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Thema Collection has fulfilled a dire need of the hour with ‘Amba Yaalu’

Published

1 year ago

2025/01/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Marie-Noelle Duris

By Harischandra Gunaratna

The Charged’affairs of the French Embassy in Sri Lanka, Marie-Noelle Duris said that the Thema Collection has fulfilled a dire need of a four-star hotel in the cultural triangle to meet the demand of individual travellers (FITs) with the introduction of the company’s latest addition to its portfolio ‘Amba Yaalu’.

Ms Duris was the Chief Guest at the ceremonial opening of ‘Amba Yaalu’ Sri Lanka’s first hotel to be fully operated and managed by women, a 33-room four-star thematic resort in Kandalama.

She said “France is deeply committed to promoting gender equality and empowerment of women and added that she was proud to be in the cultural triangle to inaugurate the hotel which reflects the great ambition of Thema Collection.”

The imperative was to enable Sri Lankan women, particularly in rural areas, to work and to pursue value-added occupations, she said. Women account for 70 percent of the global workforce, but only 10 percent contribute to the formal tourism industry Ms Duris said adding that this initiative breaks down existing barriers to women’s access to jobs in the hospitality industry .

There was a lack of responsibility-level training in this field for women, as well as the discrimination against women which limits their career progression, particularly towards management positions, she pointed ou.

She said that the tourism sector in Sri Lanka was hit hard between 2019 and 2022, and since the recovery in 2023, the number of visitors to the country had gradually increased and eventually has exceeded two million in 2024.

French Embassy’s Charged’affairs stated that with almost 83,000 tourists every year, France stands as the second European country and the sixth in the world to to visit Sri Lanka and many foreign tourists visit the cultural triangle. She said

The diplomat hailed Thema Collection for changing the face of country’s tourism industry and empowering women, developing their skills to ensure greater equality between men and women in hostelry, particularly in management and leadership positions such as traditional division of jobs between men and women,

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President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]