Sri Lanka re-elected chairman of CTO

Sri Lanka was re-elected unanimously as Chairman of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) at the 51st Council Meeting held at Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, from September 15-16, 2011.

Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to His Excellency the President and Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka chaired meetings of the Council on behalf of Sri Lanka upon its election as Chairman at the 50th Council Meeting held in Colombo in 2010. In the absence of Mr. Weeratunga, Mr. Anusha Palpita, the Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), chaired the 51st Council Meeting held at Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.

Upon Sri Lanka being re-elected to the post of Chairman of the CTO with strong support from most of the commonwealth countries which included the African block of nations, Mr. Anusha Palpita, Director – General, TRCSL as the chief representative of Sri Lanka at this 51st Council Meeting stated “ Thank you for re-electing Sri Lanka once again as Chairman of the Council for another year and placing your confidence in Sri Lanka. I take 2 this opportunity to convey to all of you that we will do our very best to

develop and strengthen the CTO and lead the way to achieving greater heights. We look forward to working very closely with the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Professor Tim Unwin who I’m certain has many constructive plans underpinned by a great vision for the progress of the CTO. I also thank the outgoing CEO Dr Ekwow Spio- Garbrah for his unstinted efforts in successfully steering the CTO to become a Global ICT player.”

“I thank the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for providing wonderful facilities and warm hospitality in hosting the Annual Forum and the 51^st Council Meeting. I also thank the members and the Executive Council for their unqualified support during Sri Lanka’s Chairmanship of the CTO and we solicit your support for the work ahead in the coming year as well” added Mr. Palpita.

Mr. H.P Karunarathna, Deputy Director (License Administration) also represented Sri Lanka at this forum and Council Meeting. CTO is the official body which deals with telecommunications and delivers unique knowledge sharing programmes in the use of Information and Communication technologies (ICT) in specific areas of telecommunications, information technology and broadcasting as well as the internet within the Commonwealth countries. CTO assists ICT stakeholders to adapt and live with change, by providing consulting and advisory services. The Headquarters of the CTO is based in London and comprises 50 full and associate Commonwealth member countries.