Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila, was elected as the new President of the Sri Lanka-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Association recently at the revival meeting of the association for the ninth Parliament.
The meeting was held under the patronage of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, High Commissioner for Australia in Sri Lanka David John Holly, and Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake. Several Ministers, State Ministers and Parliamentarians were present at the meeting.
At this meeting State Minister Kanaka Herath was elected as the new Secretary and MPs Mohamed Muzammil, Hector Appuhamy and Rauf Hakeem were elected as the Vice Presidents. In addition, MP Weerasumana Weerasinghe was elected as the Treasurer and MP Dr. Upul Galappaththi as the Deputy Secretary.
The Speaker said that Sri Lankan community of 170,000 people are excessively contributing to the advancement of Australian economy. “We are friends of two different far away continents, yet, Australia is so close to the hearts of our people. Around 12,000 Sri Lankan students are studying in Australia while many more students in Sri Lanka are aspiring to pursue their higher studies in your country. I take this opportunity to pay my gratitude, on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, for your state patronage to take care of our people” the Speaker further said.
Ministers, State Ministers and Members of Parliament were present.
