CILT Logistics Leaders’ Evening on Thursday with Minister Samarasinghe, SLPA Chief

Tuesday, 27 June 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) Sri Lanka continues their Logistics Leaders’ Evening this month on the theme of “Changing Tides” that will exclusively feature recently appointed Minister of Ports & Shipping Mahinda Samarasinghe and also newly appointed Chairman of the Sri Lanka Port Authority Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake as eminent speakers. The event will be held on 29 June at the Victorian Hall of the Kingsbury Hotel at 5.30pm. Having been deemed one of most pivotal areas for Sri Lanka’s sustained economic prosperity, this is one of the most widely anticipated events in the logistics calendar. The Minister are Chairman are expected to share the Government’s plans and strategy for the Maritime and Logistics sector.

Minister Samarasinghe entered active politics in 1988 and was elected to the Provincial Council of the Western Province, where he served as the Leader of the House of the Provincial Council and the Provincial Minister of Health and Economic Infrastructure. In 1994, he was elected to Parliament from the Kalutara District and was re-elected in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2010. During the period 2001-2004, he served as the Cabinet Minister of Employment and Labour. He was the Government Chief Whip from 2001–2004 and the Opposition Chief Whip from 2004-2006. He also served as Cabinet Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights from 2006-2010 and Minister of Plantation Industries from 2010-2015. He was also a member in the Parliamentary Consultative Committees of the Ministries of Trade, Commerce, Industries, Finance and Foreign Affairs.

Dr. Dissanayake serves on the UN/UNCTAD panel as an expert on ports and shipping, is a past Chairman of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Sri Lanka, past Chairman of Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and past Chairman of Central Advisory Council of Sri Lanka Transport Board. He is a member of the Faculty Industry Consultative Board of the University of Moratuwa, and currently serves as the Chairman of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Steering Committee on ports, shipping, aviation and logistics. He was recently elected as the first non-British international President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers U.K. Before his present appointment as SLPA Chairman, Dr. Dissanayake served as the Chairman/CEO of Aitken Spence Maritime, Logistics and Cargo and Director – Aitken Spence PLC.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) is a leading global professional body associated with the logistics and transport industry. The Institute holds unparalleled international recognition and works towards achieving its objectives of promoting and encouraging the art and science of logistics and transport through its membership and its educational qualifications. With a global membership of over 33,000 from 32 countries across the world, CILT provides a professional identity to those in the ever expanding logistics and transport sector. It is a strong, active and a unified professional association that is able to speak with authority on strategic issues affecting businesses and people in the industry and support their careers.