Viyathmaga to facilitate development with State ministers

• Viyathmaga Secretariat headed by Anura Fernando will act as a think tank offering insights to policy and implementation from volunteering professionals 
• Extends open invitation to all development-oriented professionals with time in hand to carry out new mandate

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has enlisted the Viyathmaga (Professionals for a Better Future) to facilitate and fast track various development initiatives assigned to State ministers. 

In carrying out this task, the Viyathmaga Secretariat will harness its base of professionals as well experts from outside. 

Anura Fernando, who is spearheading this initiative as General Secretary of Viyathmaga, told Daily FT that qualified, competent and passionate professionals who have time in the national interest would be appointed as Team Leaders on a range of socio-economic sectors to facilitate the State ministries. 

“We have identified several broader socio-economic sectors such as agriculture, tourism, exports, urban development, construction, SMEs, investments, industry, fisheries, healthcare, and education. Viyathmaga, the Team Leaders and volunteering professionals will function as a think tank for the use and benefit of State ministers in their quest to expedite development programs and initiatives,” Fernando said. 

“Our facilitation will include research and data, key insights to policy formulation and implementation from a wide variety of professionals who are knowledgeable and experienced,” he added.

Founded by Gotabaya Rajapaksa long before he announced his presidential candidacy, Viyathmaga is a network of academics, professionals and entrepreneurs who love the country and wish to contribute actively towards the development of a prosperous Sri Lanka where all citizens can live in peace and harmony. 

Fernando, who is one of the co-founders, said as per its mandate, Viyathmaga is not a political organisation but a civil society professionals’ movement, wishing to contribute towards the betterment of the country. Its membership is over 10,000 and has over 3,000 activists and the organisation is steered by a 32-member Executive Committee, which is headed by President Rajapaksa. 

The vision of Viyathmaga is to mobilise the nascent potential of the professionals, academics and entrepreneurs to effectively influence the moral and material development of Sri Lanka on par with the other developed countries where all citizens live in an environment of equity and fair play, with equal opportunities in the advancement of these ideals.

Its mission is multi-fold and includes providing a common forum for Sri Lankan scholars, professionals and academics with patriotism and a sense of purpose, living here and abroad, to network for the noble cause of influencing those policymakers and legislators to steer the country in the correct path with accountability.

Another is mobilise the expertise and knowledge of the members of this forum in innovating and developing strategies and policies which would influence the decision making of the Government in power, for the greater good of society.