News

Twinning Colombo Port City with City of Las Vegas initiated

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/24

Deputy President of the US-based Sri Lanka America Chamber of Commerce Aruna Abayakoon (extreme left) had discussions with Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board Chairman Suresh de Mel (centre) in Colombo with Chamber directors, Lalindra Wickremaratne and Douglas Perera

The Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce (SLACCOM), America’s nationally founded conduit for the promotion of trade, commerce and investment between Sri Lanka and the US, initiated the twinning of Colombo Port City and the City of Las Vegas, latter the global convention capital, to the delight of Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment (BOI) chairman Raja Edirisuriya, in a productive dialogue he had with the Chamber.

In mid-January, the two-hour discussion on promoting investment, trade and commerce between the two nations, and most importantly the proposal to twin the two cities envisaging enhancing economic corporation, between Edirisuriya and the representatives of the SLACCOM, its president Sanje Sedara, Deputy President, Aruna Abayakoon and directors Douglas Perera and Daya Gamage took a positive turn when the BOI chief expressed his support and undertook to get Sri Lanka government’s serious concern to a range of proposals which emanated from the Chamber, SLACCOM spokesperson said.

During the dialogue – held in the United States – between the Chamber and the BOI Chief, it was disclosed that attracting conventions to Colombo Port City can be tied in to the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority which will act as a strategic partner to cross market conventions for Sri Lanka. Las Vegas has links with all the major cities and municipalities worldwide: resulting in countless cross-cultural business and education opportunities.

During the discourse between the Chamber and BOI Chief Edirisooriya, what emerged was that many of the new companies which are moving to Las Vegas are tech related and that Sri Lanka and Colombo Port City could get the necessary visibility by aligning with these companies. Colombo Port City will also have an opportunity to attract the US based tech companies to invest in Colombo Port City by expanding the economic zones by offering its quality work force and various tax incentives, it was disclosed.

In early January, three officials of the SLACCOM – deputy president Aruna Abayakoon, directors Douglas Perera and Lalindra Wickremaratne – were in Colombo meeting the officials of the BOI, one of whom was Executive Director Prasanjith Wijayatileke, and Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman Suresh de Mel to discuss trade, commerce and investment using the City of Las Vegas, the global convention capital and the all-year meeting venue of economic activists from far-away lands.

The discussions at Colombo meetings were made available to BOI Chief, Edirisoriya when Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce officials had discussions with him in the United States.

The Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce three-member delegation that met BOI Executive Director Prasanjith Wijayatilake in Colombo apprised that with more than 10.5 million square feet of convention and meeting space, Las Vegas hosts nearly 60 of the 200 largest conventions and 20,000 meetings annually. 49.5 million people visited Las Vegas in 2019 , according to the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority. For the 11 months of 2021, visitor volume is at 29.23 million, a 64.3 percent increase over 2020 but 25.2 percent below pre-pandemic 2019.

During the Chamber officials’ discourse with EDB Chairman Suresh de Mel in Colombo trade shows (Las Vegas being a trade convention capital), explore opportunities in trade shows that EDB does not participate and support with resources, finding markets for a multitude of Sri Lanka’s export products such as Agri, hand crafts, IT solutions, wellness tourism, fisheries among others were raised.

The SLACCOM, whose professionals a drawn from every productive sector and regions in the United States, decided to base its functions in the City of Las Vegas in the State of Nevada as the city – for decades – developed its infrastructure to host global conventions and attract trade and commerce leaders year round.

All News Advertisement

Latest News

Deep Depression likely to cross the Sri Lankan coast between Trincomalee and Jaffna during the morning today (10 January 2026)

Published

2 hours ago

2026/01/10

Priyan

Warning for deep depression to the East of Sri Lanka.
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 01.30 a.m. on 10 January 2026 for the period until 01.30 a.m. on 11 January 2026

The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal was located about 50 km North-northeast of Trincomalee at 01:00 a.m. on 10 January 2026. It is very likely to move northwestwards and cross the Sri Lankan coast between Trincomalee and Jaffna during the morning today (10 January 2026).

Latest News

Landslide RED warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions of Ududumbara, Nildadndahinna and Walapane

Published

19 hours ago

2026/01/9

Priyan

The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued RED warnings to the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours effective from 0900 hrs today [09th January].

Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya district.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Badulla, Meegahakiwula, Hali_Ela, Passara and Lunugala in the Badulla district, Minipe in the Kandy district, Ambanganga Korale, Ukuwela, Rattota, Naula and Laggala_Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district.

Latest News

A Policy is being formulated to ensure Child Protection in the use of Technology — Prime Minister

Published

22 hours ago

2026/01/9

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a policy is currently being formulated to ensure child protection in the use of technology.

The Prime Minister made this statement on Thursday (08) in Kandy while briefing the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters on the issue that has arisen regarding the Grade 6 English module. Thereafter, printed copies of all modules were presented to the Mahanayake Theros.

Earlier on Thursday (08), the Prime Minister visited the Malwathu Viharaya in Kandy and met the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Nayaka Thero, the Mahanayake of the Malwathu Chapter, where she explained the error that had occurred in the first print run of the English module for Grade 6 .

The Mahanayake Theros emphasized that education is a sensitive subject and that such matters should be handled with greater sensitivity and proper oversight. They further advised that a formal investigation should be conducted and that education reforms should be carried forward in a systematic manner.

Subsequently, the Prime Minister visited the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya and met the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, where she clarified the error related to the English module.

The Mahanayake Thero noted that education reforms are a timely necessity and should be implemented with due oversight and careful review and also pointed out that there are broader issues in Sri Lanka regarding the use of technology, which are evident in the manner in which modern tools such as AI technologies are being used on social media.

Clarifying the issue Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated,

“We have appointed a committee to look into this issue, and based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Education (NIE), steps were taken to remove the relevant lesson. In addition, all printed copies of the relevant module have been stamped, and no module has been distributed to schoolchildren. A formal investigation into this matter has been initiated by the Ministry, and a complaint has also been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department.

At the same time, we are in the process of formulating a policy on child protection in the use of technology”.

Thereafter, addressing the media and responding to the’ questions raised by journalists, the Prime Minister stated:

“The Opposition is attempting to use this national task for their own political advantage. However, many in society have expressed their views on the issues that have arisen in a positive manner, with the objective of identifying and correcting mistakes. The government has decided to move forward with education reforms by recognizing the error that have occurred and rectifying them. We will take the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition as an opportunity to further advance dialogue on education reforms”

The occasion was graced by the Most Venerable Anunayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Nayaka Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Muruddeniye Dhammarakkhita Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Malwathu Chapter, Venerable Mahawela Rathanapala Thero; Members of Parliament Thushari Jayasinghe and Thanura Dissanayake; Mayor of Kandy Chandrasiri Wijenayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; and Secretary to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union in Central Province D. D. Wimalaweera.