he Chairperson of the Abans Group of Companies, Aban Pestonjee, spoke out recently on BENCHMARK, urging the business community to become more involved in the peace process. Briefing the business programme on the role that corporates could play in the crucial peace process, she said that the private sector should help out wherever possible, especially in terms of offering advice to the state. “This is necessary for the country to go forward. If we do not have peace, we do not have anything in Sri Lanka,” she asserted.

Pestonjee was recently nominated as one of the ‘Leading Women Entrepreneurs Of The Word’. This year, the US-based annual award saw 15 “exemplary businesswomen” from 11 countries felicitated in Thailand, in March. And in an exclusive interview on the most recent edition of BENCHMARK, Aban – as she is perhaps best known – shared her views on women in Sri Lanka in general and women in business in particular.

“I think our Sri Lankan women are quite good at business, and intelligent – but they need more exposure to the outer world,” she noted. “On the whole, if the country progresses, we would not have this problem. If our country develops faster and if we are open to the outer world and there are more jobs, this would be the way to go,” she defined.

Responding to a query as to how women in business could contribute towards building a model nation, she noted that they should first identify their strengths and work at these – and then perhaps look to the government for assistance, but only if needed. She cautioned: “We cannot depend on the government for everything, which is what our Sri Lankans do. They have to work for themselves. Moreover, there are a lot of private companies that would help them out. I think that is the way to go.”

On the issues faced by women in the workforce, Pestonjee told BENCHMARK that a lack of funds, a lack of exposure and minimal interaction with the world at large are major concerns. She elaborated: “Our politicians made a big mistake by taking English off in 1956. Most of our present problems are a result of that move. Perhaps we need to consider reintroducing English [as the medium of instruction]. It’s not just any language. It’s the language in which people interact with each other all over the world.” The funding for such initiatives, she noted, should be borne by the government and the private sector. The award-winning entrepreneur underscored: “If this issue is addressed, 75 per cent of our problems would be solved.”

Pestonjee also spoke out on the need to improve the lot of the myriad women who earn valuable foreign exchange abroad. Perhaps the government and the private sector could join hands to improve the English-language efficiency of migrant women workers, improve their knowledge of health and hygiene matters, and make them more proficient in the use of electronic appliances. “Then our girls will not be looked down upon, but will be looked upon as an asset wherever they go,” she surmised.

On Sri Lanka’s image and reputation overseas, Pestonjee asserted, drawing on her recent experience in Thailand: “As a whole, Sri Lanka itself is not known. People talk about our problems, but not much is spoken about the good there is in Sri Lanka. That is a necessity. Maybe businesspeople – myself included – could do more to project Sri Lanka,” she affirmed.

Briefly examining the issues of women being marginalised in society through crime, poverty, prostitution and other social evils, Pestonjee declared that violence against women should be eradicated. To begin to do so, women need to be better educated, she averred. 

BENCHMARK, which is presented by LMD, is aired on TNL every Sunday at noon and 9.05 p.m. Produced by ‘the wrap factory’, it also goes on cable TV – LBN’s Bloomberg segment – every Monday at 10 p.m.