Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, the newly appointed Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), made a sudden inspection visit at several sections of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) recently.
Mr. Lal Weerasinghe, Director (Operations) of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) welcomed the new Chairman at the main building of the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT).
The Chairman first inspected the present operations procedures of the Jaya Container Terminal’s Operations Room. He then inspected the activities of the Terminal Planning section and the Information Systems (IS) Division. His visit to Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and Operations Division of SLPA has enhanced the morale of the employees to promote their interest in the work.
The Chairman also inspected the operations of the Jaya Container Terminal, and operations of its Phase I, II, III, IV, the performance of gantry cranes at the terminal and the Phase ‘V’ extension project of Jaya Container Terminal (JCT).
Addressing the Management team and employees at the JCT, he said that the main resource, as identified by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, was its human resource. “The Port of Colombo has the potential to become one of the best ports in the world,” he said.
Addressing the staffs and employees, he also stated that promotions of staffs and employees, anomalies and welfare and administrative problems in the institution, which had been neglected for the past few years, would be addressed without delay.
He stressed that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) would be made an institution where every employee can perform their duties willingly with pride, interest and happiness.
He also said that every employee should work together towards that objective and that he hoped everyone would corporate to achieve the institutional goals. He expressed confidence that this would enable the port to have an efficient and productive operational process as before.
During this visit, the Chairman also inspected the SLPA’s Central Kitchen complex under the Welfare and Industrial Relations Division. Here, the Chairman inspected the preparation of food and beverages in the kitchen section.
Speaking to the Monthly Purchase Tender Board and its suppliers at the kitchen, SLPA Chairman – Capt. Nihal Keppetipola requested both parties to focus not only on prices but also the provision of quality food and beverages to the port employees.
Capt. Nihal Keppetipola joined the Sri Lanka Ports Authority in 1990. Subsequently, for more than 25 years, he held various positions ranging from a pilot to the Managing Director of SLPA. His appointment as the new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has been lauded, especially by the port community and the business and shipping fraternity in the merchant shipping industry.
SLPA’s Chief Operations Manager (Container Operations) – Jayantha Weerawickrama, Chief Manager (Information Systems) – Nirmal De Fonseka, senior executive officers and staffs of the Operations Division, Information Systems Division, Welfare and Industrial Relations Division and SLPA trade union representatives were also present at the occasion.
