The 51st Workshop Meeting of Heads of National Productivity Organizations (WSM) opened in Bangkok on 19 October 2010.
The three-day meeting is an annual program planning exercise of the Asian Productivity Organization.
Blessed with sunshine on a hot, bright morning, the opening session got underway with welcome remarks by Executive Director of Thailand Productivity Institute and APO Alternate Director for Thailand Dr. Phanit Laosirirat, followed by an opening address by Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Industry and APO Director for Thailand Dr. Witoon Simachokedee.
Dr. Witoon Simachokedee delivers his opening address
Dr. Phanit Laosirirat welcomes delegates to the meeting
Delegates from the participating NPOs and agriculture delegates were met with thunderous applause as they were introduced one by one by APO Secretary-General Ryuichiro Yamazaki, who took office on 16 September 2010.
The inaugural plenary session was shortly underway. After adoption of the WSM agenda and election of the Chair and Vice Chair for the conference, Secretary-General Yamazaki took the floor to give his first speech before the Workshop Meeting of Heads of NPOs. Yamazaki expressed his gratitude to member countries for electing him as the ninth Secretary-General of the APO and sought the continued cooperation of member countries “so that we can work together to improve productivity, both quantitatively and qualitatively”.
APO Secretary-General Ryuichiro Yamazaki at the podium
Yamazaki thanked the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand for hosting the 51st WSM, noting in particular his appreciation to Industry Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr. Witoon Simachokedee and FTPI Executive Director Dr. Phanit Laosirirat.
The APO Program Plan for 2011-2012 was unveiled by APO A&F Director AKP Mochtan. The 2010 Impact Evaluation of APO Projects was outlined by Dr. Serafin D. Talisayon, an independent evaluator who conducted the study. The objective of the impact evaluation was to provide greater objectivity and accuracy in evaluations made by the Secretariat. In line with suggestions made at past Governing Body Meetings and Workshop Meetings, the study covers Multicountry Projects containing training elements, completed in 2009, and Individual Country Projects which were undertaken in 2008 and 2009. The study is hoped to be effective in assessing the impact of APO projects and to determine how these efforts could be made more meaningful in terms of enhancing the impact of future APO projects, participants and member country organizations.
Country presentations were made back-to-back by the NPO and agriculture delegates, prompting an active exchange of views, experiences, and opinions from the various member countries.
Resource: http://www.apo-tokyo.org/speceven/arc0047_51wsm.htm
