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Buddhasasana, Justice, Law Reform and National Integration Minister W. J. M. Lokubandara said that as the country's economy is now showing signs of a speedy recovery, the Government is paying serious attention towards solving the unemployment problem of youth on a priority basis.

The Minister was addressing a meeting held at the Diyatalawa Cultural Centre to mark the award of certificates to a group of 489 youth who had successfully completed a series of three month vocational training courses conducted at the centre recently. The training courses were conducted by the National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority, the Rural Integration Development Foundation, the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau and the Official Languages Department. Minister Lokubandara said follow-up action would also be taken to divert the successful trainees towards employment. He advised unemployed youth in Haputale and Bandarawela electorates to grasp this opportunity by enrolling themselves for this vocational training programme conducted at the Diyatalawa Economic Centre for their benefit. He said special Sinhala and English Language classes for Tamil youth and Tamil and English classes for Sinhala youth would also be launched at the centre under the direction of Mrs. Padma D. Jayaweera, Commissioner of Official Languages shortly.

Minister Lokubandara said a prospect of another Middle East war loomed large over the horizon. If war broke out, Sri Lanka and other countries in the region would have an adverse economic impact. The Government was working out contingency plans to face such an eventuality.

Among the Vocational Training Courses conducted at this centre are courses in English, computer operation, stenography, electrical wiring, plumbing, welding, driving and horticulture.

Certificates and cash awards were handed over to the successful trainees by Minister Lokubandara, Provincial Council Member W. J. M. Samarasekara Bandara and Badulla GA W. Premadasa.

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