The Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Scout Association, Ratnapura District Scout Association was held recently at Savon Rest, Kuruwita. The Chief Guest on the occasion was Senior Attorney-at-Law Janaprith Fernando, Deputy Chief Commissioner of Sri Lanka Scout Association and Member of the World Scout Committee.
The District Commissioner highlighted the activities carried out by the district and the challenges faced by the scouts and leaders due to the Covid 19 Pandemic and the closure of the schools in 2020. Addressing the gathering Janaprith Fernando spoke of the Founder Lord Baden Powell who started the movement in 1907 with an experiment camp with 20 boys in Brownsea Island, UK and that during the 114 years of existence that over 500 million scouts have held membership and obtained scout training around the word to Create a Better World. The present membership of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement is 54 million in 171 member National Scout Organisations and that there are over 215 countries and territories engaged in scouting throughout the world.
He said that in Sri Lanka at present school based scouting is around 90% and that SL Scouts under the guidance of the Chief Commissioner Major General Milinda Peiris has decided to promote more Community Based Scouting or Open Scout Groups so that the children can continue their scout activities even during closure of schools. This concept of Scouting he said is how scouting is conducted in Europe, Inter America Region, Eurasia Region and several other parts of the world including Australia and the Pacific Islands. The Ratnapura District was urged to discuss with Plantation Companies, Social Service Organisations and Places of Religious worship and commence Scout Groups for their communities as this could make a big difference in the local society by having disciplined and trained children.
He said that there are so many boys and girls and their parents who want to become members of this world’s largest youth organization and that due to the lack of school teachers volunteering to do extra-curricular activities in schools that these children are deprived of getting recruited as scouts and that this challenge could also be overcome by starting Open Scout Groups. The Ratnapura district was commended for the excellent work carried out in the previous year and best wishes were extended to all the Commissioners, newly elected office bearers, scout Leaders, scouts and cubs to continue their activities.
