SLPA Chairman receives ‘Seatrade Young Person of the Year’ award

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama has received the prestigious award for the ‘Seatrade Young Person of the Year’ at the Seatrade Middle East & Indian Subcontinent Awards 2011.

The awards were held on 17 October at the Atlantis, The Palm, following the Middle East Money and Ships 2011 conference at The Address, Dubai Marina. Dr. Wickrama was the first Sri Lankan citizen to receive such a prestigious international event, which also brings glory to the Government sector.

The Seatrade Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards is designed to celebrate and reward excellence and innovation in the maritime sector across the region over the previous 12 months.

A panel of esteemed judges assess the entries in all categories according to six fundamental principles and their industry specific criteria, which include contribution and commitment to the development of the maritime sector across the region, innovation – either technical, operational or commercial, commitment to safety and quality, social environmental responsibilities, business enterprise and achievement and engagement with training and development of personnel.

The awards ceremony, which is renowned as the ‘Oscars’ of the maritime world, saw over 25 countries across the Middle East, Europe and Asia participate this year.

The Middle East Money and Ships 2011 conference took place on 16 October 2011 at the Address, Dubai Marina. This popular annual conference has grown year-on-year since its launch in 2007, becoming the region’s premier conference and networking event for senior executives from the maritime and finance sectors.

Bringing together international financiers, insurers, lawyers, bankers, ship brokers, ship owners, port operators and investors, this one-day event has set itself up as a globally-recognised platform to discuss and debate issues regionally and internationally.

The conference preceded the Seatrade Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards 2011.

The SLPA Chairman addressed the conference on ‘Trading Patterns and Infrastructure Development,’ mainly focusing on the potential for cooperation between the ME countries and Sri Lanka in the infrastructure sector.

Earlier this year Dr. Wickrama also 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.

He was also among the jubilant 10 Sri Lankans who received their Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Sri Lanka (TOYP) awards in 2010. Dr. Wickrama won the TOYP 2010 award in recognition of his extraordinary achievements in the realm of ‘Business, Economic and/or Entrepreneurial Accomplishments,’ which satisfied the judges and auditors who worked on an arduous selection criteria.

Since Dr. Wickrama assumed duties as SLPA Chairman in 2008, he had a goal from the outset, as the Chairman of one of the largest public sector establishments in Sri Lanka, in terms of workforce and invaluable contribution towards the national economy.

Realising the necessity of achieving the expected results through optimum utilisation of resources such as men, materials and money, he has been working with the 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. Manual operations prevailing in the past have been computerised under the new terminal management system, resulting in higher productivity  and efficiency in all terminal operations, less paper work, facilities for better monitoring of services, possibility  for the shipping lines and agencies to obtain final bay plans and other information online and speedier turnaround time of ships.

He is the Project Director of the 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. He also serves as the Chairman of Sri Lanka Port Management and Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd.

Dr. Wickrama holds a PhD from the International University of America in United Kingdom, in Operations Management. He is also a Chartered Engineer and was a Council Member of the Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka in 2006.

Dr. Wickrama has performed in the capacities of Committee Member of the Port Planning and Development Committee of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) in 2007 and as an Affiliated Member (Professional) of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in 2010.