Best orators and wordsmiths shine at Navy Public Speaking and Admiral Clancy Fernando Memorial Essay Competitions
The Sri Lanka Navy recognized the outstanding achievements of its personnel in the Navy Public Speaking Competition - 2023 and the Admiral Clancy Fernando Memorial Essay Competition – 2023 during a special ceremony held on 01st December 2023 at the Admiral Somathilake Dissanayake Auditorium, Navy Headquarters. The event was presided over by Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera and was distinguished with the presence of Mrs. Monika Fernando, the spouse of late Admiral Clancy Fernando.
Every year, the Naval Research Wing organizes the Navy Public Speaking Competition with two categories (Senior and Junior Officers) and the Admiral Clancy Fernando Memorial Essay Competition featuring three categories (Senior and Junior Officers and Sailors). This initiative aims to offer naval personnel valuable chances to refine their abilities in public speaking and writing.
The officers and sailors who secured the first, second and third places in the finals of Navy Public Speaking Competition and Admiral Clancy Fernando Memorial Essay Competition received certificates and cash prizes of Rs. 100,000, 75,000 and 50,000, during this event.
In the Senior Officer Category of the Public Speaking Competition, Lieutenant Commander AWMI Wijekoon captivated the audience with his confident delivery and earned the first-place prize. Lieutenant Commander TA Gamage and Lieutenant Commander AMMLB Abeykoon secured second and third places, respectively, demonstrating their exceptional public speaking abilities.
The Junior Officer Category showcased the talents of rising naval stars. Accordingly, Sub Lieutenant DMSP Jayalath, Lieutenant PAST Perera and Sub Lieutenant KMNSM Bandara displayed their eloquence and clarity, securing the top three spots in the category.
The unbiased judging panel of Navy Public Speaking Competition, responsible for assessing the participants, included Director General Training, Rear Admiral Rohitha Abeysinghe, Director Marine Engineering, Commodore Chinthaka Rajapaksha along with Mr. Fahas Farouk and Mr. Rasika Senarathna representing Toastmasters International.
The Admiral Clancy Fernando Memorial Essay Competition recognized excellence in written communication. In the Commander or above category, Commander JSD Silva, Commander WAKLP Wickramasinghe and Commander WPC Wijesundara won the first three places respectively, with their insightful and well-crafted essays.
In the Lieutenant Commander or below category, Commander WPPN Perera, Lieutenant LC Manamperi and Lieutenant Commander WD Tissera distinguished themselves with their written prowess, securing first three spots respectively.
Not to be outdone, the Sailors' category also saw impressive displays of writing talent. Thus, Petty Officer (Communication) DR Jayasinghe, Stores Assistant PGAK Thilakarathna and Ordinary Seaman PS Kavinda won the first three places respectively, showcasing the depth of intellectual talent within the Navy's enlisted rates.
Addressing the gathering, Commander of the Navy emphasized the critical role of effective communication in leadership. Highlighting that a truly exceptional leader possesses an innate ability to influence and motivate a group towards common goals through public speaking, he underscored the pivotal importance of conveying a clear and impactful message. The Commander asserted that without the ability to communicate effectively, leadership falters, and the capacity to guide a team diminishes at any level. Emphasizing the Navy's commitment to nurturing leaders with strong communication skills, he expressed optimism that events like the public speaking competitions will contribute to building a cadre of leaders capable of steering the Navy towards success. Additionally, the Commander unveiled plans for an upcoming e-library installation, designed to provide officers and sailors a diverse range of reading materials. He explained that this initiative aims to leverage new knowledge and reading resources to cultivate professional leaders within the Navy, thereby enhancing the organization's capabilities for the future.
Chief of Staff of the Navy, Rear Admiral Jayantha Kularatne, Commander Western Naval Area and Commandant Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral Saman Perera, Director General Personnel, Rear Admiral Damian Fernando, Director General Administration, Rear Admiral Naleendra Jayasinghe, Director General Health and Services, Rear Admiral Janaka Marambe, Head of Naval Research Wing, Captain Prasad Jayasinghe and a group of officers and sailors from the Navy Headquarters and Western Naval Command were present at the event.
