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AGM of SUCCESS Sri Lanka with a Naval Hero as Chief Guest
The annual General Meeting of the Society for the Upliftment of Conservation of Cultural, Economic and Social Standards (SUCCESS) was held at the International Buddhist Centre, Wellawatte, on April 5, 2021. The highlight of the event was the person selected to grace the occasion as Chief Guest: Navy Commando Chathura Gamage.
Immense help given
SUCCESS was inaugurated by Prof M B Ariyapala and others in 1995 and has continued doing much to promote the aim and vision of the organization. They work mostly in hamlets marked as threatened villagers during the civil war and these lie principally in Vavuniya, Ampara, Trincomalee and Welioya. The temples in the area are the centres for SUCCESS activities and thus, the villagers being too disadvantaged to do much for the temples, the Organization has helped greatly in reconstruction, expansion and installation of facilities. The village people are helped with frequent medical clinics, which Dr Anula Wijesundere, President of SUCCESS for 22 of its 27-year existence, leads. We know full well how selflessly and diligently she conducted health clinics in the poorest of poor villages, doubly suffering due to proximity to LTTE held areas; with like-minded medical and nursing volunteers.
Additionally, the supply of clean water for drinking and water for households and cultivated fields is a special concern of SUCCESS. Water pumps, containers, pipes and taps are supplied; also tube wells sunk. Children are supplied with school necessities and bicycles so they can attend school notwithstanding very poor bus services in most areas.
Choice of Chief Guest of 2021 AGM
Anula spoke on her choice of invitee to be chief guest which was unanimously approved by the Committee. “l first came to know of Chathura’s bravery when I read an article by Admiral Ravindran Wijegunaratne in the Sunday Island of May 26, 2020.” We all agree he is undoubtedly an admirable man, intrepid and loyal to this fellow sailors, and the country.
Just as Dr Wijesundere is well known due to her social service, her commitment to the country and support given to the armed forces, and being an excellent specialist physician; so also well known is Navy Hero Chathura Gamage.
On joining the Navy when the civil war was raging, he was selected with a few others for special training to man small boats that were seen to be more capable than larger vessels of hitting enemy craft the LTTE had successfully built. The trainees were selected for their stature, demonstrated fearlessness and determination. Thus the trained Commandos of the Special Boat Squadron did deadly damage to the LTTE at sea, moving silently into enemy territory at night. Excellent night vision was a requirement. They dealt severe blows to LTTE ships, particularly those smuggling in arms and ammunition. To cap it all, they were almost invisible and escaped detection, capture or being blown up at sea. Victories were many – in the Jaffna Lagoon, Pooneryn and Karainagar.
Unfortunately during a battle between Tamil Tiger ships and the Special Boat Squadron, , Chathura was injured and his boat began drifting to enemy territory. Some of his mates escaped and swam to safety; a few died; and Chathura decided to escape capture by risking his life attempting to swim with a grievous injury. He had been shot in the abdomen. Holding his protruding intestines, he swam two and a half hours until picked-up by a government boat. He spent nine months in hospitals in Trincomalee, Colombo and the Army Hospital. He was first operated on by surgeon Dr Thavendran in Trincomalee. Thereafter he had to undergo several surgeries by Dr S S Jayaratne and Dr Indrani Amarasinghe who performed specialized bowel surgery so he could take solid food after five years of being solely on liquid nourishment. These two doctors were at the SUCCESS AGM.
Another even harder blow was losing his best friend, Sudesh Dalugama, in a sea battle. This was one reason why, when only partly recovered, he returned to the North and the Navy and worked administratively and as advisor. In his address at the AGM he thanked the doctors who saved his life and got him back to near normalcy, especially the skilled surgeons, both Tamil and Sinhalese.
Chathura harboured this one ambition from a very tender age to join the Armed Forces. Even now, though retired and living in Ratnapura, he gives of his know-how and experience as a Motivator to the SL Navy
Dr Anula Wijesundere presented the year’s work done by SUCCESS followed by a video on the assistance given to the S L Army. She delivered a citation on the Chief Guest which visibly moved him to tears. He then addressed those present, often turning emotional. After tumultuous applause for Chathura, the Ranaviru song. ‘Muhuda de be Karana’ was sung by all present. Chathura was almost mobbed with everyone, young and old, wanting to speak with him. Anula says: “No other chief Guest at our AGMs for the past 27 years received such warmth, affection and adulation.”
N P Wanasundera
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
