Every Citizen must take responsibility for their assigned duties:
It is essential that all Citizens fulfill their responsibilities diligently for the betterment of the Nation:
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the success of the “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative depends solely on the active participation of the public.
The President made these remarks yesterday (1) at an event held at the Presidential Secretariat to inaugurate the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme.
Excerpts from the speech:
Our Government is focusing on three main projects, or key objectives, to lead this initiative. The first priority is to rescue our country and its people. Economic reforms are being formulated to ensure that Economic benefits reach Rural communities, as an Economy concentrated in the hands of a small group can never bring stability to Society. Such an imbalanced Economy fosters instability for the Nation and its people. Therefore, achieving Economic stability requires extending Economic benefits to Rural populations.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in conversation with Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. Members of the diplomatic corps are also in the picture.
With the upcoming Budget, we aim to steer Economic programmes towards Eradication of Poverty in our Nation. Our second goal is to embrace Digital Transformation. By establishing a foundation for Digitalisation, we seek to minimise inefficiency and corruption, while enabling citizens to interact seamlessly and effectively with State mechanisms.
The third major initiative is the “Clean Sri Lanka” project. This endeavour goes beyond merely cleaning up the environment. It aspires to restore the deeply eroded and deteriorated social and environmental fabric of our motherland. We aim to create cleanliness and rejuvenation across all sectors of society.
In 2023 alone, 181 people lost their lives in human-elephant conflicts, and 484 elephants were killed by human action. Although we possess an aesthetically and ecologically rich environment, we are a Nation where 484 elephants die annually. Furthermore, floods and landslides displace significant populations; resulting in loss of life, and cause substantial Economic damage.
Restoring our Environmental system must become a core focus of the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme. Our Nation and its people need a new Value System. We have mistakenly elevated incorrect values to positions of importance, embedding them as the fundamental ethos of our society. It is crucial to establish a new framework of values.
On average, approximately seven people lose their lives daily due to road accidents in our country. This reflects the emergence of a society that lacks a sense of value for life
Therefore, it is essential to heal our society and introduce a new system of values and principles. Under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ Initiative, we aim to establish these new values and systems. Minimising road accidents is a priority. To achieve this, my trust lies first and foremost in the citizens rather than the Law. Citizen participation and engagement are vital.
The ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative encompasses the responsibility to act towards these goals. Furthermore, as a society, we must care for our citizens, including those with disabilities.
Additionally, the protection of Public Assets is vital. For a long time, Sri Lankan’s citizens held a deep respect for public property.
A State must ensure that all citizens recognise the importance of safeguarding National Resources—not just for their benefit, but for the benefit of future generations. These Resources are not exclusively ours to exploit or destroy. Our generation has a responsibility to protect and preserve them for those who will come after us.
It is within this framework that the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative is prepared to act. Moreover, we understand that the Government machinery and political authorities must function with efficiency and urgency. Every citizen must take responsibility for fulfilling their respective duties to ensure the success of this collective vision.
If responsibility is neglected, the weight of that responsibility will inevitably cause the system to collapse. The strength and stability of this structure are built upon various frameworks, including Government, political, and private sectors. When members of these frameworks fail to fulfil their assigned responsibilities, it leads to significant harm to the system as a whole.
The Chairpersons of SriLankan Airlines, Sri Lanka Telecom, the Port City, the Board of Investment, and the Gas Company, among many others, are professionals with exceptional skills and expertise. These individuals have stepped into their roles within our institutions to serve voluntarily, without any personal financial gain. Additionally, on a personal level, I have three Advisors who also contribute their knowledge and expertise without receiving a single rupee as remuneration from the Government.
On a personal note, my own three Advisors work without receiving a single rupee in compensation from the Government. These examples of selfless dedication serve as powerful reminders of the impact individuals can make when they place National progress above personal gain.
Sri Lanka is fortunate to have some of its most brilliant minds contributing voluntarily to National progress. Among them is a distinguished expert in Digital Transformation with extensive experience in the field. Having conducted ground-breaking Research in Science and Technology at a leading American university, this individual is now working selflessly for the betterment of our Nation.
Similarly, an expert with practical experience in Economics, who has accumulated invaluable insights, has chosen to dedicate their time and expertise voluntarily. These are the kind of leaders our country needs—visionaries with fresh perspectives and transformative ideas. They are not driven by monetary gain or personal benefit, but by the desire to serve the Nation. These individuals have set aside their prestigious careers and dedicated their knowledge, time, and effort to rebuild our country, serving as an extraordinary example of selflessness and commitment.
A remarkable example has been set for our country. Because of this, I am telling you that we have been given an opportunity to rise. I do not consider this the final opportunity, because there are no “final moments” for people there are only opportunities. Today, as a Nation, as a country, we have the chance to rise.
What I ask of the citizens of this country is this: Will you let this opportunity slip away, or will you seize it with determination and use it to rebuild our country and our Nation? Are you ready to fulfil your duties and contribute to this cause? This is the question I am asking you.
Is this responsibility solely that of the Government? Is it just a political manifesto? No. This is a collective effort. Throughout history, various Nations around the world have faced challenges at different times. I don’t believe that any Nation has ever gone through its journey without facing challenges from the beginning to the present. Every country has faced its unique set of challenges at various points in time. However, in each case, the political leadership, State machinery, and collective effort of the citizens have come together to overcome these challenges.
We are ready to put an end to all divisions. As people born in the same Sri Lanka, we are prepared to come together and work collectively to build this country. Therefore, especially the success of the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme will depend solely on the active participation of the people. Without which, this cannot be achieved merely by Laws imposed by the Government or by officials appointed by the Government. It is only through the collective effort of the public that we can make this a success.
A Government mechanism is needed for this. Already, a Task Force of about 18 individuals has been appointed towards this end. I want to emphasise that everyone is working voluntarily. Furthermore, we hope to establish a ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ Secretariat for this purpose. We also aim to form a ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ Council to bring people together for this cause, throughout the country.
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