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| Monday, 27 October 2003 |
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Jobs on merit, not on political patronage by Murali Jayadeva Minister of Employment and Labour Mahinda Samarasinghe last week stressed the need for creating employment opportunities strictly based on merit and not on political patronage. "It is Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's vision that the era of politicization and political patronage should be eradicated and in its place evolve a system to recognize meritocracy which will sustain on the basis of the best person for the job in terms of merit, and not on political patronage," Minister Samarasinghe told the Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Awards Ceremony at the BMICH on Friday night. He said: "Peace is a sine-qua-non for development. Without peace we will not be able to assure a future for the youth of this country. As the Minister of Employment and Labour, I have a special role to play as far as young people of this country are concerned. I have repeatedly said that politicians cannot give and should not give jobs." "It is important that we should lay emphasis on improving employment standards of youth rather than doling out jobs to them. We should be able to harness the excellent human resources available in the country as our people are naturally intelligent. They should be trained to fit into the global activity and environment", he said. He appreciated efforts of Junior Chamber of Sri Lanka in organising a project of this magnitude in helping to develop the individual in entrepreneurial and leadership skills which will help youngsters to play competitively in the global employment market. Commenting on the political backdrop, he said "we are at an important juncture. We need to make society understand the importance of peace. They do not want to go back to war. They are fully aware what the war has done to this country. "The Govt. has reversed the process. It has brought in a sense of security to the people. Political stability has been restored in a more comprehensive way. It has earned investor confidence in the country resulting in booming activity in the stock market and created goodwill and cooperation in the international community who are now prepared to help us to reconstruct and redevelop". "The two major political parties have also reiterated that a political solution is the only way to find a sustainable peace. This is what the Govt. is vigorously pursuing at the moment and we are hopeful of achieving a permanent peace, despite the constraint", he said. JCI Senator Rukmal de Silva, in his welcome address, said that TOYP programme served to recognize ten outstanding individuals whose personal and professional achievements in their chosen fields were exemplary, outstanding and nationally beneficial. The TOYP awards programme attempts to highlight and confer national recognition of their achievements and contributions to serve as an example and incentive for youth of our country to channel their energies in the right direction and create a positive change in the community", he said. The winners: Kishu Gomes, Managing Director/CEO Caltex Lanka Lubricants Ltd for Business Accomplishment; Samantha Abeywickrema- Secretary General Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka for Economic Accomplishment; Anusha Perera and Charnez Perera - Latin American Dancers for Contribution to Arts; Hasantha Sri Lal Hettiarachchi - Programme Executive ITN for Contribution to Media; Ms. Pushpa Zoysa - Training Coordinator and Team Leader in the Accident Service; National Hospital for Humanitarian Voluntary Services; Dr. Ms. Dilani Lokuhetty - Consultant Pathologist and Senior Lecturer, Colombo University Medical Faculty, For Medical Innovation and/or Research; Harendra Yasas Serasinghe, Managing Director - Green Forest Association for Environmental Leadership; Chandimal Fernando - Professional Musician, for Personal Achievement. |
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