Veerasamy Kumaran elected Printers President 2015/2016

The Sri Lanka Association of Printers (SLAP) 55th Annual General Meeting was held at The Kingsbury Hotel, amidst a distinguished gathering of Past Presidents and members.

Outgoing President Johnny Fernando thanked his EXCO and members for an outstanding two years of office as President S L A P 2013 -2015. Fernando in an eloquent but short speech appreciated the cooperation extended to him and the EXCO by the past leaders and especially the sponsors of events who ensured success, progress and growth in all aspects of the association.

Apart from celebrating feature events as the ‘Sri Lanka In Print’ exhibition during CHOGM, COLLATE 2014, Regional Print Awards 2015, the Printers Sixes 2014 and 2015 10th anniversary of the Soft-ball Cricket Carnival. 

Fernando shared the success of providing training in the outstations in collaboration with the Export Development Board, enhancing skills in the printing industry with a view to developing global markets for printing similar to how the garment industry of Sri Lanka developed.

The development of training and technological advancement, enriching the printing skills towards the vision of being the print hub in the region, will move forward in the competent hands of Veerasamy Kumaran, the newly-elected President, who thanked his predecessor profusely and vowed to continue the path for all printers and SLAP members to excel going forward globally. President Kumaran insisted that seminars would be held in every district to enrich printers with a view to benefitting all member printers to develop their business.

The Nomination Committee, comprising Past Presidents, Keerthi Gunawardane (Chairman), Kosala Thilakaratne and Dinesh Kulathunga, deliberated over the nominations and the Office Bearers and Board Members to form the SLAP EXCO 2015/2016 were duly elected as nominated without a contest. 

The participation of members was very encouraging with over 75 members and a total of six Past Presidents present, including the IPP Sanjeev Mohan, Sathis Abeywickrama and Dharani Karunarathne gracing the occasion in addition to the three Past Presidents who formed the Nomination Committee.

Kumaran will be supported by Ranjith Fernando (1st VP), Suranjith Premadasa (2nd VP), Priyanga Perera (Secretary), Gratien Fernando (Treasurer) and prominent printers and associate member representatives on the EXCO.

The 55th AGM was illuminated with the official presentation of the newly-designed logo of SLAP, depicting the vision of the association taking the printing industry to the next level, preparing the ground for Sri Lanka printing to emerge as an alternative in the international market under the theme ‘Going Forward Globally’.

A special award was presented to Fernando in recognition of his outstanding leadership during his tenure from 2013-2015. All EXCO Members too were recognised and presented with plaques of appreciation. The prevalent sentiment among all present was the exceptional skills of leadership and effective administration quietly and successfully performed by Gratien Fernando, Secretary of SLAP during 2013-2015. 

The platform and foundation for the Sri Lanka Association of Printers to rise to the occasion and times of competitive global challenge to further develop the print industry capturing greater markets is well laid and much will be expected from the newly elected-Executive Committee of Kumaran to seal the deal for the Sri Lankan print fraternity.

There was much entertainment and music for dancing with the 55th Annual General Meeting coming to an extremely successful conclusion, with the vote of thanks delivered by Priyanga J. Perera, incoming Secretary of SLAP for the ensuing term of office.

Sri Lanka Association of Printers Board of Directors/EXCO 2015/2016: 

President – Veerasamy Kumaran; 1st Vice President – Ranjith Fernando; 2nd Vice President – Suranjith Premadasa; Secretary – Priyanga Perera; Asst. Secretary – Delan Silva; Treasurer – Gratien Fernando; Asst. Treasurer – Kevin La Faber.

Committee Members: Himal Ariyasena, Dhammikka Sriwardhana, Dudley Thambinayagam, D.G. Gunasiri Yapa, Thiagarajh Thayanithi, Chandralal Jayawardena, Selvam Kethees , Rohitha Grero, Zakir H. Kamrudeen, and IPP Johnny Fernando.