In the speech delivered at the Presidential Secretariat on New Year’s Day, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake unveiled the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, a transformative program designed to address the country’s environmental, social, and economic challenges. The initiative, which aims to restore the nation’s values, governance systems, and environment, is the centrepiece of the government’s plans for 2025.
The initiative was launched today (1 December) at the Presidential secretariat premises.
The President’s address emphasised collective responsibility and unity, calling on citizens to actively participate in rebuilding the country. “The success of the Clean Sri Lanka initiative depends solely on the active participation of the public. Without that, this cannot be achieved merely by laws imposed by the government or by officials appointed by the government,” he said.
President Dissanayake highlighted the progress made in stabilising the economy over the past year, including Sri Lanka’s official emergence from bankruptcy. However, he acknowledged that surface-level stability is insufficient to ensure long-term economic health.
“This year, we will implement an economic policy framework aimed at addressing the deeper structural problems within our economy,” the President said. He outlined three key projects under the government’s agenda:
- Economic Reforms: The government aims to direct economic benefits to rural communities, recognising that an economy concentrated in the hands of a few fosters instability.
- Digital Transformation: Establishing a foundation for digitalisation to reduce inefficiency and corruption while improving state-citizen interactions.
- ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ Program: Beyond environmental clean-up, the initiative seeks to rejuvenate the nation’s social and environmental fabric.
The President pledged to use the upcoming budget to eradicate poverty and steer economic reforms towards inclusivity.
The speech also addressed the erosion of the rule of law and the prevalence of corruption. “Our country has been plagued by widespread corruption, malpractice, and inefficiency within the state apparatus, political institutions, and society as a whole,” the President noted, likening corruption to a “malignant cancer.”
To combat these issues, the government is relying on key institutions like the Attorney General’s Department, the judiciary, and the Criminal Investigation Department to act with diligence. “As political leaders, we are committed to setting an example through both our words and actions,” he affirmed.
The Clean Sri Lanka initiative places significant emphasis on addressing environmental degradation and fostering a new value system. Highlighting alarming statistics, the President noted that in 2023 alone, 181 people lost their lives in human-elephant conflicts, while 484 elephants were killed. He also drew attention to road accidents, which claim an average of seven lives daily.
“Our nation and its people need a new value system,” the President said. “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.”
He further stressed the importance of empathy and inclusivity, particularly for marginalised groups such as the elderly, disabled, and youth. “A society that lacks compassion for the disabled and the elderly becomes one characterised by cruelty and indifference,” he remarked.
To ensure the success of the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, the government has established a task force comprising 18 volunteers and plans to set up a Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat and Council. Citizens will have the opportunity to contribute to a fund managed by the Ministry of Finance.
The President also highlighted examples of voluntary leadership within the government, noting that many professionals, including those leading institutions like Sri Lankan Airlines and the Board of Investment, are serving without financial compensation.
The President concluded his address with a powerful call for unity, urging citizens to seize the opportunity to rebuild the nation. “Will you let this opportunity slip away, or will you seize it with determination and use it to rebuild our country and our nation?” he asked.
He also criticised the divisive politics and mistrust that have hampered Sri Lanka’s progress. “Instead of rising together, we have fostered distrust among ourselves, allowing nationalism, religious extremism, and divisive political battles to undermine our society,” he said.
The President expressed optimism about the nation’s potential to rise above its challenges. “Today, as a nation, we have the chance to rise. This is not the final opportunity because there are no ‘final moments’ for people—there are only opportunities,” he said.
