President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that Cabinet approval has been granted to recruit nearly 62,000 individuals into the public service as part of efforts to modernise a government he described as “largely stagnant.”
Speaking at the “Youth Club” National Youth Conference at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo yesterday (12), the President emphasised that addressing unemployment requires more than government recruitment alone. He called for an open economy driven by government-led processes that create sustainable job opportunities, noting that plans are already in place to achieve this goal.
President Dissanayake said the country’s youth movement has undergone a transformation from being a political pawn to becoming a platform for cultivating competent leaders. He underscored the government’s commitment to empowering young people to shape their own future, rather than simply maintaining political power structures.
“We have no intention of clinging to these positions indefinitely,” he said, pledging to pass political leadership to a new generation equipped with ability, integrity, and conscience. He stressed that future leaders must be capable of rapidly adapting to the fast-growing body of global knowledge while also demonstrating compassion and empathy.
The President revealed that a programme will be launched through the youth movement to prepare young men and women to become leaders and active stakeholders in Sri Lanka’s development path.
This year’s National Youth Conference was held after a 32-year gap, drawing more than 6,000 participants from across the island. Leading up to the event, “Youth Clubs” were formed at regional level, with newly appointed officers formally introduced at the national gathering.
The event was attended by Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, Deputy Ministers Eranga Gunasekara and Sugath Thilakaratne, Members of Parliament, ambassadors, senior officials, and National Youth Services Council Chairman Supun Wijerathna.
