Global CIM Chief Sir Paul Judge meets Minister Rajapaksa

The Chartered Institute of Marketing will launch training programs on tourism promotion and CIM-related educational projects in Sri Lanka. Already such professionally trained persons in countries like the UK and Germany are doing highly-paid jobs, according to Sir Paul Judge, Global President of CIM.

He said this when he met Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the Ministry office recently. Judge told the Minister that since professional marketing managers were highly recognised worldwide, their contribution to the information technology sector would help to reach tourism promotional goals quickly and effectively.

The CIMA President further said the training programs would help to turn out efficient professionals who would earn high incomes and become direct shareholders of the Sri Lanka’s national economy. The trainees would also be given scholarships for this purpose.

He expressed confidence that it would not be difficult to realise CIM’s objectives here since Sri Lanka’s current environment was conducive to foreign investments.

He expressed satisfaction with the contribution the Government is making to uplift education and warned that unless curriculums are changed to meet the needs of the increasing population, crisis situations might arise in the future.

Minister Rajapaksa said that the Government had launched a number of programs to train young people in motor mechanism, diesel and petrol engineering, information technology, carpentry and masonry among others since there is a great demand for professionals in these areas both locally and internationally. He further said that CIM trainees would be provided with necessary assistance with the help of companies such as Microsoft. The programs are being conducted at a cost which Sri Lankans can afford. 

Rajapaksa assured all assistance to the CIM projects since various programs are being conducted at national, district and rural levels with the participation of both the public and private sectors.

He added that there is an increase in the number of people being trained to meet both local and international job requirements since the training is being conducted to meet international standards.

According to the Economic Development Minister, already Sri Lankans who have been trained at minimum cost are now employed in countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada as a result of the Government continuing to provide free education. He said that Divi Neguma was one the important programs the Government had launched to eradicate poverty here in the new millennium. A difficulty the Government is facing at present is finding a good market for items produced under this program, he pointed out.

Judge said that Sri Lanka must find its own balance between free education and fee-based education, particularly in the field of tertiary education in order to bring maximum benefit to the wider economy.

He is in the country on a fact-finding mission commissioned with a view to forming a development plan for Sri Lanka towards 2030, with a particular focus on the country’s education sector on an invitation extended by Cabinet Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris.

Judge is on the panel of senior advisors to the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) and has served as the President of CIM since 2008. He has previously acted as an Independent

Advisor to Togo, Kenya, and South Africa, whilst also acting as the Chairman and Managing Director of Schroder Income Growth Fund PLC, a European equity-focused investment trust.