Sri Lanka must shift from job provider to job creator – President

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says Sri Lanka must move away from being a country where the government simply provides jobs and instead become a nation that creates them.

Speaking at the “Youth Club” National Youth Convention at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo this morning (August 12), the President said that nearly 30,000 Sri Lankan men and women are working in the Maldives, but not in government roles.

He pointed out that the Maldivian government has developed a separate external economy, something Sri Lanka has failed to build for many years.

“As a result, the state has become the main job provider,” he said. “We must remember that the role of government is not just to provide jobs but to create them.”

The President noted that while the 20th century brought major global changes in technology, politics, and economics, Sri Lanka failed to secure a place in the global marketplace. He stressed that the country needs to modernize its public sector, adding that cabinet approval has already been granted to recruit nearly 62,000 people to the public service.

However, he warned that this would not solve the employment issue unless the economy itself creates more opportunities.

Outlining the government’s plans, President Dissanayake said:

• Sri Lanka expects 2.5 million tourists this year and aims for 4 million by 2030, developing a tourism-based economy that generates jobs.
• By 2030, the country targets a $15 billion digital economy contributing 12% of national production, with digitization integrated into agriculture, fisheries, and small and medium industries.
• The government will also develop a port-centered economic model and other sectors to expand job opportunities.

He stressed the need for a new generation skilled in information technology to lead these changes and promised that youth would be key stakeholders in the country’s development.

“We aim to create job opportunities that match the abilities and lifestyles of our young people,” he said. “You will not be left out of development. Our goal is to make you leaders in the journey we have planned.”

The President said the country now has a stable economy and is ready to transform into a prosperous state, with the youth playing a central role.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage, Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Sports Sugath Thilakaratne, several Members of Parliament, foreign diplomats, state officials, and invited guests, including National Youth Services Council Chairman/Director General Attorney-at-Law Supun Wijerathne, attended the event.