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Chef Priyantha Weerasinghe joins Mövenpick’s as Culinary Services Director
Mövenpick Colombo recently welcomed the celebrated and renowned culinary artiste par excellence, Chef Priyantha Weerasinghe as Director Culinary Services to its leadership team. Movenpick is strategically strengthening its Leadership Team with stellar performers who have contributed immensely to the Hospitality Industry. With extensive local and international exposure and over two decades of experience in crafting gastronomic artistry in leading 5-star Hotels such as Hilton Dubai and Universal Hotels Chain, Maldives, Chef Priyantha shines brightest among our nation’s culinary experts. His creativity has won him many prestigious awards and positions including – Judge of the Asian Gelato cup 2018 in Singapore, Accredited Judge of World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) and being a Member of the Golden Horseshoe Culinary Team Canada. He is an acclaimed medalist at the World Food Olympics and the Singapore Culinary Competition. Chef Priyantha’s passion lies in South Asian Cuisine, including Japanese and Vietnamese gastronomy.
When asked about his plans for guests of Mövenpick Colombo he stated. “My team and I have many new ideas and concepts that we are excited to implement. We have revitalized our buffet offerings with eclectic live stations and have dynamic a la carte concepts. We have also introduced the crowd pleasing, High Tea Buffet. Apart from that, guests can expect a host of unique and refreshing dining experiences.” Elaborating further on his philosophy of mentoring his teams and his strategy to further uplift the culinary team at Movenpick he added. “It is my passion to train my young and enthusiastic team and spur them on to participate in all culinary events and bring glory to the country and the hotel. I am also looking forward to sharing my knowledge on how to use spices and teas. I wish to reflect my own journey and inspire my teams just as I was inspired by the chefs who taught me.”
Chef Priyantha also is an ardent advocate of healthy foods such as low-salt cuisine and has participated as a judge in judging low-salt preparations. According to Chef Priyantha, this type of food is surprisingly delicious and yet extremely healthy, reducing the risks of high blood pressure, liver damage, kidney failure etc. He is also deeply interested in the roots of Sri Lankan cuisine “I believe in culinary creativity and diligently do my research to create new things.
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
