Karu says Govt. looks to private sector-led growth

Monday, 30 March 2015 01:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Charumini de Silva Public Administration, Provincial Councils, Local Government, Buddha Sasana and Democratic Governance Minister Karu Jayasuriya last week said that management professionals and business education played a key role in building the economy. “Management is going to be our theme. Management professionals are a readily employable group and play a lead role in contributing to the economic development of Sri Lanka. As a Government, we only believe in providing the infrastructure, because we are looking at a private sector led growth,” he noted. Highlighting the importance of good management skills, he pointed that Sri Lanka needed more managers and professionals to tap into the full potential of the economy. He made these remarks at the inauguration of the 13th South Asian Management Forum hosted by Institute of Certified Professional Managers (CPM) in collaboration with Association of Management Development Institutions of South Asia (AMDISA) in Colombo.

Jayasuriya said the theme of the conference ‘Management and Sustainability: South Asian Perspective’ was timely in today’s context as it covered important topics that are most relevant to long-term strategic development of the management professionals ad providing business organisations, investors, high quality managers who play an important role in the economic development of these countries. International Finance Corporation (IFC) Country Director Adam Sack, AMDISA President Dr.Ashok Joshi, ICFAI Vice Chancellor Prof. Y.K Bhushan, CPM President Prof.Lakshman R.Watawala and 38 other delegates from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan were also present at the inauguration conference. The Minister also appreciated the visionary leadership of Prof. Watawala and for his significant contribution in strengthening the management education in Sri Lanka. The Minister pointed out that the time was right for them to put the country in shape. “Once the new Government is established after the 100-day program, whether it is us or somebody else, the entire Opposition who united prior to 8 January, we will form once again a National Government for a period of two-and-a-half years, whoever wins we will work together.” “The country is now open. We find a quite a lot of attention for Sri Lanka. There is a lot of interest from investors to do business; the whole world of democracy is looking at Sri Lanka. Hence, it is crucial to restore the good governance in all our systems to bring that glory back to the country,” he asserted. The Minister explained to the delegates that the new Government was approximately 75 days old and it was a very special model. “There is no other government of this nature. Our only mandate was good governance and transparency. Once we complete the 100 days, we are likely to be dissolved,” he added. “During these 100 days we want to clean up the system. We are also in the process of getting a new Constitution where the executive presidency will be abolished. Sri Lanka’s presidency is very unique model. The president of Sri Lanka is the most powerful position in the world; the only thing he cannot do is to make a man a woman or a woman a man. Over the years we have seen the black and the white sides of this position and thereby we thought that given the mandate that this should be abolished,” he quipped. Pic by Lasantha Kumara