Lanka on right track - Minister Alahapperuma

Sri Lanka is moving steadily towards prosperity with changes taking place for the betterment of living standards of the people, said Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma.

He was speaking at the felicitation ceremony to the students from the initial five batches of the Caltex Automobile Engineering Scholarship program at Nipunatha Piyasa.

He said that the scholarship program was a joint effort carried out by the Government and private sector.

The Minister said that the development of the country could be expedited through the joint activities of the private and Government sector.

He said that due to the prestige mentality this kind of professions had been neglected even though they are important professions.

The Minister said there is a distinct shift from professions such as doctors, engineers and lawyers to those in the industrial sector which was rather unattractive. This profession did not carve a niche in society as the people thought it would cause harm to the image.

All pavement shops and unauthorised structures have been removed in the Colombo city. All drainage systems have been cleaned. Garbage has been cleared from the city and there is no unsightly garbage now in the Colombo city. Even during heavy rains no road in the Colombo city gets submerged, he said.

The Minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a leader who expects changes in the country aiming at a prosperous country. "We conducted a NVQ course for garbage disposing labourers in Colombo city. They are now known as Solid Waste Operating Assistants. We have granted them NVQ second level certificates, Minister Alahapperuma said.

- MN