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OPA annual sessions on integrated sustainable policy

The first Annual Sessions of the Organization of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) will be held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) from September 17 to 21 under the theme of "An Integrated Sustainable Development Policy Framework for Sri Lanka". A career education seminar and exhibition and a Books and Products Exhibition will also be held at the BMICH.

This was revealed at the launching ceremony of the OPA Website held at OPA Auditorium recently. Hemaka Amarasuriya, Chairman-Singer Sri Lanka Ltd and Chairman, Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka was the Chief Guest of this function.

Mr. Nath Amarakoon, the 1st Chairman of the OPA, Dr. M. Kopalasundaram, Chairman, OPA and President-Elect OPA architect V. N. C. Gunasekera participated at this function.

The OPA is the apex body of 34 professional bodies representing twenty major professions such as, medicine, law, dentistry, engineering, accounting, architecture, surveying, town planning, veterinary science, management, gemology, librarianship, pedagogy, banking, chemistry, computer science, economics and health.

The present total membership is about 34,000 professionally qualified persons. The OPA was founded in May, 1975, to provide a common forum to consider matters of national and professional interest.

The object of the OPA annual sessions is to focus attention on Key issues of national importance.

Architect V. N. C. Gunasekera said that the OPA felt that the country needs "An Integrated Sustainable Policy" for the future development. Since independence, we have been changing policies with different Governments. As a result there was no proper planned development and now we have reached a negative growth. As such we have undertaken a most appropriate theme "An Integrated Sustainable Development Policy Framework for Sri Lanka" for discussion and to propose to the government for adopting.

Under the above theme, the OPA has selected 27 sub-themes with 27 co-committees working on it. Each Co-committee comprises a Chairman and about 10 experts on the subject area. Each Co-committee on the sub-themes is given a set of Terms of Reference for them to work towards preparation of Integrated Sustainable Policy Framework for Sri Lanka. As a pre-preparation, each Co-committee is making preliminary presentations at the OPA Auditorium on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays on every week.

At the end of the forum public comments will also be taken into consideration in preparation of the Final Report of the Policy Framework.

The OPA identified career guidance as a key national issue and has been involved with Career Guidance since 1989. It has set up a sub-committee for National Career Guidance activities. The OPA Career Guidance Committee will develop the first "Career Guidance Chart" which allows a student to do a self-assessment based on 10 attributes. The selection of the most appropriate attribute leads to select the most likely major discipline for the student. 

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