The fashionable alternative theory I would like to believe: we transfer responsibility of development from 20th Century mindset to 21st Century realities, to the millennial generation immediately.

But there is a catch!

FT Columnist Eranda Ginige in his article yesterday, which was a translation of his speech at the now infamous Viyathmaga 2018 Annual Convention, argues that we should transfer responsibility of the nation’s future to the youth, who understand 21^st Century realities.

http://www.ft.lk/columns/Social-innovation-–-Future-of-business-and-the-rise-of-Millennials/4-656667

He emphasizes a Social Innovation, that turns traditional theory on its head and prioritizes those that don’t look at statistics that can be measured, but at the nebulous concept though very real of the improvement in the quality of life of the nation. It is not possible to change the outlook of present leaders, so ~

IN order to do this there are two major challenges he did not address, namely demographic changes taking place, where before achieving a developed status, we have to worry about the increasingly scarce human resource, that has to engage in highly efficient practices. Secondly, the ability of today’s students to face these challenges and overcome differences within people, and strive for the basics of human life, mainly clean air, clean water and clean food as priority.

There is nothing we can do with the former, but we should already have addressed the latter, but have not, due to social dynamics, of smaller families that has allowed the youth, freedom, new technology, individualism, being provided with the finer things in life by their doting parents and lack of drive.

Youth have to be empowered to take the responsibility for their future. In order to do this, they must have a sense of purpose to their lives, and a Confucian work ethic to tackle the issues head on. How you change that attitude and thinking is only be done, by exposure to the Global Information Portals, so for example using new technology that has made strides on renewable energy, they can achieve clean energy self-sufficiency. Something present leadership cannot.

For that exposure their frog in the well mentality, and the comfort zone they get from being indulged by their parents has to change, where they should be sent away from home to prepare them for civic mindedness, importance of local practices in health care, nutrition and food security, reducing Sri Lanka’s dependency on all things imported. In order to get maximum benefit from the latest ideas and innovations, being fluent in English will help them go the distance in acquisition of knowledge out in the ether for implementation here.