History of the OPA
Way back in 1972, some of our professionals headed by Dr.NathAmarakone accompanied by Dr. H.W. Jayawardena, Dr. S. A.Cabraal and others met Mr. John Chadwick, the first Director of the Commonwealth Foundation to discuss the setting up of a professional grouping to add a new dimension to CHOGM. The idea had originally been mooted at a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1965, where the possibility of creating a professional group was considered and it was decided to canvass the views of the local professional groupings to discuss what steps should be taken to achieve their objectives. In 1972, a meeting of the professional grouping was convened for this purpose and to this meeting 28 associations responded. A steering committee was set up to carry out the preliminary work connected with setting up of an organization of Professional Associations for Sri Lanka. While one group was working on the formation of the Organization, another group was tasked with preparing a draft constitution for the organization.
Member associations who requested for space donated the monies collected for their building fund to reserve space in the Professional Centre. Visiting Directors of the Commonwealth Foundation from time to time were pleased with the progress made in the construction of the Professional Centre. Through the intervention of the Commonwealth Foundation, we received a donation from the Barclays Bank to fund the furnishing of the ground floor of the Professional Centre, which housed the OPA Secretariat, the Auditorium, as well as the Restaurant and Bar. In September 1982, the Professional Centre was declared open by the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, His Excellency J. R. Jayawardena. The first and second floors are now occupied by 32 member associations. Regular seminars and workshops on topical subjects and themes are held on a regular basis and are well attended. We also run a research Centre to deliberate on national issues. After the successful completion of the formation of the OPA and the construction of the Professional Centre, it has become a hive of activities for the OPA and the resident member associations, as they work tirelessly for the advancement of professionals and the nation.
