Dedicate your services to public

President tells police officers:

Indika Polkotuwa and Sanjaya Asela Maturata

KUNDASALE: The Police Officers have a duty and responsibility to be dedicated in their service to the public and win the confidence of the people by speaking to their hearts, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He said that his Government will do everything to look into the welfare of public servants and Police officers who move closely with the people during the course of their daily activities.

The President said so at the opening ceremony of the Police Hospital, Kundasale, Kandy last Friday. This is the second Police Hospital in the island.

The new Police Hospital which is also the first located in the outstations was constructed at a cost of Rs. 85 million totally out of the Police Reward Fund, with no toll on the Government Coffers.

The hospital can accommodate 50 indoor patients at a time. It was the Out-door Patients' Department (OPD) under the first stage that was opened.

President Rajapaksa expressing his delight over the opening of the new Police Hospital, said that when he attended a meeting at Getambe, Kandy, a few police personnel of whom some were officers who had retired made a request to him to expedite its opening and accordingly he took steps to complete the work and open it today.

He further said that the police officers when needing medical treatment had to come to the Colombo Police Hospital from remote parts incurring heavy expenses and facing many inconveniences for themselves as well as for those near and dear to them. The construction of this second hospital will alleviate much of their sufferings.

"A majority of Police Officers are from the rural areas and they were disgusted as they had to wait a long time for their promotions. As soon as I assumed duties as the President, this problem was immediately addressed" and I was able to clear the backlog of promotions withheld for years, the President said.