Navy support for Coast Guard Dept

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Sri Lanka Navy will provide technical and physical resources to the Coast Guard Department to strengthen the service, said Navy Commander Vice Admiral Somathilaka Dissanayake.

He said that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had discussions with the Navy on how the Navy could help develop the coast guard services.

Vice Admiral Dissanayake was speaking at the handing over ceremony of an Inshore Patrol Craft manufactured by the Sri Lanka Navy to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Department at the Colombo Port Tuesday.

With the commencement of manufacturing small craft the Sri Lanka Navy assists in strengthening the economy by saving a mass amount of capital which would be required to import this type of vessels,said the Navy Commander. The Sri Lanka Navy deployed over 200 small vessels for the humanitarian operation at the latter stage of the war, he added.

“Those vessels were made by the Navy’s Engineering and Electronic Divisions. We hope to create large vessels in the near future by using modern technology and our officers’ skills,” Vice Admiral Dissanayake said. “This is the first time the Navy made a vessel for another Department.

“This kind of craft will help to protect our marine resources,” said Sri Lanka Coast Guard Director General Rear Admiral Daya Darmapriya. Senior Officers of Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard participated at the ceremony.