Defence Secretary opens renovated dockyard at Kankesanthurai harbour:

Defence team visits newly-opened Jaffna Civil Affairs Co-ordinating Office :

DS evaluates Jaffna security development

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to evaluate post-war security concerns and other related developments after meeting officers and soldiers, flew to Jaffna Thursday and participated in a series of projects and interactive discussions with Tri-Service and Police authorities.

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on arrival at Palaly along with Chief of Defence Staff and Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonatilleke, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya was warmly received by Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, who had earlier flown there.

On his reaching the Jaffna Security Forces Headquarters, the Defence Secretary was welcomed to a Guard of Honour, accorded by soldiers before he was conducted to the Headquarters Auditorium.

Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe during an elaborate presentation, outlined the status quo regarding Jaffna’s security network and developments in place to the visiting defence hierarchy.

Deliberations centred on post-war concerns, resettlement, de-mining work, civil administrative apparatus, progress on rehabilitation of former LTTE combatants, promotion of civil-military relations, etc.

As the second leg of the day’s itinerary, the Defence Secretary along with the visiting service chiefs and the IGP arrived at the Northern Naval Command Headquarters (Com-North) where he was received by the visiting Navy Chief and the Commander, (Com-North), Rear Admiral S.M.B. Weerasekara. The Defence Secretary briefed on the Naval security blanket in place in Jaffna seas.

The Defence Secretary opened the rehabilitated and renovated dockyard at Kankesanthurai harbour which had for over 25 years remained abandoned due to LTTE terrorism. Opening of this dockyard would enable the port to carry out all repairs to the vessels directly without towing them to Trincomalee.

The next stop for the defence team was the newly-opened Jaffna Civil Affairs Co-ordinating Office which has turned out to be the effective and useful link between the military and the denizens of the North.

On a concept mooted by Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, this 24-hour manned office was opened by the Army Chief recently and it has now gained overwhelming popularity.