Celebrating the Inaugural National Logistics Day in Sri Lanka

Logistics and Transport are two sides of the same coin, better transport services cannot be expected without improving Logistics competence of a country and vice versa. Since logistics plays an indispensable role in transportation planning, operation and management smart transport networks should be founded on a strong logistics platform. The government of Sri Lanka declared 2021.08.16 as the National Logistics Day in Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Transport is celebrated this event as a symbolic national event adhering to strict health guidelines of the country. This event was originally scheduled to be held at the Temple Trees presided by Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Due to government’s decision to cancel all state functions considering the current Covid 19 situation in the country the National Logistics Day 2021 was scaled down to a symbolic ceremony without an audience. The scaled down function was attended by very few officials from Ministry of Transport, Sri Lanka and personnel from CINEC Campus including the Chairman/President namely,

  1. N.B. Ranatunga, Secretary,
  2. H. Thilakaratne, Additional Secretary ( Admin)
  3. A.D.S.Gunasinghe ,Director General ( Planning)
  4. M.M.Renuka Rathnayaka, Assistant Secretary ( Admin)
  5. P.P. Wijesekara, Advisor to the Minister of Transport and
  6. Ajith Peiris, Chairman/President – CINEC Campus and Executive Chairman – Ceyline Group of Companies
  7. Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, Senior Consultant, CINEC Campus
  8. Professor(Dr.) Lalith Edirisinghe, Dean, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, CINEC Campus
  9. Sampath Siriwardena, Senior Lecturer, CINEC Campus

 

The Message from His Excellency the President reiterated the importance about integrating Logistics in Transport activities. The Message from Hon. Prime Minister outlined the standardization efforts of Logistics particularly as a consequence of the disruptions due to the Covid pandemic. The Message from the Minister of Transport stressed the importance of Logistics in making Sri Lanka the pioneering user centric transport hub.

 

The launch the first Logistics Sinhala textbook titled ‘Logistics Sinhalen’ was the key activity in the National Logistics Day 2021. Professor (Dr.) Lalith Edirisinghe authored this first textbook for Logistics written in Sinhala while Mr. Sampath Siriwardena was the Coordinator/Organizer.The most effective knowledge dissemination among many people in the society can be done through the national language, Sinhala. The book will cater to a wide spectrum of audience covering school children, university undergraduates, academics and industry professionals. Logistics is now incorporated in the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) syllabus and the book will solve a problem faced by the schoolteachers too. Professor (Dr.) Lalith Edirisinghe explained the background and objectives of the launching of the first textbook on Logistics in Sinhala Language.

 

CINEC Campus wishes to give the book Logistics Sinhalen to school libraries in Sri Lanka free of charge as a CSR project. It is imperative that social awareness about this publication is required by the entire cross section of the society to derive the maximum benefit of the book. The Ministry of Transport has selected this book as the key feature of the National Logistics Day 2021 celebration as it has an immense national value. A commemorative stamp has been issued by the Philatelic bureau of Department of Posts, Sri Lanka.