Seven Sri Lankan Heads of Mission/Ambassador designates to foreign embassies and high commissions, were given a detailed orientation by Hambantota International Port (HIP) on port operations and activities. Tissa Wickramasinghe, COO of the Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) briefed the group of diplomats on these aspects, covering the port’s progress over the last 5 years.
“From our perspective this interaction was very welcome as this gave us the platform to showcase the progress HIP has made in terms of milestones achieved and what we are planning for the future to benefit our region as well as the country’s economy, so that the port will be portrayed in the right light to an international audience. This will also help to dispel any disinformation that may be spread about the port internationally. The session was proactive, with active participation of the delegates from the foreign affairs office. The participants asked interested questions which were answered by the relevant port officials present at the session,” the COO said.
The participants were given a briefing on HIP’s service scope covering port services, Integrated Logistics, Marine Services, Port-related Industries development, Bunkering, and the role of Hambantota International Port Services. A brief overview was also given on integrated logistics, industrial park and port-based industries, marine services, energy hub, the port’s key business as well as achieved Standards, awards and accolades won by the port. The corporate social responsibility projects completed and undertaken over the 5 year period were also covered. They included the Hope Village Development project, fully-fledged PCR Testing Laboratory, Tissapura Junior School Development project, fact-finding project on Human-Elephant Conflict, Human-Elephant Peace Fund, Electric Fence project under the Human-Elephant Peace Fund, Beach clean-up programmes and installing Garbage Collection Bins. The port has invested over USD 1.1 Million in these projects.
The designates assigned to embassies and high commissions in the Republic of Italy, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Singapore, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, The Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union, Republic of Cuba and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, were accompanied by E. A. S. Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, Director General, HRD, Research & Training, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.