{"id":157729,"date":"2026-08-08T14:26:49","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T21:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=157729"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:26:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T21:26:49","slug":"textile-success-must-be-matched-by-a-heavy-industry-strategy-for-sri-lankas-youth-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2026\/08\/08\/textile-success-must-be-matched-by-a-heavy-industry-strategy-for-sri-lankas-youth-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Textile Success Must Be Matched by a Heavy-Industry Strategy for Sri Lanka\u2019s Youth"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Sarath Obeysekera Former CEO, Colombo Dockyard PLC Chairman, EDB Advisory Committee on Marine and Offshore Services<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.ft.lk\/business\/South-Asia-s-premier-textile-garment-manufacturing-platform-gets-underway\/34-795652<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please do not misunderstand my observations regarding the Government\u2019s support for Sri Lanka\u2019s textile and garment industry. I warmly welcome the inauguration of Intex\u2013InMac Sri Lanka 2026, described as South Asia\u2019s leading international platform for textile sourcing and garment-manufacturing technology. Such exhibitions can introduce modern machinery, new materials, international buyers and valuable investment opportunities to Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apparel industry has made an enormous contribution to export earnings and employment, particularly by providing economic independence to thousands of Sri Lankan women. The Government should continue supporting it, while improving salaries, working conditions, technical training and opportunities for women to progress into supervisory, engineering, design and management positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I personal supported as a chairman of a state institution  to build 200 garment factories employing women u Der then head of the state <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Sri Lanka cannot build its industrial future on garments and other light industries alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harness the physical and technical strength of our youth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I have consistently advocated the development of heavy and technically demanding industries capable of harnessing the energy, intelligence and physical capabilities of our young people. Thousands of able-bodied youngsters are driving three-wheelers or surviving through insecure and unproductive occupations because the country has failed to create sufficient skilled industrial employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some unemployed and frustrated young people also become vulnerable to drugs, organised crime and other antisocial activities. We should not blame the youth alone. When a society fails to provide training, dignity and a realistic career path, criminal networks can exploit that vacuum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A young person trained as a welder, fabricator, pipe fitter, machinist, electrician, rigger, crane operator, diver or QA\/QC inspector can earn a respectable income in Sri Lanka or overseas. More importantly, these skills can help build productive national industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women should not be confined to garments, nor should men be directed only towards heavy work. Both sectors should be open to both sexes. Sri Lankan women can also become excellent welders, engineering technicians, designers and quality inspectors, while men can contribute successfully to technologically advanced apparel production. The national objective must be to match individual ability with proper training and employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give equal ministerial attention to heavy industry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Government ministers regularly attend exhibitions, investment forums and ceremonial openings connected with established industries. That support is necessary. Nevertheless, similar ministerial attention must be given to proposals for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Shipbuilding and ship repair;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Offshore platform, rig and FPSO repair and conversion;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Steel fabrication and modular construction;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Boatbuilding and marina development;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Petroleum, energy and industrial maintenance;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Advanced welding and underwater welding;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Heavy engineering and machinery manufacture;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Modernisation of fishery harbours and fishing vessels; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Development of Trincomalee as a regional marine, energy, logistics and offshore industrial hub.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    These are not merely theoretical suggestions. I have repeatedly presented practical proposals based on decades of experience in shipbuilding, offshore oil and gas engineering, industrial fabrication and vocational training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My proposals include developing Trincomalee\u2019s sheltered deep-water harbour for vessel lay-up, offshore repairs, module fabrication, heavy-lift operations and FPSO conversion. They also call for land-based workshops, internationally recognised welding centres and partnerships the public investors <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At Voyage Sri Lanka, I also emphasised that our strategic location, maritime heritage, ports and skilled workforce could attract international investment into marine and offshore services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A constructive request to our young rulers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Sri Lanka\u2019s relatively young political leadership should approach industrial development without ideological prejudice or excessive dependence on conventional thinking. The country needs a balanced employment strategy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Strengthen apparel and light manufacturing, especially as sources of employment and advancement for women.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Establish internationally accredited technical academies linked directly to employers\u2014not training centres producing certificates without jobs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Develop heavy engineering, maritime and offshore industrial zones, particularly in Trincomalee, Galle, Hambantota and Colombo.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Offer investors transparent land allocation, predictable taxation, fast environmental approvals and a genuine one-stop approval mechanism.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Introduce apprenticeships through partnerships among the Government, EDB, TVEC, NAITA, universities and private industries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Set measurable employment targets for every investment receiving State concessions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. Give experienced industry professionals a meaningful role in implementation\u2014not merely invite them to ceremonial meetings and advisory discussions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      The responsible ministers should examine and promote these proposals with the same enthusiasm shown towards established sectors. Even one properly planned offshore fabrication and repair hub could create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in welding, steel fabrication, electrical work, logistics, catering, transport, marine services and engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      From three-wheelers to technology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Driving a three-wheeler is honest work and should never be looked down upon. But it should not become the default destination of an educated generation because the country has failed to offer better choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Our ambition must be to transform three-wheeler drivers into technicians, drug-vulnerable youngsters into apprentices, school-leavers into skilled tradespeople and trained workers into internationally employable professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Garments can remain one of Sri Lanka\u2019s strongest export pillars. Heavy engineering, maritime services and offshore industries must become additional pillars. A resilient economy needs all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The young rulers of Sri Lanka have an opportunity to create that balanced industrial future. They should listen to practical proposals, consult people with proven industrial experience and\u2014most importantly\u2014move from speeches and exhibitions to implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Dear Ministers of ports and industry <\/p>\n\n\n\n

       you should take the lead <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Afterall even Sinhala Kings had senior    Purohita who gave daily advises to the kings <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      ( \u0dbb\u0dcf\u0da2 \u0d8b\u0db4\u0daf\u0dda\u0dc1\u0d9a\u0dba\u0dcf<\/strong>, \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0db0\u0dcf\u0db1 \u0db4\u0dd6\u0da2\u0d9a\u0dba\u0dcf<\/strong>, or \u0dbb\u0da2\u0dd4\u0d9c\u0dda \u0d86\u0d9c\u0db8\u0dd2\u0d9a \u0dc4\u0dcf \u0daf\u0dda\u0dc1\u0db4\u0dcf\u0dbd\u0db1 \u0d8b\u0db4\u0daf\u0dda\u0dc1\u0d9a\u0dba\u0dcf<\/strong>. Or in uk UK Spin Doctors <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Regards

      Dr Sarath Obeysekera<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      By Dr. Sarath Obeysekera Former CEO, Colombo Dockyard PLC Chairman, EDB Advisory Committee on Marine and Offshore Services https:\/\/www.ft.lk\/business\/South-Asia-s-premier-textile-garment-manufacturing-platform-gets-underway\/34-795652 Please do not misunderstand my observations regarding the Government\u2019s support for Sri Lanka\u2019s textile and garment industry. I warmly welcome the inauguration of Intex\u2013InMac Sri Lanka 2026, described as South Asia\u2019s leading international platform for textile […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[116],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-157729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dr-sarath-obeysekera"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157729"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":157730,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157729\/revisions\/157730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}