IPS reconstituted

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has reconstituted the Board of Governors of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). Prof. Buddhadasa Hewavitharana, Emeritus Prof. of Economics, University of Peradeniya, founder member of the IPS since it was set up in 1989 has been appointed as the Chairman of the new Board. He succeeds Dr. Gamani Corea, who was the Founder Chairman of the IPS.

The two other founder members reappointed are Dr. Godfrey Gunatilleke, Emeritus Chairman, Marga Institute and Prof. W.D. Lakshman, Prof. of Economics, University of Colombo. Prof. S.T. Hettige, Professor of Sociology, University of Colombo is the newly appointed member.

In addition to these appointed members by the President, the Board consists of three ex-officio members, namely, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Governor, Central Bank, and B. Abegunawardena, Director-General, Department of National Planning. Dr. Saman Kelegama is the Executive Director of the Institute.

The IPS was conceived as an autonomous institution to promote policy oriented economic research and has now developed as the economic think-tank of the country carrying out research into analysis of socio-economic policy issues offering advice on such concerning the government and its agencies and the private sector while disseminating information and knowledge among the public.