SLPA Chief receives Most Outstanding Sri Lankan award

Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) received the prestigious award of the International Association of Lions Clubs, as the most outstanding Sri Lankan in the field of Construction and National Development.

The award was presented at ‘The Most Outstanding Sri Lankan Awards’ ceremony organised by the District 306 A1-Sri Lanka, of the International Association of Lions Clubs, on Saturday the 7 May 2011 at the BMICH in Colombo.

Born in 1973, in Galle, Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama completed his higher education at the University of Moratuwa with B.Sc. Eng(Hons) in Mechanical Engineering and P. G. (Dip) in Energy Technology respectivlely in 2000 and 2001. Accordingly, he functioned as an instructor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Moratuwa till he joined Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) as a Mechanical Engineer in October 2001.

In 2004, Dr. Wickrama was promoted to the post of the Executive Director of the SLPA with the responsibility of overseeing all establishment, technical and human resource development affairs of the institution. He also served as the Managing Director and the Vice Chairman of SLPA. In November 2008, Dr. Priyath B.Wickrama was appointed as the Chairman of SLPA with the responsibilities of ensuring efficient and effective administrative, operational and executive by issuing necessary guidelines, instructions and orders to ensure among other things providing regular stevedoring, shipping, transshipping, landing and warehousing of dry and wet cargo, tallying of cargo, providing protective services regulations and controlling navigational services, maintain, improve and develop port installations and conducting business of SLPA to the satisfaction of the port users.

Dr. Wickrama also holds the position of Director (Southern Regional Development) in view of managing the development of all sea ports in the Southern region of the country.

He is the Project Director of Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port Project. In 2010, Dr. Wickrama was appointed as the Director of the Urban Development Authority and the National Paper Company Ltd. At present, he also serves as the Chairman of Sri Lanka Port Management and Consultancy Services pt. Ltd.

Dr. Wickrama also holds the PhD of International University of America in United Kingdom, in Operations Management. He had been a Charted Engineer and Council Member at the Institute of the Engineers Sri Lanka in 2006. Dr. Wickrama has performed in the capacities of the Committee Member of the Port Planning and Development Committee of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) in 2007 and an Affiliated Member (Professional) at the Charted Institute of Marketing in 2010.

Since Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama assumed duties as the Chairman of the SLPA in 2008, he had a goal from day one, as the Chairman on one of the largest Public Sector Establishments in Sri Lanka, in terms of workforce and invaluable contribution towards national economy. Realising the necessity of achieving the expected results by optimum utilisation of resources such as men, materials and money, he has been working with a desire and determination to take crucial steps where necessary to achieve the goal with anticipated results. At a time where, optimum management of human resources, materials, finance, time and infrastructure facilities was lacking mainly due to conservative concepts and undesirable attitudes at the institution, Dr. Wickrama addressed the issues successfully, by introducing world recognised procedures and systems to ensure commitment, dedication and loyalty of the employees to the organisation supported by technology to compete with any developed port in the world.

One of the most important systems introduced under the leadership of Dr. Wickrama at SLPA, is the Terminal Management System for the efficient and effective planning and operation of the Container Terminals.