President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered that the Gem and Jewellery Authority Head Quarters be shifted to Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath told representatives of the Gem Traders’ Union, Sabaragamuwa Board of Trade and Industry and senior officials of the Provincial Council, whom he met at his office to discuss the problems faced by those involved in the gem industry and to find ways and means to develop the gem trade.

He said he had several discussions with the President, Chief Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa and Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and apprised them of the present unfavourable state of the gem industry and its future.

At a recent discussion held at the parliamentary complex presided over by Basil Rajapaksa, he said, it was decided to send Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa to Ratnapura on a fact finding mission. To make his official visit more meaningful it was necessary to get the views of the experts in the industry, the CM said.

Even though gems are found mostly in the Ratnapura district, the gem trade and industry and the deals connected to it took place outside Ratnapura in places like Colombo, Kandy and Galle. It was his objective to bring the major share of this trade to Ratnapura, the CM said. It was the wish of the President that the people of Ratnapura should benefit from this trade. The President wanted several of the ten lapidaries to be set up in Ratnapura, he said.

President of the Gem Traders’ Society J. Guruge and other members expressed their gratitude to the President for including in the budget several relief measures for the gem industry. But, they feared, that the existing system of issuing permits for gemming by the Gem and Jewellery Authority was not feasible to the gem industry.

They pointed out that the present system of making the approval of the Chairman of the Gem and Jewellery Authority, mandatory had reduced the number of applicants getting gem mining permits by 43%. Also permission to mine gems in paddy lands should go through the Department of Govijana Seva, had also created several problems.

Guruge pointed out that in the Pelmadulla Gonakumbura area in the Ratnapura district the gem bearing gravel deposits known as ‘illam’ had been already exhausted. were found only at considerable depths and to mine them needed new technology. A Backhoe for gem mining hired at Rs. 35,000 earlier had been doubled by the Gem and Jewellery Authority and this too was causing problems, he said.

The treasurer of the Gem Traders’ Society D. A. Ranjith Peris said that the gem industry could be developed if it was in the hands of the provincial council. Action should be taken to auction estate lands bearing gems managed by the State Plantation Corporation. A gem trade centre should be set up at Ratnapura. The gem trade was in operation in faraway places like Beruwela but the gems were from Ratnapura. The pit owners and the gem traders were the ones who mine and find new gem deposits. The Gem and Jewellery Authority had failed to spot new gem lands so far, using modern technology.

Former chairman of the Ratnapura Board of Trade and Industry C. Gunasena said "Even though Ratnapura has been famous for its fascinating gems from very early times, it is a pity that we don’t even have a trade centre. A consumer who needed a small stone for his domestic use is unable to buy one as there was no trade centre here,". He wanted the chief minister to take the lead in solving this problem. "When the Gem and Jewellery Authority is established in Ratnapura a loan system with a minimum interest should be introduced to all those involved in the trade," he requested.

Chief Minister Maheepala Herath said "Though Sri Lanka is famous for gems and a major portion of deposits are found in Ratnapura, the Sabaragamuwa Province is categorised as one of the poor districts in the country. There is more poverty in Ratnapura than in Kegalle. A new town was created forty years ago and the work is not yet completed. But all these shortcomings will be overcome when the president’s assurance is materialized", he said.