Oman Air and Travelport announce new seat assignment booking functionality to benefit travel agents

Oman Air and Travelport 

Travel agents booking Oman Air via Travelport’s Galileo and Worldspan distribution systems will now be able to benefit from new functionality, which allows them to manage the seat selection process in a ‘live’ and interactive environment.

The Interactive Seat Assignment functionality – jointly unveiled by Travelport, the leading provider of critical transaction processing solutions and data for the global travel industry, and Oman Air, the flag carrier of the Sultanate of Oman – will provide agents with greater ease in booking Oman Air content and help improve customer service.

In practice, Interactive Seat Assignment allows agents to request seat maps and assign, change or cancel specific seats in a real-time environment, whilst maintaining full control with the ability to accept or decline seat assignments. Oman Air CEO, Wayne Pearce, said: “We aim to ensure that Oman Air offers both customers and travel agents the greatest possible convenience and I am sure that the opportunity to select and assign seats using Travelport’s systems will be warmly welcomed. 

The system also offers the opportunity to reduce costs, enabling Oman Air to continue offering outstanding value throughout our network of more than 40 exciting destinations.” “Seat maps and advance seat assignments are becoming basic expectations amongst travel agents providing a high level of service to travellers”, added Will Owen Hughes, Senior Director, Supplier Services, Middle East and Africa, Travelport. “Managing these services can consume valuable airline resources, if they are not automated. Travelport systems reduce and often eliminate these costs, enabling travel agents to improve their service to their passengers, as well as to the airline.”

About Travelport (www.travelport.com)

Travelport is a leading provider of critical transaction processing solutions and data to companies operating in the global travel industry. With a presence in over 170 countries, approximately 3,500 employees and 2012 net revenue of more than $2.0 billion, Travelport is comprised of the global distribution system (“GDS”) business, which includes the Galileo and Worldspan brands, its Airline IT Solutions business and a majority joint venture ownership in eNett. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Travelport is a privately owned company. Follow Travelport on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Travelport 

About Oman Air (www.omanair.com) 

As the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, Oman Air offers comfort and luxury in every class, together with the superb warmth and hospitality for which Oman is famed. Since Oman Air was founded in 1993, its network of services has expanded to include a range of the most attractive and fascinating destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. And with each route originating in Oman, Oman Air is playing a major role in increasing the number of travellers to the Sultanate and providing a thriving gateway for business and tourism.

People’s Bank Receives ISO Certification

People’s Bank Receives ISO Certification

People’s Bank Sri Lanka

People’s Bank has been awarded with the ISO 9001:2008 accreditations from the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) in recognition of the quality of its Trade Service products which enables its customers with a secured and efficient import and export services. The Trade Service department provides a centralised processing mechanism unit for Sri Lanka’s largest commercial banking network with 730 branches and service centres; catering to the needs of a customer base of over 13 million with easy-to-use banking facilities that enable them to venture across borders for import and export transactions from any of the People’s Bank outlets located island wide. 

Quote from Mr. N. Vasantha Kumar, Chief Executive Officer/General Manager, People’s Bank added, “The People’s Bank Trade Services Department have stepped up the game in export and import services by obtaining the ISO 9001-2008 certification; servicing the largest network of 730 branches island wide, we are determined to serve our customers better by implementing service standards on par with international standards. I must thank our Trade Services team that have worked tirelessly to ensure that we met all the requirements set by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, to enable us to serve our customers better.”   

The stringent criteria set by the SLSI were all met at the highest order by the staff and systems implemented at People’s Bank to obtain the ISO 9001-2008 certification. The systems implemented empower the staff to process letters of credit,  post  import facilities that include: import bills, post import facilities and foreign and local guarantees and exports products for their customers in an efficient manner.

Speaking at the presentation of the certificate Mr. Lalith Senaweera, Director General Sri Lanka Standard Institution said, “Firstly I’d like to congratulate the team from People’s Bank for receiving the ISO certificate; in today’s business environment the banking industry is rapidly changing, customers are becoming more demanding and there are rapid advancements in technology and regulatory requirements are forever changing, therefore it is a challenge for all banks to keep up with the latest trends. It is essential in today’s context for any organization to adopt proper quality assurance systems to maintain a standard and we are happy to say that People’s Bank Trade Services has met all the requirements to receive ISO Certification to ensure their customers receive the best of service standards.” 

Mr. Jayantha Newnhella, Deputy General Manager, International Banking, People’s Bank added, “Our team at People’s Bank Trade Services have achieved great heights in quality standards today, I am very proud of my team that have put together and implemented the quality standards set by the SLSI. The certification will enable us to improve the operations and increase our standards of delivery. It will also be instrumental in setting up an efficient and service oriented work culture allowing the team to strive and offer the best possible service to all our customers. Such commitment and dedication of our team members will enable the division to maintain and increase the standards of delivery and efficiency of our services in the future.”     

The Trade Services Department provides services for many exporters and importers who are aggressively venturing out across the borders. People’s Bank’s network of over 300 correspondents in 103 countries to give their business the global edge with cutting edge technology, commitment, and decades of superior experience in handling high value transactions our staff is fully equipped to enhance customer value. They enable their customers with speedy settlement of international commercial transactions providing safety for the parties involved.

