Surath steps down after a long innings as founder President, Construction Industry Chamber
View(s):Dr. Surath Wickramasinghe, one of Sri Lanka’s ardent proponents of progressive development and transportation, has stepped down from one of his creations, the Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka (CCI), after 14 years at its helm.
Symbolic handing over office of CCI President by Dr. Surath Wickramasinghe to (Maj) Ranjith Gunatilleke. On the left is CCI CEO Nissanka Wijeratne.
For this purpose, at the 14th AGM of the CCI which was held at the Galle Face Hotel in which he stepped down as founder President, a felicitation ceremony was also held for him.
The event comprising a gala dinner, was well attended by many contemporaries of Dr. Wickramasinghe and amongst them were distinguished architects, academics, planners and many others in professional fields.
A media release issued by the chamber said it was “Dr. Wickramasinghe’s visionary zeal that gave birth to the CCI, in the year 2001”. It was at a time when the country’s economy and the construction Industry were at low ebb, and the construction industry was stagnant. It was evident that the construction industry could lend a boost to kick-start the economy.
“Dr. Wickramasinghe saw the need of the hour and brought together all the stakeholders of the construction industry with a view to generate employment and revive the economy of the country. Hence, the Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka, came into being in 2001 to make representations to the Government as the apex representative of the construction industry, and now encompasses 13 related stakeholders under its umbrella.
Gracing the event were Chief Guest- Dr. Sarath Amunugam, Minister of Special Assignments and Guest of Honour –Prof. Willie Mendis, former Vice Chancellor at the University of Moratuwa.
Dr. Wickramasinghe graduated from the University of Westminster, London and completed the Masters Degree in Town Planning at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. The University of Westminster in recognition of his achievements in architecture and planning, and contribution to the profession and the construction industry, conferred him an Honorary Doctorate.
He is succeeded by (Maj) Ranjith Gunatilleke, a Chartered Engineer, a veteran in the construction industry and currently the Managing Director of Sanken Construction Pvt. Ltd.