Community

Effective use of space-based applications for disaster management

Sri Lanka hosted the 15th Session of the Inter-governmental Consultive Committee of the UNESCAP’s Regional Space Application Programme for Sustainable Development along with a consultancy meeting on regional cooperative mechanisms as the subject, from October 25 to 27 in Colombo.

The Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development (RESAP) of the UN-ESCAP is the UNESCAP’s regional programme for promoting the use of space technologies for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific Region. A consultative meeting on ‘Regional Cooperative Mechanism on Space Applications for Effective Disaster Management and Sustainable Development’ and the 15th Session of the Inter-governmental Consultative Committee on Space Applications for Sustainable Development’ organized by the UNESCAP was hosted by the Arthur C Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT).

The objective of the consultative meeting was to discuss and review the regional cooperative mechanism on affordable access and effective use of space-based tools and applications for disaster management and other development concerns, and to provide inputs to the inter-governmental Consultative Committee which will provide guidance to the members and the secretariat on promotion of the same in the region.

The two events was attended by delegates from countries in the Asia and Pacific Region, UN-ESCAP and other related regional organizations.

Office-bearers

Arethusa College, Colombo

The Old Boys Association of Arethusa College, Colombo elected new office-bearers for the year 2011/2012.

Advisors: Justice Saleem Marsoof (Judge of the Supreme Court), Donald Munasingha (former Vice Principal).
President: Mrs Bimla Vidvanthi.
Vice Presidents: Piyal Perera (Vice Principal), Ronnie Lietch, Ragavan Roshan.
Joint Secretaries: M Marshad Barry, M Fazeer Bary.
Assistant Secretary: Nihal Senarath.
Treasurer: Rodney White.
Assistant Treasurer: Mustafa Raza.
Committee members: Jonathan Heyn, Thurab T Hirani, M D Saldin, Randy Herft, T Devlagala, M Siraj Jamal, Nihal Dayaratna, Rukshan Kumara, Cader Moosa and M Hussain.

Friends of the Accident Service

The Friends of the Accident Service, National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo formed in 1985, is an government approved charity organization. The membership of the association is limited. The members are professionals, business elites and responsible citizens.

The managing committee of the Friends of the Accident Service is elected by its members at its annual general meetings. Accordingly the following were elected for the year 2011/2012, at the AGM held on September 10, 2011.

Patron: Director of the National Hospital Sri Lanka, Colombo.
President: Dr U P Ariyawanse, Director, Accident Service.
1st Vice President: Rajah Sinnathuray.
2nd Vice President: Daya Bollegala
3rd Vice President: Al Haj Nizam Cader
Secretary: Al Haj M I M Razeek
Asst Secretary: Ms A K Chandralatha, Matron, Accident Service.
Treasurer: Al Haj Ashroff Hussein
Asst Treasurer: T A D Gunathilake
Coordinator: Pushpa Zoysa, In-charge Nursing Institute
Members: Stanley Perera, Ms Sulochana Nawarathnam, Walter Gunawardena, Sunil Karunanayake, B G Jirasinghe, Dayasiri Warnakulasuriya, Tissa Jayaweera, U T Muhajireen, H P Piyasiri, M H A Sattar and Shibly Hashim.
Sri Lanka-Republic of Korea Association
Office-bearers 2011/2012
Patron: Jongmoon Choi, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea.
Vice Patrons: Karu Jayasuriya MP, Senevi de Silva and Kirthi Senanayake.
President: Prof Daya Edirisinghe
Vice Presidents: Sumana Liyanage, Clarence Welikala and Savithri Ratnayake
Hony Secretary: Upali S Jayasekera
Asst Secretary: K V D W Wijegunaratne
Treasurer: Asoka Weerasekera
Asst Treasurer: Deshabandu K Jayakumar
Immediate Past President: Dr D W Weerasuriya
Committee members: Uditha Palihakkara, Bertie G Jirasinghe, Edward Ahangama,
Padmini Pilapitiya, Dr Vijaya Corea, Asoka Weerasena, Dudley Edirisinghe, Tilak
Fernando and Chatura Udugala.
Member auditor: Kusal Abeykoon.
Sri Lanka-UK Society
The following office-bearers were elected for the SLUKS year 2011/2012 at the AGM held recently at the Royal Colombo Golf Club.
Patron: John Rankin, British High Commissioner
Vice Patrons: Tilak de Zoysa, Tony Riley
President: Carlo Ponnampalam
Immediate Past President: Ravi de Silva
President of Galle Chapter: Robert Claesson

President of Youth Chapter: Ms Aniqah Wahid
President elect: Col Faiz-ur Rahman.
Vice Presidents: Anirvan Ghosh Dastidar, Dr Dudley Thambinayagam.
Hony Secretary: Ms Yasrimala de Silva.
Hony Treasurer: T Someshwaran.
Asst Secretary/Treasurer: Dilan Ilaperuma.
Committee: Ms Meena Butani, Johanne de Zilva, Ms Jennifer Ingleton, Ms Sunil Shandasiri, Ms Ramola Sivasundaram, Ms Gill Westaway, Danesh Abeywickrama, Sajitha de Mel, Suresh Gunasingham, A Kandasamy.

The Sri Lanka United Kingdom Society celebrated its silver jubilee this year and it involved in assisting the British Council educational programme of rural English Teacher training.

The society organizes several activities throughout the year with a charity Christmas party for the Shilpa Home for the orphaned children, and celebrates Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday with a black tie banquet evening in June.