Addressing a press conference at the auditorium of the Government Information Department, Mr. Jayasekara also added that the permanent employment program for all national level players in all sports will be the top priority of the Ministry of Sports for the year 2018.
“A large number of national players are going through a variety of economic difficulties mainly because of such a situation, the players find themselves not dedicating 100% to the respective sports they have associated with,” the Minister stated.
Minister Jayasekera added that taking into consideration of all these negative points, the Ministry has decided to embark on a project to provide employment to national sportsmen and women.
From this year, the Sports Ministry will implement a program to provide permanent employment in State institutions or private institutions for all sportspersons, who are currently unemployed but are in national squads.
The Minister pointed out that they have received the approval from the Cabinet to go ahead on this project at a press conference held to inform the media about the progress and the steps that will be taken to improve sports in Sri Lanka.
Apart from that, the Sports Ministry has already planned to launch several sports development projects in the coming months.
The Minister revealed that the provincial level 'Mini National Sports Festivals' are some of the major development projects that they are planning to hold at Divisional Secretariat level and Grama Niladari Divisions.
The Minister also mentioned future plans to develop 100 sports grounds in the 100 selected Divisional Secretariats. The proposed two main sports complexes will be set up in Hambantota and Monaragala districts and two new indoor stadiums will come up in Nuwara Eliya and Kalmunai.
Apart from these projects, High Altitude Sports Training Complex will also be set up in Nuwara Eliya and an entertainment centre at the Waters’ Edge premises.
Three artificial tracks will also be built in Ratnapura, Matale and Homagama during the year 2018.
Minister Jayasekera stated that Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency continues to hold special education programs that will be implemented at village level. Projects to identify, evaluate the skills of players, development of national sports associations and sports tourism development programs will also be implemented, the Minister said.
The Sports Minister also pointed out that to suit the present-day games the country’s first sports museum will be opened shortly.
The Sports Ministry Secretary Jayantha Wijeratne, Director General of the Ministry of Sports Saman Bandara, Director General of the Institute of Sports Medicine, Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe, Chairman of National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, Prof. Arjuna de Silva were also present.
