HSBC JCI TOYP Awards 2006 – recognises greatness in young Sri Lankans

The HSBC JCI TOYP awards ceremony was held on Friday, 15 September 2006 at the Ceylon Continental Hotel, amidst much glitter and excitement. The chief guest at the event was the honourable minister of tourism, Anura Bandaranaike, while the guest of honour was David J H Griffiths, chief executive officer, HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Inaugurated in Sri Lanka in 1980, The Outstanding Young Persons awards programme serves to recognise outstanding individuals whose personal and professional achievements in a chosen field are exemplary and nationally beneficial. The original TOYP programme was conceived and developed by the United States Junior Chamber in 1931 and was later adopted internationally by the JCI movement. World award winners include Orson Welles, Henry Kissinger, John F Kennedy and Senaka Senanayake (who is the only Sri Lankan to date to win an international TOYP award).

HSBC JCI TOYP award winners

 

Category	Name
Scientific and technological development	Vijitha Sanjeewa Weerawarna
Academic leadership	Lakshman Mahendra Kuruppu
Contribution to media	Tharaka Wasalamudaliarachchi
Humanitarian and voluntary service	Shehan Romesh Kumar
Political and public administration	Buddhika Pathirana
Personal accomplishment	Shanika Kalhari Watowita
Business accomplishment	Rohan Pallewatta
Personal improvement	Pradeep Nishantha Mallawarachchi

Sponsored by HSBC for the second consecutive year, the HSBC JCI TOYP awards programme attempts to confer recognition of nationally beneficial achievements and contributions as examples for the country’s youth. It is hoped that this will encourage Sri Lankan youth to channel their energies towards the betterment of their communities. This is also in line with HSBC’s objective of empowering and supporting Sri Lanka’s youth.

The Junior Chamber International – or the JCI, as it is popularly known – is one of the most prestigious organisations in Sri Lanka, drawing the cream of young, ambitious and enthusiastic individuals with a strong sense of civic responsibility.

They have made a commendable contribution towards the recognition of Sri Lankan youth – the future of the country.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Griffiths said, “we are delighted to sponsor The Outstanding Young Persons award for the second consecutive year. Through this sponsorship, we hope to contribute towards empowering the future leaders of our country: young individuals with the vision and determination to move beyond being merely ‘good’ and aspire to being ‘great’ by reaching new heights and standards of excellence.”

He continued, “It is said, that great work is carried out by those who are unafraid to take risks.

The recipients of today’s awards are great people in this sense: great, because they have not hesitated to venture out and make their dreams come true – great, because they are trying to make a positive difference… and it is the display of these characteristics that I commend them for.”

via… Financial Times

[We at Lanka Page honorably mention that this weblog was originally published by one of Sri Lanka’s most outstanding Jaycees of the ‘80’s]

One Web Day A Collection Of Blogging, Keywords, Tags, Categories Unlike Any Other Day

OneWebDay in Sri Lankan style is a day to think about how the Internet has changed in the lines of Blogging – Keywords, Tags, Categories – Oh Vey! I Am So Mixed Up!

Ted Gross spells it out in the following fashion…

Okay so now we know all there is to know about content and keywords. Hah! But you did get the basics. It may be a good point to stop and talk about Keywords, Tags, Categories and all that as well. Logically, in progression this should come much later, but because there seems such misunderstandings about Technorati, Del.icio.us and other tagging systems, it may be a good place to put this down.

Percy – the one man cheering squad

By Deepal V. Perera

In the world of cricket in Sri Lanka , the name Percy is synonymous with the game.

Percy the only solo cheer leader, probably across the cricketing world who is popular among fans of the game , has become famous for being a one – man cheering squad . He celebrated his 70th birthday recently at the grounds where the South Africa / Sri Lanka test match was played.

Speaking to Life, Percy shared his thoughts and experiences that he gained while cheering the Sri Lankan cricket team for the last 50 years.

"I was born on the 30th July 1936 and I am two days younger than Sir Garfield Sobers- one of the greatest batsmen in the world of cricket who is also a dear good friend of mine.

The game of cricket came to my life when I was studying at St. Aloysius College in Galle. There I played cricket up to the second eleven team. At school we had a very strict disciplinary order given by the Rector Angelo, who made sure we cheered the school side, even when we were not playing. That was the starting point of my "cheering career" says Percy.

"I started cheering for the Sri Lankan team in 1948 at the ground near the famous Butterfly bridge in Galle . There used to be many foreign teams coming to play cricket there. In 1948 there was an unofficial match played between Ceylon and West Indies and I saw many people like Frank Worrel and Clyde Walcott playing there. I was just 11 years at that time. I have even witnessed and cheered when some of the greatest British batsmen like Jim Laker, Tony Lock, Frank Tyson and Alec Bedsen played" he said

"After leaving school, I joined Aquinas College in Colombo to do my higher education in 1957. I opted to do Economics and History but I ended up cheering for cricket. I can still remember how it happened . It was an examination day that we had to sit for Economics and History papers. When I came to college to sit for the exam there was a cricket match between the Ceylon team and Tamil Nadu team at Colombo Oval (now P Sara grounds). I sat for the Economics first paper and was waiting for my next paper. Suddenly one of my best friends, Stanley Jayathilaka came and said that C. I Gunasekara is hitting like hell and he had scored 50 odd runs at that time. We were excited and we decided to go to the Oval to see the match ."

