Govt. gives top priority to restore national security – Prime Minister Rajapaksa
December 21, 2019• Says government is committed to ensure investor confidence and safety for tourists.
• Pledges to do justice to military personnel who were harassed and humiliated during the past five years.
• Requests the young officers to contribute their might to build a sovereign, dignified and prosperous Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said the government had given top priority to restore national security to ensure investor confidence and also safety for tourists.
“People brought us into power to defeat local and international threats against the country and the political leadership of this country is now fully committed to restore national security,” he said addressing the gathering at the passing out ceremony, where 321 cadets graduated from Sri Lanka Army Military Academy (SLMA) in Diyatalawa, today (21 December).
Prime Minister Rajapaksa, who was the chief guest at the ceremony, said that the country was facing serious economic crisis with several large and medium scale hotels had lost business due to the Easter Sunday attack, which was the Asia’s deadliest attack that occurred recently.
“It could have been prevented but those who were in power ignored the prior information regarding the attacks. But this government would overcome all those challenges,” he said.
Pledging the newly passed out military officers and their parents that the government would do justice to those military personnel of the tri-forces who were harassed and humiliated during the past five years, Prime Minister Rajapaksa said with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was also passed out as a Second Lieutenant from the SLMA, came into power, the country was brewing with new hopes for a new era.
“Groups of enthusiastic youth have come forward to do wall arts in public places around the country. People wanted to have a clean, beautiful and prosperous Sri Lanka. Similar interest was seen among people in 2006 and a large number of youth joined the military to fight against the LTTE terrorism. With the collective contribution of all segments country’s people, we were able to defeat the LTTE terrorism, which everyone thought it was an impossible task to defeat them,” he said requesting the young officers to contribute their might to build a sovereign, dignified and prosperous Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said those young officers were fortunate as they had obtained highly disciplined training which could be used at any time of their lives.
He said the training from the SLMA would enable the cadets to achieve much and the discipline-based approach not just to be in the profession as military officers but also to join any other professions.
“Today, you joined one of the most dignified military, which had defeated the world’s most ruthless terrorist organization. When you meet other military personnel in the world, you will realize the reputation that our Sri Lankan military has among other armed forces,” he said.
The 94th Passing Out ceremony of the 87 Regular Intake, 87 B Regular Intake, 17th Regular Lady Officer Intake, 59th Volunteer Intake and 16th Volunteer Lady Officer Intakes of the Sri Lanka Army was held with the participation Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Maj.Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, former Defence Secretary Gen. (Retd) Shantha Kottegoda, SLMA Commandant, Brig. Eshwaran, senior army officers and family members of the cadet officers.
The prestigious Trophy for the First-in-Order of Merit and the Sword of Honour for the Best All Round Officer in the Intake 87 were awarded to Battalion Under Officer T.G.P.H Kodagoda.
In the Intake 87 B, the First-in-Order of Merit Trophy and the Sword of Honour were awarded to the Company Under Officer A.M Chandrathilaka.
In the Intake 17, the First-in-Order of Merit Trophy and the Sword of Honour were awarded to the Platoon Under Officer K.P.D.I Madushani. In the Officer Cadet Intake 59 (Volunteer), the First-in-Order of Merit Trophy was awarded to the Officer Cadet P.D.T.R.L Pulleperuma and the Sword of Honour went to Company Under Officer K.M.G.D.B Kangara.
In the Lady Officer Cadet Intake 16 (Volunteer), the First-in-Order of Merit Trophy and the Sword of Honour were awarded to the Platoon Under Officer J.P.T Ranmali.
