The Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage — Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, in reply to Question 1476/2025 regarding projects in Trincomalee District:

¶ 02 (a)(i) and (ii) Current and proposed projects with allocations include: - National Youth and Sports Festival 2025 (held): approx. Rs. 1.5 million spent. - District drama workshops: Rs. 250,000 spent. - Leadership camps: 11 programmes conducted; Rs. 628,000 spent; 185 trainees trained through job-orientation courses (Rs. 314,000 spent). - District Youth Day held at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium: Rs. 388,200 spent; 125 youth participated. - Selection of two young women from Trincomalee for exposure programmes in Bangladesh and India. - Department of Sports Development allocation of Rs. 300 million (national) for sports development, with provision for Trincomalee; within this, Rs. 200 million for the indoor sports complex and Rs. 50 million for outdoor works at McHeyzer Stadium. The running track has been completed and opened in December last year; balance works to be finished this year. Additionally, we plan about Rs. 50 million this year for developing school sports grounds.

¶ 03 A substantial set of youth programmes—district and regional youth sports, beach volleyball, elle competitions, youth awards, youth theatre, beauty academy, drama school, job-orientation courses (targeting ~200 in first phase), and formation of Youth Circles—are being implemented. Full details are provided in Annexes 01 and 02, which I table.

¶ 04 (iii) McHeyzer Stadium development: as above—Rs. 200 million for the indoor complex and Rs. 50 million for outdoor works; 400m track completed and opened; remaining works to be completed this year.

¶ 05 (iv) Under 2026 allocations, we plan expanded competitions (football and softball among others) in Trincomalee and other Northern/Eastern districts, and continued national youth festival pathways from Divisional Secretariat level upward.

¶ 06 (b) Not applicable.