Country needs politicians with a back-bone: President

President Maithripala Sirisena stressed that the country needs to have patriotic politicians with a strong backbone instead of yes-men or henchmen.

The President added that the type of politicians required for the country should be forthright and should not accept everything without any positive argument.

“The type of politicians that the country needs should not say “Yes” to everything but must have the courage to point out any shortcomings,” the President added.

President Sirisena was speaking at the SLFP headquarters after opening a political academy of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Youth Front yesterday.

The political academy aims to train young politicians so as to empower them to take the country forward.

"Measures were taken to commence this academy since there is a timely need to have a proper political knowledge driven force," the President said.

"The main hindrance and challenge in creating such a pure and clean political force is the nonavailability of experienced and well-versed politicians. At this juncture the new political academy will play a pivotal role in the country's political arena in the future, President Sirisena said.

He added that every young SLFP politician should get a thorough knowledge about the history of the SLFP.