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St. Mary’s College Negombo 150 years
Year 2021 is historic for both St. Mary’s College, Negombo, and its affiliate the Old Boys’ Association (OBA). It marks the unique feat of attaining 150 years and 100 years in service, respectively. It also provides an opportunity to reflect on the past achievements of these great institutions as well as to introspect on the preparations to meet the challenges that lie ahead. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime moment that all Maryites have been waiting for, which has finally dawned.
St. Mary’s English Boys’ School had its early humble beginning as a grant-in-aid-school when Rev. Monsignor John Vistarini, the Missionary Priest of St. Mary’s Church- Grand Street, started it in the Mission House in 1871 for the benefit of the children of the Grand Street Mission. Later it became St. Mary’s English Boys’ High School in a new building behind the Mission House in 1872. Rev. Fr. Vistarini was a great visionary with a flair for preaching, education and social work. It was his passion for great humanitarian service that drove him to model the school as a provider of quality and affordable education.
Throughout early history, St. Mary’s Church and St. Mary’s College were administered by the Priest in charge of Grand Street Mission and together has been a beacon of light guiding its children in the path of wisdom gained through knowledge, character and spirituality. These great institutions are deeply involved in helping people learn and work toward wholeness and better character.
The motto of St. Mary’s College is “VIAM SAPIENTIAE MONSTRABO TIBI”; a Latin phrase which is taken from the biblical book of Proverbs (4:11) meaning “I WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY OF WISDOM” in English.
The College has made significant strides under the management of the Catholic Church for almost a century since its beginning. Although it came under government control on 1st January 1969, the Church’s influence continued until 1981 when the Golden Era of Rectors ended. It has had a powerful and transformative impact on the students which is evident from its alumni consisting of a large number of Catholic Priests, Intellectuals, Professionals, Politicians, Businessmen, etc., who have excelled in their own chosen fields.
Although education was the primary objective of the college, it went beyond the traditional framework into areas such as leadership, discipline, spirituality, etc., in order to produce well rounded citizens. The college has a reputation of producing a large number of catholic priests, if not the highest. A shining example is Archbishop Emeritus Rt. Rev. Dr. Nicholas Marcus Fernando who was called to eternal rest on the 11th April 2019. Fr. Nicholas Marcus Fernando became the youngest, at the age of 44, and the first diocesan priest to be appointed Archbishop on March 30, 1977 and since then His Grace had spearheaded and guided the Catholic flock of Sri Lanka with admiration.
Today the college is being administered by Rector, Rev. Fr. Jayantha Wickremasinghe assisted by a faculty of able and qualified staff which has brought renewed hope of re-inventing the former glory.
The Old Boys’ Association
April 1906, was a turning point in the college history when Rev. Fr. Francis Lawrence Breton joined as Director of the school. Fr. Breton took immediate steps to recruit certificated teachers with the aim of preparing the students for Cambridge Senior and Junior Examinations. Boarding facilities were provided in the upper floor of the Main Building starting from October 1906 to encourage residential learning.
In what appears to be the first step in forming the Old Boys’ Association, Rev. Fr. Breton formed a Sports Club in 1907 with the help of many old boys. This initial step gradually developed into forming the Old Boys’ Association in December 1911 with a gathering of over 60 of the Negombo elite, organised by its Vice President Mr. R.F.P. Jayatilleke and Secretary Mr. R S Dalpadado, with a call from Rev.Fr. Breton to those who have not joined to join the association.
The OBA since then has played an important complementary role which has been instrumental in many of the infrastructure development that has taken place. Besides, its role in preserving and nurturing the age old traditions and culture are highly commendable. Such cooperation is critical to the smooth functioning and progress of these institutions. In this context, the OBA’s decision to celebrate this unique moment in their history is most opportune and praiseworthy.
The devastation caused by the pandemic across the world has not deterred the OBA from celebrating this all important milestone in a relatively subdued but no less in a solemn manner.
Accordingly, the OBA has organised “Centenary Dinner” with a view to sharing our joy and accomplishment with the Maryites fraternity on 3rd of December.
Nimal Mello
Immediate Past President and Chairman of Centenary Committee
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
