Kavan assumes duties as new SLPA Chairman

Kavan Ratnayaka has been appointed the new Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). He assumed duties as the Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) yesterday, with blessings of the Triple Gem at the Chairman’s office of SLPA.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayaka remarked on the commendable path taken by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority as a pioneer public sector institution that has contributed tremendously to the National Treasury since the period of late Minister of Ports Development Lalith Athulathmudali. 

Athulathmudali of the Government of President J.R. Jayawardene created a revolutionary change in the port and maritime sector of Sri Lanka and as a result, more public-private partnerships emerged with collaborative competition in the country’s port sector, he noted.

The Minister also stated that the Port of Colombo that has almost reached its capacity with the collaborative teamwork of the Jaya Container Terminal of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) and the Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) should be further developed into one of the leading ports of the world. 

The Minister expressed confidence that Ratnayaka as the new Chairman of SLPA, with experience in both public and private sectors, will steer SLPA and the Port of Colombo to this position.

Before his appointment as the SLPA Chairman, Ratnayaka served as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). He is also a former Chairman of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon (Lake House). 

An old boy of Royal College, Ratnayaka holds a Bachelor of Science degree in (Physics) from the University of California. He has also served as the Country General Manager of IBM Sri Lanka, Chief Executive Officer of Dialog Broadband and the Chief Corporate Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC. 

Gampaha District MP Kavinda Jayawardhane, SLPA Managing Director Capt. Athula Hewavitharana, SLPA Additional Managing Director Upali D. Zoysa, directors and a number of higher officials of the management and staff of SLPA, and SLPA Jathika Sewaka Sangamaya (JSS) President Udeni Kaluthanthri also attended the event.