Women - Out of The Frame Photographic Exhibition

Women - Out of The Frame Photographic Exhibition

Out of The Frame

The Women - Out of The Frame Photographic Exhibitionwill be held from 5th to 10th July 2013 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Undertaken by Sri Lankan photographer Menika van der Poorten   in conjunction with the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka this landmark photography project and exhibition on women provides the ideal platform to showcase the talent of 45 photographers (men and women) from across the island, and beyond, both professionals and enthusiasts.

These photographers’ perspectives help to change the way we see women. The photographs selected for this exhibition capture a moment or moments revealing the complexity of women’s lives - whether it is women from different walks of life in the same frame, women living in a war and conflicted affected environments or elders going about their daily routine.

The project’s aim is to provide photographers in Sri Lanka a platform to present images that ‘go beyond the traditional, objectified and stereotypical portrayal of women common in mainstream media’. Submissions came from Battaramulla, Batticaloa, Bemmulla, Trincomalee, Hikkaduwa, Jaffna, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara, Hambantota, Vavuniya,  Warkapola and beyond, achieving one of the project’s main objectives which was to reach out to photographers countrywide, particularly those who, due  to war, had limited access to this type of cultural exchange. As Cynthia Cohen’s study Creative approaches to Reconciliation illustrates, “investment in the arts and cultural work are critical to promoting coexistence and reconciliation in the aftermath of violent conflict.”

As a country emerging from a thirty-year conflict, visual media is pivotal in shaping opinions and perceptions. During the period of the exhibition a series of presentations and workshops that support the education, and development of conceptual and technical photographic skills, will be conducted. The workshop programme will encompass digital workflow, telling a story through photography and will encourage discussion and debate on context, ethics and the importance of visual media in making meaning.

“To say that photographs lie implies that they might tell the truth; but the beauty of their nature is exactly to say nothing, neither to lie nor not to.”

—Stanley Cavell (1985)

An exhibition catalogue will be available and the exhibition website (www.outofthrframe.lk) will be launched to coincide with the opening of the exhibition. These exhibition and workshops are supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the National Peace Council, and the Goethe Institute.

For more information on this project and exhibition email outoftheframe.sl@gmail.com

or visit Face Book:  http://www.facebook.com/outoftheframesrilanka

Sri Lanka to introduce new Technology subject for GCE A/L

Sri Lanka to introduce new Technology subject for GCE Advanced Level

New Subject Stream of Technology

Sri Lanka introduce the new Subject Stream of Technology to the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level curriculum initially in 200 schools island wide, news source said.The new Technology stream will be introduced in 200 selected Secondary Schools equipped with Mahindodaya Technological Laboratories. The schools have been selected to have at least one such school for each electorate.The program is introduced with the collaboration of National Education Commission, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development and the University Grants Commission.

Initially the teachers of the University of Vocational Technology of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development will be assigned for teaching the new subjects that will be introduced in the new stream.A joint proposal put forward by the Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena and Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Dullas Alahapperuma to proceed with the arrangements to set up the schools to teach the Technology stream has been approved by the Cabinet of ministers.

The AYS Gnanam Construction Training Academy signs MOU with NAITA and receives accreditation from TVEC

The AYS signs MOU with NAITA and receives accreditation from TVEC

 

The AYS Gnanam Construction Training Academy signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Apprenticeship & Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) at a ceremony held at Cinnamon Grand. The Group also received a certificate of accreditation from the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) for the training programmes being held at The AYS Gnanam Construction Training Academy to empower local masons, ensuring that they receive the proper training and the accreditation to support them.

The Academy is dedicated to the memory of Tokyo Cement Group's founder Chairman, the late Deshamanya A.Y.S.Gnanam. The ultra-modern facility caters for 50 residential trainees and includes a workshop for practicals, a lecture hall, dining hall and dormitory. The Academy is also open to school leavers looking for a career and will offer theoretical as well as practical training. The A.Y.S. Gnanam Construction Training Academy is affiliated to the National Apprentices and Industrial Training Authority and is registered in the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC).

Sri Lankan President’s Secretary answers questions on a Twitter

Sri Lankan President’s Secretary answers questions on a Twitter

Twitter Q&A

Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, Lalith Weeratunga will answer questions on a Twitter Q&A session next week,Wednesday, 19 June, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.The chat will take place via the official Twitter account of President Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa).

Submit your questions with #AskLW. www.twitter.com/PresRajapaksa.The session will run up to one and half hours.

Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya promoted as General

 Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya promoted as General

Sri Lanka Army

Army Commander Lt. General Jagath Jayasuriya has been promoted to the rank of General by President Mahinda Rajapaksa,with effect from June 1st, the Army news source said.

General Jagath Jayasuriya is currently serving as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. 

Commander Jagath Jayasuriya prior to his appointment as Commander, served as the Commander of Security Forces Headquaters- Wanni during the final Ealam War, with overall command of the SLA offensives in the Wanni region during 2008-2009 that led to the victory of the Civil War.