'New innovations pave way for country's overall development'

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Utmost priority must be given for new innovations since innovations pave way for country's overall development than the economic development, Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake said.

"As an independent country Sri Lanka has to reach a better grading economically through new innovations. Therefore, innovations are a must for the betterment of the country since new employment opportunities are created by new innovations. |On the other hand when reaching the high levels in economic standards, more enterprises and business entities have to be formed, " the minister said.

Dissanayake was addressing a seminar organised to marked the 'Entrepreneur Day 2013' of the Moratuwa University recently. The Entrepreneur Day was organised by the university aiming to empower young and dynamic entrepreneurs.

The objective of the Entrepreneur Day is to assist blooming entrepreneurs to come to the national and international levels. Besides, the event will pave way for creating new entrepreneurs from the university system. Accordingly, graduates and undergraduates are being motivated to enter into entrepreneurial sector. Such entrepreneurs will create thousands of employment opportunities adding a huge strength to the country's economy, the minister said.

Sri Lanka can expose its pride and glory to the world by entering entrepreneurial world. Sri Lanka is not an exception as any country has to be more entrepreneurial when achieving sound financial status, Minister Dissanayake said.

In line with the Entrepreneur Day, an exhibition was also organised by the Engineering Faculty of the Moratuwa University, a highly prestigious and nationally recognised university, with an impressive academic record of over many years. The university has been engaged in assisting small and medium entrepreneurs to overcome obstacles in the entrepreneurial sector to reach national and international levels.

'Entrepreneur Day' has further targeted to create awareness, stimulate interest, accommodate questions, provide answers and options on the multi faceted entrepreneurship to inculcate a positive entrepreneurship culture among students, budding entrepreneurs, veterans in the field, government, private sector institutions and the public in the country, the minister said.

"It is happy to see that undergraduates are becoming entrepreneurs while engaged in their higher studies. It is highly appreciated since entrepreneurs are not job seekers but job providers.

The 'Entrepreneur Day 2013' will definitely be an ideal opportunity for both the government and young entrepreneurs and especially to new innovators to come to the national and international levels while showcasing their products and services to the world," the minister noted.