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Wednesday Nov 06, 2024
Monday, 14 September 2020 01:55 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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| SLPA Chairman Gen. Daya Rathnayake |
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| Group Chairman Ceyline Group and Chairman CINEC Campus – Capt. Ajith Peiris
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The Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Merchant Navy Professionals Co-op Association was held recently where the Advisory Board Members and a new Board of Directors were elected.
Renowned industry stalwarts, Chairman SLPA – Gen. Daya Rathnayake, Group Chairman Ceyline Group and Chairman CINEC Campus – Capt. Ajith Peiris and Chartered Engineer Mr.Sudath Ariyananda were appointed as Advisory Board Members.
The following are the office bearers elected to serve for a period of two years.
The Seafarers’ Coop was set up three years back with a view to assist fellow seafarers of all ranks to promote their economic, social and cultural development through mutual support. The main objective therefore was to an organised body that addressed the common interests of fellow seafarers and their families.
The Seafarer Coop among other areas, also acts as a consultant, protector and trainer to the member seafarers to achieve their above objectives.
Speaking at the occasion SLPA Chairman Gen. Daya Rathnayaka stated that the importance of sea trade is more than highlighted by the fact that the entire country was crippled during the shortage of fuel imports to the country some time back and despite the trying times during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka is able to sustain its economic activity due to the seafaring and port sector continuing to operate.
Capt. Ajith Peiris articulated the strategic importance of the seafaring community in Sri Lanka’s quest to generate more foreign exchange to the country by the fact that the seafarers bring over $ 300 million foreign exchange into the country in way of their wages. He further stated that organised and concerted effort to strengthen the trade and its representatives and dependents, will result in unprecedented growth in this area.
The past few years have seen significant growth, mutual support and contribution to fellow seafarers, their families and the Sri Lankan society. The membership has swelled to over 500 members, with personal loans valued over Rs. 15 million disbursed and over 50 bank guarantees for seafarers issued.
The Seafarers Coop has actively pursued its engagement to the betterment of society as well.
In keeping with its objectives, the new Board is to focus on developing a fully equipped seafarers bank, formulate an EPF/ETF/pension scheme for seafarers, introduce special insurance pool for the seafarers’ vehicles, introduce an educational loan system for seafarers’ higher education, develop professional development and carrier development programs, provide accommodation facilities near Colombo for our seafarers who live outstations, develop holiday bungalows Island-wide, establish seafarers’ centres at Colombo and Galle, develop medical check-up packages for members and their families, facilitate legal/professional advice for our members, establish mechanism for looking after disabled seafarers, provide advice and information for financial management and investment possibilities in Sri Lanka. The Seafarers Coop invites all seafarers to be members with a view to strengthen its representation in all matters related to the industry while also to give credence and recognition to the ‘seafarer’ that contributes directly to the worlds logistics and transportation.
