The Hon. Imran Maharoof

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Chairperson. In this Committee Stage debate on the allocations for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, I wish to raise several points.

¶ 02 Youth are a valuable asset; the Government has the responsibility to empower them. A large number of youth voted for this Government. They have expectations which must be met. Many graduates remain unemployed; as they age, they delay marriage and face hardship. Less than 40% of applicants gain university admission; thus we must pay greater attention to youth.

¶ 03 We receive complaints that hostel facilities for university entrants are inadequate — only about 30% receive hostels; the rest struggle for accommodation. The Government must present a solution.

¶ 04 Youth are being lured down wrong paths; drug distribution targets them. Drug use is widespread, even among schoolchildren and athletes. We must pay attention and design a special programme to protect youth from drugs.

¶ 05 Trincomalee District is renowned. The McHeyzer Grounds is suitable for cricket, with a conducive environment. Although allocations were made in the past, renovations faced repeated obstacles; the ground remains unchanged and could be upgraded to international standard. Please focus on this.

¶ 06 Our district has many talented athletes, including a woman cricketer on the national team, but there is no proper plan to develop sports. The Government should create one. At school level, promote cricket, football, tennis, and swimming. In the East, many are engaged in fishing; there are skilled swimmers, yet they lack opportunities to compete nationally. Do we provide pathways for them?

¶ 07 There is a shortage of fast bowlers in Sri Lankan cricket. Many youth play on the streets in our areas. With proper coaching, they could serve the nation. Similarly, there are excellent footballers; in recent tournaments in Colombo, our school teams defeated reputed schools, yet those players lack proper grounds and facilities. In Thoppur, for example, many hard-ball clubs exist but conducting activities is difficult without proper grounds. The same in Kinniya, Trincomalee, Mutur, and Thambalagamuwa. Please plan and provide facilities.

¶ 08 During the “Good Governance” period, sports coaches were appointed; that boosted school sports. Please resume continuous appointments of sports coaches.

¶ 09 Today, many clubs and athletes exist in our region, but the issue is how to harness them. Is there a conducive environment at school level to identify and nurture talent? The lack of such an environment is a reason youth drift towards drugs and wrong paths. We must urgently address this.

¶ 10 Youth, including university and college graduates, have needs; employment has become a dream. Current recruitment measures have disadvantaged many graduates. Without solutions, they may take wrong paths. The Government must pay greater attention and provide proper solutions. We must promote school sports; many talented youth exist — are we utilising them? Our youth are our future; today, their fate is in question.

¶ 11 In the last election, youth supported you seeking change — a different culture and political journey. They want to know what concrete steps the Government will take for them. Please clarify.

¶ 12 Trincomalee District faces many deficiencies. Talented athletes are being neglected. Socially, the East is neglected, even by some sports bodies. We face many layers of neglect. Please resolve these without discrimination. Thank you.