UNDP Representative brands Sri Lanka as a role model for the UN’s concept of development in South Asia
Sri Lanka ‘s social policies showcase government’s commitment to improve the living conditions of its people said the UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Subinay Nandy who was the Chief Guest at the “Hand in Hand Sustainability Initiative” awards ceremony held in Colombo.It was organised by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the UN Global Compact network Sri Lanka. Mr. Nandy said that Sri Lanka is not a poor country but a middle income country where it is graduating and has made a tremendous success in achieving social progress and was a role model for the UN’s concept of development in South Asia.
He said since his arrival in Sri Lanka he was able to notice that many things in the plantation sector labour lines had not changed at all.
“For some people in the plantation sector things have not changed where the poor have become vulnerable and marginalized. We at the United Nations work for all humanity with six UN agencies operating in Sri Lanka”, he said.This year’s winners include a team named ‘Green Troops’ from the University of Moratuwa, ‘Resistant’ from the Lyceum International School at Panadura and ‘Vision of Hearts’ from the Imperial College Kandy.
“Sri Lanka has been ahead of the millennium development goals and many of your indicators are better in South Asia than countries such as Malaysia and Thailand”, he added. Sri Lanka’s Representative at UN Global Compact Network in Sri Lanka, Sutheash Balasubramaniam said that environmental degradation has made the world fragile where humans too can perish in the process.