Janaprith Fernando, Attorney-at-Law assumed duties as the 21st Chief Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Scout Association on Friday, October 1.
He started his scouting career at the age of 11 as a scout of the S. Thomas’ Preparatory School at Kollupitiya and went on to win the President Scout Award in 1984 and later became a Scout Leader, Asst. District Commissioner and was appointed as District Commissioner of the Colombo District in 2005. He is a Wood Badge qualified Scout Leader which is the graduation in Scouting.
In 2010 he was appointed as a Special Scout Commissioner at the National Scout Headquarters and later became the International Scout Commissioner of Sri Lanka. In 2016 he was elevated to the position of the Deputy Chief Commissioner.
Due to his active service in Scouting he was elected to the Asia Pacific Region Scout Committee in 2012.
He was elected to the World Scout Committee in 2017, a prestigious position and the first Sri Lankan to hold such a position and brought glory to his mother land.
He has been actively involved in all national scout events such as Jamborees and actively contributed to international scouting and placed Sri Lanka in the highest possible position. Speaking on the occasion he stressed the importance of the Scout Promise and Law to be adhered to by everyone in the movement and the instilling of discipline. He requested for everyone to work as a team and have the patrol spirit.
He said the most important stake holders are the scouts and leaders are there to serve them. He hopes to establish community based scouting in Muslim communities, estate sector and villages.
He called everyone to help in implementing the strategic plan by which we must achieve the goal of having a membership growth of 108,000 by the year 2023.
Among the invitees present at the ceremony of his assuming duties were the Immediate Past Chief Commissioner Major Gen. Milinda Peiris, National Training Commissioner Nanda Fernando, International Commissioner Dr. Rajeeva Pieris, National Program Commissioner Sarath Mataraarachchi and a host of Commissioners of National Headquarters, District and Council Members while the Secretary General of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement and many other international scout dignitaries joined the ceremony virtually.