“Sri Lanka’s labour conundrum: Import or perish?''

Is Sri Lanka facing a chronic labour crisis: Is there a shortage of workers or are there excess workers: Will Sri Lanka be able to fill new jobs in the apparel industry if and when GSP + is secured?

These are among many questions confronting the country as the pace of development picks up amidst a chronic situation; the unemployment rate is falling while the youth unemployment rate is still high.

Where lies the problem, what are the concerns or are there easy solutions are among a host of issues to be discussed under the theme “Sri Lanka’s labour conundrum: Import or perish?” organised by the Sunday Times Business Club (STBC) for members and invitees at the Kingsbury Colombo on Tuesday, January 31.

The distinguished panellists are Prof. Athula Ranasinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo; Dinesh Weerakkody, Chairman of the National Human Resource Development Council of Sri Lanka, and Samantha Ranatunga, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

According to a recent report, in this rapid digitalization era, Millennials and Generation Z prefer to “sit in front of a computer in an office environment, instead of working in a steaming, noisy factory”. On the other hand there is resistance on the import of labour vis-à-vis the proposed Indo-Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).

Where lies the problem, what are the concerns or are there easy solutions are among a host of issues to be discussed under the theme “Sri Lanka’s labour conundrum: Import or perish?” organised by the Sunday Times Business Club (STBC) for members and invitees at the Kingsbury Colombo on Tuesday, January 31.