Archives

Three committees to probe Armed Forces

from Ranil Wijayapala in Diyatalawa

Three committees will be appointed within the next week to compile an extensive report regarding the weaknesses and irregularities in the three Armed Forces - the Sri Lanka Army, Navy and Air Force and to make suitable recommendations, Defence Minister Thilak Marapana said yesterday.

Addressing the Sri Lanka Air Force passing out parade of Diyatalawa, the Minister said the objective of these committees would be to find out weak points of the Armed Forces and to make suitable recommendations.

Retired Civil and Armed Forces personnel will be appointed as members of these three committees, the Minister added.

The responsibility of these committees will mainly focused on the recruitment, promotions and the posting of persons to important positions of the Armed Forces, he added.

The Minister said during his tenure as the Defence Minister he had observed some weak points in the three Armed Forces and the appointing of these three committees is to confirm these weaknesses and to get independent views regarding them without going ahead with individual opinions.

"There must be consistency in the process of recruitment, promotions of officers and the posting of persons to important positions."

The Minister added: "Lots of skilled and active officers in the Armed Forces have been discouraged due to the confining of promotions to seniority of the officers. The promotion system of the Armed Forces should be revised to give promotions according to merits and special abilities of the officers."

"By appointing inefficient and unskilled persons to important positions of the Armed Forces we won't be able to maintain the security of the country," he observed.

He also said the three committees will also be entrusted with the task of making criteria regarding the formation of important defence institutions like the Joint Operations Command and issue guidelines regarding the extension of services of the Armed Forces personnel.

The committees will also be entrusted with the task of making recommendations regarding the formation of the country's defence system in accordance with the requirements of the country and also regarding the weapons systems that should be used in the country.

"We can no long depend on Armed Forces structured on the British system as our needs are changing day by day," The Minister concluded.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager