|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 16 October 2004 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
by Sarath Malalasekera Learning a second language, other than one's own mother tongue, is very important to build a peaceful Sri Lanka. The Police Higher Training Institute has organised several seminars and Tamil language training programs to enhance Tamil knowledge among police personnel, said IGP Chandra Fernando. Inaugurating the Police Tamil Language Training Course at the Police Child and Women Secretariat, Colombo yesterday morning, he said if the Police Department commenced this program in the 1960s there would not have been an ethnic problem in Sri Lanka today. Official Languages Commission, Chairman Raja Collure presided. Official Languages Commission Secretary Senarath Gunasena and Wimal Wedasinghe of the Commission were present at the sessions. Police personnel working in the North and the East should know Tamil language to assist people living in those areas. About 17,000 police personnel are working in the North and the East but only 1,000 know Tamil. It is very difficult for police personnel to work in those areas without a knowledge in Tamil, the IGP said. The IGP paid tribute to Constitutional Reform and National Integration Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera for the assistance to the Police Department to commence this program during his tenure as Chairman of the Official Languages Commission. The Minister gave the maximum assistance to conduct the Tamil Course in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Ratnapura, he said. The IGP also thanked Collure for the assistance to the Police Department to conduct the Tamil course for Police personnel. The IGP emphasised the importance of conducting Tamil classes in areas like Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee. He appealed to the Commission to conduct lectures among police personnel in those areas to help police stations to run efficiently. The IGP told the first batch of Police personnel following the Tamil language training program that learning Tamil Language is very important to work in the North and the East to assist Tamil-speaking citizens in those areas. Collure said the Official Languages Commission will assist the Police Department to impart Tamil language to its personnel. Official Languages Commission lecturers are always ready to assist Police personnel to learn Tamil language, Collure added. Senior SP Cecil Kariyawasam delivered the welcome address while the vote of thanks was delivered by Woman Sub Inspector Gracta Jenet de Silva. Police Higher Training DIG Gunasena Thenabadu, Police Higher Training Director Senior SP Gamini Karunathilleke, Police Inservice Director Senior SP Cecil Kariyawasam, Bureau for the Protection of Abuse of Children and Women, Director Senior SP Sarath Jayasundera, Police Examinations Division Director, Senior SP K. D.L. Dalpatadu Police Higher Training Deputy Director Senior SP T.M. Tennakoon, ASPs Ajith Rohana, Sisil de Silva, Vijaya Alkavita, Lecturers of the Commission T. Sri Selvarajah. Alithgedara, Thawfeek and Jallel also participated at the inaugural sessions. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
