Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT) is a unique organization in the Tea World
Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT) is a unique organization in the Tea World
Chairman
Chairman
Mr. Prabath Chandrakeerthi, the Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure of Sri Lanka, assumed his duties at PHDT as the Chairman on 2nd January 2025. He is equipped with a long-standing experience in Public Service as a senior member of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. He holds a Degree on Bachelor of Arts, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, a Master’s Degree in Economics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. He also holds Doctor of Philosophy (Coastal Resources Management), International University of Fundamental Studies, Russia and Diploma in Information Technology, Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration.
His experience in administration and public policy development is multi-faceted. It includes areas such as Tourism, Human Resource Management, Labour Relations, Parliamentarian Process, Coastal Conservation, Environment and Plantation. The modern and new public management experience he has gained by participating for the foreign training programmes.
In addition, he was awarded “Pradeep Pranama” by University of Sri Jayewardhanepura in 2016 and awarded as “Integrity Icon 2019”, Integrity Public Servant awarded by Transparence International Sri Lanka.
Career Record
Secretary – Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure (20th Nov 2024 Up To Date)
Secretary – Ministry of Environment (01st Jan 2024 – 19th Nov 2024)
Commisioner General of Labour – Department of Labour (Oct 2020 – Dec 2023)
Director General – Coast Conservation & Coastal Resource Mngt. Dept. (Apr 2015 – Oct 2020)
Senior Assitant Secretary to The Leader of The House of Parliament (2010 – 2015)
Assistant Secretary to The Leader of The House of Parliament (2006 – 2010)
Assitant Divisional Secretary – Biyagama Divisional Secretariate (2003 – 2006)
Assistant Secretary – Ministry of Education and Tourism, Uva Provincial Council (2001 – 2003)
Secretary General - Planters’ Association of Ceylon
Secretary General - Planters’ Association of Ceylon
Was a founder member of the Plantation Housing & Social Welfare Trust (PHSWT) established on 18th September 1992 and later re-named as Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT) on 10th October 2002. Since Privatization of Plantations and the formation of Regional Plantation Companies Mr. Obeyesekere functioned as the Chief Executive Officer of two RPCs over a period of 25 years up to 2017. He is a Fellow of the National Institute of Plantation Management in Sri Lanka and counts over 50 years’ experience in the Industry having commenced his career as a Management Trainee and then rising to the position of Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Obeyesekere is a past Chairman of the Planters’ Association of Ceylon and the Plantation Employers’ Services Group of the Employers Federation of Ceylon. He has served as an elected member of the Ceylon Rubber Traders’ Association & the Ceylon Tea Traders Association and as a nominated Council Member of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon. He is a member of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC).
He has served as a Member of Sri Lanka Tea Board, Tea Research Board and Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation (SLSPC) and currently serves on the Boards of National Institute of Plantation Management, Ceylon Tea Museum, Plantation Human Development Trust and the Tea Smallholder Factories PLC of John Keells Group. Currently he functions as the Secretary General of the Planters’ Association of Ceylon.
Director/CEO - Elpitiya Plantations PLC
Director/CEO - Elpitiya Plantations PLC
Mr. Bhathiya Bulumulla, the Chief Executive Officer of Elpitiya Plantations PLC was appointed to the Board of Aitken Spence Plantation Managements PLC in July, 2017 and to the Board of Elpitiya Plantations Plc in July, 2018. He possesses over 37 years of experience in the Plantation Sector, out of which for the past 25 years he is serving at Elpitiya Plantations PLC.
Mr. Bulumulla is the Managing Director of Elpitiya Dianhong Jin Ya Tea (Pvt) Limited, Managing Director of Ceylon Agri Food Technologies (Pvt) Ltd and is a member of the Board of EPP Power Company (Pvt) Limited as well. Mr. Bulumulla holds a Diploma in Plantation Management from the National Institute of Plantation Management (NIPM) and holds a B.Sc (Hons) Degree in Plantation Management, awarded by the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. He also hold a M.Sc degree in Environment Science from the Open University of Colombo.
Mr. Bulumulla is a fellow member of the National Institute of Plantation Management (NIPM) and member of the Board of Study of the Wayamba University ‘s External Degree Programme on Plantation management.
National Organizer - Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU)
National Organizer - Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU)
Mr. S.P. Vijekumaran, who is representing the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union is currently performing as the National Organizer and Senior Administrative Secretary of the Union. He was appointed as the Assistant Secretary of LJEWU from 2003 to 2014; Regional Director of Uva Province; Assistant Secretary of National Trade Union Federation; Treasurer of The Power Foundation; President of Sri Lanka Security Services Union. He also, served as the Private Secretary to late Hon. K. Velayudam (Member of Parliament and Member of Uva Provincial Council) from 1990 to 2013.
He was appointed as the Assistant Secretary (T/U) of Ministry of Plantation Industries and NHDA Housing Programme Co-ordinator of LJEWU from 2017 to 2019 and from 2021 September Senior Administrative Secretary of LJEWU. Mr. Wijakumaran represented Sri Lanka as the worker delegate at the International Labour Conference held in Geneva in 2003 and 2016. He holds Diplomas in Trade Union Workers Education and Curriculum Development and Diploma in Political Science and Social Mobilization.
Representative – Planters’ Association of Ceylon
Representative – Planters’ Association of Ceylon
He started his career at M/s. B R De Silva & Co. Chartered Accountants, in 1983 and was appointed as a Partner in 1991.
He moved to mercantile sector as the Financial Controller of Kotagala Plantations Ltd. under M/s George Steuarts Management Services in 1992 and In 1997 he was promoted as the Group Financial Controller of the George Steuarts Group of Companies and also as the Director Finance of George Steuart Auto Supplies (Pvt) Ltd.
He re-joined the Plantation Sector as the General Manager- Finance of Kahawatte Plantations Ltd. in 2002.
In 2005 he got his first overseas posting as the Financial Controller of PT Agro Bukit Indonesia and later took up the key position of Head of Finance – Plantation Operations and Business Support for the entire Indonesian operation of Good Hope Asia Group, which consisted of six Oil Palm Plantation Companies.
Mr. Punchihewa came to Sri Lanka in 2011 and joined Lankem Tea & Rubber Plantations (Pvt) Ltd. (LT&RP) as the Director/ Deputy CEO, and was appointed to as the CEO of Agrapatana Plantations Ltd. in April, 2014.
In October 2016 he joined the Browns Group as the Group Chief Executive Officer – Plantation Sector in-charge of three Regional Plantation Companies and served as the Chief Executive Officer of Maturata Plantations Ltd in the same Group till July 2020.
He joined Arpico Group as the Chief Financial Officer – Plantation Sector in August 2020 and promoted as the Chief Executive Officer of Maskeliya Plantations PLC in February 2021 in the same Group, in addition to the post he was holding. He is served as the Chief Executive Officer of Maskeliya Plantations PLC until March 2023 and retired from the service.
He is a Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and an Associate Member of the Certified Public Accountants of Australia.
Director/CEO - Horana Plantations PLC
Director/CEO - Horana Plantations PLC
Mr. Rodrigo started his career as an Assistant Manager under JEDB, and presently serves Horana Plantations PLC in the capacity of Director/Chief Executive Officer.
In addition to his fulltime position at Horana, Mr. Rodrigo is a Director at Ceylon Tea Museum and the Plantation Human Development Trust. He is an active Committee Member of Ceylon Planters’ Provident Society & Estate Staffs’ Provident Society.
Enrolled for higher studies at the Indian Business School of Hyderabad in Management, and trained in Japan under JESTICA, Save the Children in Thailand on Child Protection in Emergencies.
Director/CEO - Malwatte Valley Plantations PLC
Director/CEO - Malwatte Valley Plantations PLC
Mr. Shanaka D. Samaradiwakara commenced his career in the private sector in 1989 concluding his secondary education at Royal College, Colombo 7 and joined the Plantation sector in 1992 with JEDB.
He is a senior planter with over 3 decades of experience, managing plantations and possesses a Diploma in Plantation Management and an MBA from Horizons University, France. He is a fellow member of the National Institute of Plantation Management.
He possesses an extensive experience in the manufacture, Cultivation, Processing, Packaging, Warehousing & exporting key crops such as Tea, spices, & other export agricultural crops
Having joined Malwatte Valley Plantations PLC in 2014, was appointed the Director, Chief Executive Officer on 01st August 2019 & to the Board of Malwatte Spices Pvt Ltd in 2020.
Currently he is serving as the Deputy Chairman, Plantation Services group & Council Member of the Employers Federation of Ceylon.
He is also, serving as a Board Member of the Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT) & as a Member of the Plantation Sector Wages Board.
Deputy Director - Department of Fiscal Policy - Ministry of Finance
Deputy Director - Department of Fiscal Policy - Ministry of Finance
Ms. P.A.N. Abeysekara is a Deputy Director of the Department of Fiscal Policy of the Ministry of Finance. At the Department, she is involved in activities related to revenue forecasting and monitoring. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from the University of Kelaniya. In addition, she holds a Master of Financial Economics from the University of Colombo and a Master of Public Policy from the Australian National University, Australia.
Director Estate & Urban Health - Ministry of Health
Director Estate & Urban Health - Ministry of Health
Dr. (Mrs.) N K C Gunarathna is a Consultant Community Physician, currently working as the Director of Estate and Urban Health Unit of Ministry of Health. Apart from her MBBS Medical Degree from University of Ruhuna, Dr. Gunarathna has Master and Doctor of Medicine Degrees from University of Colombo. She had completed overseas training for a period of one years in the University of La Trobe, Australia.
She served as a Medical Officer in Colombo South Teaching Hospital and Medical Officer of Health in Kalutara and Beruwala Medical Officer of Health area attached to National institute of Health Services and Consultant Community Physician in National institute of Health Services.
She started her administrative carrier as a Deputy Director Teaching Hospital Kalutara and then deputy director Colombo South Teaching Hospital.
Director General
Director General
The Director General of PHDT-Lal Perera who served as Senior Regional Director of the Nuwara Eliya Plantation Human Development Trust was appointed as the Director General having served the PHDT for more than 11 years. As a planter, He is a veteran in the Plantation Industry who has been in the field for over 30 years and served in Low country and up-country Estates. Mr. Perera is well experienced in the field of plantation management and administration. A product of St Thomas College, Bandarawela. He obtained his first degree from the University of Wayamba from the faculty of Plantation Management the faculty and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Post Graduate Diploma from the University of Colombo. He is a fellow member of the National Institute of Plantation Management and a member of the Institute of the environment in Sri Lanka.
Mr. Perera began his career as a Trainee Assistant Manager and later rose to the position of Director General – the highest position a Planter could reach in the PHDT. Apart from being DG of PHDT is the current president of the Alumni Association of the University of Wayamba and conducts lectures at the university and at the NIPM. He is an effective team leader, a well-known agriculturist and a trainer who believes in knowledge sharing. He introduced the concept of “Multi-sectorial approach ” into the PHDT where, through building bridges of understanding between Workers, Trade Unions and Private and Public-Sector work in a win-win culture was established with his knowledge gain by following the Masters in Public Management and Administration.
Director Finance, Administration & IT
Director Finance, Administration & IT
Finance, Administration and IT Divisions are headed by a qualified Finance professional who is possessed with experience over two decades in Corporate Finance and Banking. He is also a Post Graduate Diploma Holder in Corporate Business Finance & Banking with local and foreign Training. He is supported by a team of professionals and the division is responsible for the Financial & Management Accounting / Reporting, Treasury & Risk Management, Internal Controls, and Corporate Finance.
He also guides the Manager – Information Technology and their professionally and technically qualified staff in the IT divisions. The Information Technology (IT) division is providing all Software, Hardware, Network facilities and also the transmission of accurate information, professional presentations and New Developments.
Director Health
Director Health
The Director Health of PHDT-Dr. Sarath Amunugama who worked in the Ministry of Health and retired after serving for 35 years and appointed as the Director Health. He served as a Public Health Professional since the beginning of his carrier. His carrier started as Medical Officer of Health and served as Medical Officer Maternal and Child Health Kandy, Medical Superintendent of Anuradhapura General Hospital, Regional Director of Health Services Anuradhapura, Director Training of National Institute of Health Sciences Kalutara, Director of Health Promotion Bureau and rose to the position of Deputy Director General of Health Public Health Services which is the highest position in Public Health in the Department of Health Services. He completed his secondary education at St. Thomas College Matale and obtained the degree in Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Peradeniya and Master of Science in Community Medicine from the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine Colombo. After the retirement, joined the Plantation Human Development Trust as the Director of Health.
Director Engineering
Director Engineering
