under the caption "CEYLON FOOD FESTIVAL". Some Indonesians at the Ritz asked the writer " Is it Ceylon or Sri Lanka"? These idiotic, unpatriotic Companies who are promoting Sri Lanka, call our country wrongly, thus confusing foreigners. . I am not going to write about the taste of food served at that Festival, I only said to the Banquet Manager, " next time you want to have a Sri Lankan Food Festival, let us know my wife will do it free of charge". Sri Lankan Kandian Dancing was good at the event but there was no presentation at all to promote Sri Lanka. What a waste of my usd 108? Mr President, how can we promote Sri Lanka like this, when promoters do not know what they are promoting, the brand name: Ceylon or Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka has so much to promote but lethargic attitudes of contemporary governments have failed to face the challenges. Once again, when it comes to media promotion we look for Dilmah, Sirasa, but they are nothing more than a drop in the ocean. Their priorities are different to say the least.

The President should find one capable Minister in our Jumbo Cabinet who has a commercial acumen. He or She should be tasked immediately to set up a public listed company, allowing 49% participation by private sector and 51% by the government to set up a free to air TV channels, in Sinhala, Tamil and English to broadcast globally . To expedite the project, the PLC should enter into joint venture agreements with Sahara and Doordharshan as they already have an established infrastructure and network. This could be the speediest way to get the project on board. .In the long run Rupavahini, Sirasa and other channels may be joined with the Sahara and Doordharshan to show case our national heritage, sports and current affairs. We have so much to show the world, Pinnawala Elephant Sancturary, Major Water Falls, Sigiriya, Dambulla, beautiful beaches, hotels, international banks, free trade zones with major companies, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian temples and churches, places of worship, annual Kandy Perahera, annual Kataragama Fire Walk participated by Sinhala, Tamil, Muslims. Sri Lanka's traditions are virgin and we must show case it immensely.

Just forget about Dilmah Tea Company, an organization not only ignorant of our country's name , but cannot make even a tasteful Sri Lankan Roti in an international food festival conducted under their sponsorship.