"Later when we got our results of the examination, we had failed. Having seen my results my father decided that it was useless to send me to Aquinas and therefore he took me to meet Sir Cyril De Zoyza. Later I joined AMW as a junior executive (Stock Control Officer) and started playing cricket for the company . I became the first cricket captain of the AMW and managed to bring home the ‘G Division Mercantile Tournament Trophy’ beating the Army team at Rifles Grounds now referred to as Army grounds".

"I have been to watch almost every match that was played in Sri Lanka. In 1979 I went to UK for the ICC trophy match and cheered our team lead by Anura Tenenakoon. That was my first overseas trip.

From that moment, I was involved in cheering the Sri Lankan team at almost every match that was played in Sri Lanka and abroad. And I have been doing that for the last 25 years for my country and our team and had made lots of friends in the world of cricket."

Adds Percy -" I have many gifts and souvenirs that were given by various cricketing personalities around the world. They include two gifts given by Martin Crowe, the legendary New Zealand cricketer. He gave me his "Man of the Match" award and "Man of the Series" award which was won at the triangular series played between Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan held at SSC.

My latest gift was given by Sachin Tendulkar, India’s greatest cricketer when he was in Colombo to play for the cricket series that was cancelled recently.

Sachin wished me for my birthday and gave me his T shirt , where he had written " To the one and only Percy. Keep smiling- Sachin". -Mirror Life

Lanka most militarised state in S. Asia: Study

• Successive governments and the LTTE are both to be blamed for the sorry state of affairs

• No other country has faced the kind of challenges that the LTTE has posed to the Sri Lankan government.

• The LTTE spends a minimum on its cadres and the maximum on
  sustaining a war economy and its support base internationally

By P. K. Balachandran

September 21, Hindustan Times: The twenty-five year long military conflict between the Tamil insurgents and successive Sri Lankan governments has made Sri Lanka the most militarised country in South Asia.

In this respect, Sri Lanka has dwarfed the much larger India and military-ruled Pakistan, says a study conducted by the Mumbai-based Strategic Foresight Group (SFG).

Published in January 2006, the SFG monograph says that Sri Lanka will continue to hold this "dubious" position between now and 2010, given the absence of any clear signs that the military conflict is going to taper off.

Successive governments and the LTTE are both to be blamed for this sorry state of affairs, as both sides have continually raised the scale and technological sophistication of the war. A major contributory factor in the high militarisation of Sri Lanka has been the nature of the LTTE.

In military terms, the LTTE is unmatched in the South Asian region. No other insurgent group here has, or has ever had, the equipment and military capabilities that the LTTE has. No other country has faced the kind of challenges that the LTTE has posed to the Sri Lankan government.

Presenting comparative data for 2004, the SFG’s report says that Sri Lanka was the most militarised among the South Asian countries with 8,000 military personnel per one million population.

The figures for other South Asian countries were: Pakistan, 4,000; Nepal 2,700; India, 1,300; and Bangladesh 1,000.

In terms of military expenditure as percentage of GDP also, Sri Lanka spent the most. The figure was 4.1 per cent in the case of Sri Lanka; 3.5 per cent in the case of Pakistan; 2.5 per cent in the case of India and Nepal; and 1.5 per cent in the case Bangladesh.

According to the SFG, Sri Lanka’s defence expenditure is also higher than other comparable conflict-ridden countries such as Colombia, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Sudan, the Philippines and Uganda.

According to Indian army personnel, the Sri Lankan army is well-equipped. Against the LTTE, which is its only target, the 150,000-man army uses Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers, long-range artillery, mortars, battle tanks and armoured personnel carriers. The Navy is much smaller with 20,000 personnel.

It uses Fast Attack Craft with 23 mm guns, Inshore and Offshore patrol vessels, landing crafts etc.

The Air Force uses Kfir supersonic fighter bombers, MIG-23, and choppers, including MI-24s. The defence expenditure, which is now about $ 700 million per annum, could go to about $1 billion, if current plans to increase the size of the armed forces and to give them better equipment and more ammunition are implemented. Aerial bombs and artillery shells cost a lot.

"Sampur was captured by 2,000 soldiers, but to hold it, the army needs 20,000," a retired Air Marshal told Hindustan Times.

LTTE too spends a lot

"The military arsenal of the LTTE is highly sophisticated," the SFG says.

And being a military outfit essentially, expenditure on weapons and the maintenance of a war economy gets topmost priority in the LTTE.

It does precious little for the economic well being of the people under its control, despite running a few social and economic organisations.

