Vocational training under way:

Jobs for welfare village youth

Employment opportunities are being provided to displaced youth in welfare villages in the North after a proper vocational training under a program launched by the Vocational and Technical Training Ministry said Minister Piyasena Gamage.

The Minister said this at a ceremony held at the Ministry auditorium in Narahenpita to mark the handing over of Three million rupees to the Vocational Training Authority by the National Development Bank (NDB) for the distribution of tool kits among Northern youths receiving Vocational Training in welfare villages.

Minister Gamage said civilians displaced due to terrorism were housed in four main welfare villages namely Lakshman Kadirgamar, Ananda Coomaraswamy, Arunachalam and Ramananthan villages. The ministry has launched vocational training centres in these villages to ensure that youth are equipped to start jobs when they are integrated into society.

This endeavour had been highly appreciated by local and foreign delegates visiting these villages. All this was being done because the Government considered it as its duty and responsibility to provide relief for these innocent civilians when they were introduced to the democratic society once again.

The Minister said when he visited these training centres on inspection tour the youth undergoing training requested him to provide them tool kits to start self-employment. The NDB had come forward to assist the Ministry to accede to that request by providing the funds and he wished to thank the Bank for it.

The Minister said a batch of 1200 youths were receiving vocational training in these villages. The trades included garments, carpentry, masonry electric wiring and welding.

He said the Government had taken steps to resettle displaced families in their original villages expeditiously.

Where as four previous Presidents failed. It was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was able to bring peace to the people in the North by eradicating terrorism. People in the North and South has faith in the President's ability to usher in development and prosperity for them as well. The people of North have now received an opportunity to realize their aim by re-electing the President for another term at the forthcoming Presidential election.

NDB Vice Chairman Kumara Weerasuriya said the NDB signed an agreement to provide tool sets worth Rs. three million, as the first stage of this assistance program.

The Bank hoped to increase this to Rs. 10 million soon.

Vocational Training Authority Chairman Admiral Daya Sandagiri and other officials were present.