The LTTE has no functioning Air Force and no anti-aircraft defences (at least now), but it is said to have acquired two to five small aircrafts, and built one or two airfields.

But its ground forces and navy are very well equipped for an insurgent group.

The ground forces have long-range artillery pieces, captured from the Sri Lankan forces, and a variety of mortars. But there are no tanks or armoured personnel carriers.

The LTTE’s Sea Tiger navy has home-made but fast moving crafts fitted with double barrel 23 mm guns and radar.

The boats have speeds from 10 to 45 knots. The outfit has several ocean going vessels, which indulge in commercial activity besides gun running.

But the LTTE is outnumbered. In comparison with the Sri Lankan’s army’s strength of 150,000 men, the LTTE has only 10,000.

The LTTE’s navy has about 2,000 in contrast with the Sri Lankan Navy’s 20,600.

The LTTE’s annual expenditure on its cadres and military-oriented networks, both in the island and abroad, is estimated to be in the range of $8 million annually.

But given the fact that the outfit’s annual income is anywhere between $175 million and $385 million, the expenditure on cadres and the informer networks is "insignificant," the SFG says.

"The LTTE spends a minimum on its cadres and the maximum on sustaining a war economy and its support base internationally."

It is believed that of the total income, $100 million to 250 million comes from drug trafficking, though there is yet no direct evidence of the LTTE’s involvement in this trade.

Local taxation and extortion is said to contribute about $30 million; human smuggling and funds siphoned off from NGOs gives $3 to 5 million; contributions from the Tamil expatriate community fetches $40 to 50 million; and profits from businesses from $35 to 50 million.

The recent fighting showed that the LTTE has no answer to Sri Lanka’s air power.

It had been trying to buy SA-18 shoulder held missiles but unsuccessfully. Like the Sri Lankan army, the LTTE has been spending its artillery shells liberally. Replenishment needs are urgent.

The LTTE’s Sea Tigers had conducted impressive operations, but they have not been able to stop Sri Lankan shipping of late. -Daily Mirror

Lanka kicks off mini road show to tap investors

Central Bank meeting with fund managers, bankers, infrastructure financiers in Singapore and Hong Kong to test appetite for sovereign debt instruments, investment projects

Nisthar Cassim reporting from Singapore

Sri Lanka on Thursday kicked off a mini two country road show in Singapore followed by Hong Kong to tap prospective financial market investors as well as promote institutional investors for infrastructure development and joint ventures.

The road show will be conducted by a team of Central Bank officials led by Governor Nivard Cabraal who met up with about a dozen investors in Singapore on Thursday while they will fly to Hong Kong and meet an equal number there on Friday.

The profile of investors who are being met include fund managers, pension funds, institutional investors, investment bankers and infrastructure financiers as well as individuals and companies engaged in cross border investments.

Central Bank Governor Cabraal told the Daily FT that the exercise was to find out the kind of appetite the South East Asian markets and investors have for a country like Sri Lanka as well as their preferences.

Most analysts have confirmed that South East Asia is cash rich or these markets are very liquid and looking for new opportunities for attractive investments outside the region.

The exercise is also part of the Government’s plans to float an international bond for which Citigroup has been mandated. Citibank has been coordinating the meetings while the Government has also enlisted the support of several other players for connected meetings. The discussions with prospective investors both in Singapore and Hong Kong would either be breakfast or luncheon meetings and one on one thereafter depending on the keenness.

The road show was also timed soon after the World Bank IMF Annual meetings in Singapore so as to better use the opportunity both in terms of travel and exposure.

Among options the Government was considering were to float an international bond to the tune of US$ 1 billion but would accept between US$ 500 to $ 750 million. However no finality has been reached on this.

“We are looking at several options. Discussions with investors at these meetings will help us to better understand at what price some of these options could be exercised as well as find out what the investor community in South East Asia wants or have on offer,” Mr. Cabraal said.

In the event of a Bond it would be the first time Sri Lanka tapping the global capital markets in a big way coupled with a Sovereign rating.

Mr. Cabraal said that the road show also gives Sri Lanka an opportunity to showcase the country’s resilience and long term potential. “In financial markets and investor community perceptions matter a lot and we will get a chance to clear certain wrong perceptions,” he added.

The Government’s major public investment program would be showcased as well thereby make Sri Lanka more attractive to investors.

It was noted that the country was on a high growth path with 7 to 8% GDP figure forecast for 2006 while macro economic fundamentals have strengthened prompting the Government to be very confident of the medium term economic outlook for Sri Lanka.

The message would be that despite security concerns, which are not only unique to Sri Lanka, the country is resilient, on a growth path and very much competitive and attractive for business and investments.

The financial markets road show comes hot on the heels of an economic and investment forum in Singapore last week to draw direct investors in to manufacturing and services as well as infrastructure sectors.

Sri Lanka has already surpassed 2005 Foreign Direct Investments figure in the first six months of this year with a value of US$ 260 million.

via… Financial Times