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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders assume duties

Sri Lanka marks a historic day today (July 15) in the sphere of the defence sector with three key personalities in the Sri Lanka Armed Forces, Chief of Defence Staff, General Sarath Fonseka, Army Commander Lt. General Jagath Jayasuriya and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe assuming duties after they were appointed to these posts by President Mahinda Rajapaksa with effect from today.

General Sarath Fonseka who led the Sri Lanka Army to liberate the country fully from the clutches of the LTTE terrorists, killing its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran including all its top rung leaders, yesterday relinquished his duties as the Army Commander after handing his sword to his successor Major General Jagath Jayasuriya.

The Sri Lanka Army accorded him a guard of honour at the Army Headquarters.

General Sarath Fonseka is due to assume duties today as the Chief of Defence Staff succeeding Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera at the Joint Operations Headquarters at 11.17 a.m.

The outgoing Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera will also be present to relinquish his duties.

General Fonseka is the first person to take over this powerful position of Chief of Defence Staff which is akin to the post of a Deputy Defence Secretary, with wide range of powers vested in this position after the Chief of Defence Staff Act was passed in the Parliament.

The powerful institution of the Chief of Defence Staff will comprise a staff of 300, including six Majors General of the Sri Lanka Army, and a Rear Admiral from the Sri Lanka Navy and an Air Vice Marshal from the Sri Lanka Air Force.

He will also be the Chairman of the Committee of the Chief of Defence Staff which is comprising the Army Commander, Navy Commander and the Air Force Commander. The CDS has been entrusted with the powers to coordinate matters relating to prepare operational plans, military intelligence and various other functions of the Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Army Commander Lt. General Jagath Jayasuriya and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe will also assume duties in their respective position this morning.

Lt. General Jagath Jayasuriya, an illustrious Army officer from the Armoured Corps will be the 19 th Commander in the Army which was formed in 1949. He had served more than 30 years in the Sri Lanka Army holding key posts. He was the Security Forces Commander Vanni at the time he was promoted to the rank of Lt. General and appointed as the 19th Army Commander by the President.

Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, a professional Navy officer with a service of 35 years, will take over the command of the Sri Lanka Navy succeeding Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda during his tenure, ten LTTE floating warehouses were destroyed bringing fame to the country at international fora.

He was the second in command of the Navy and was about to retire from the Navy with the completion of 55 years at the time President elevated him to the high command of the Navy with an extension of one year service.

He also held key appointments in the Navy including the Eastern Area and Northern Area Commander of the Navy making his innovative contribution to the Navy including that of the introduction of fastest loading and unloading process of a ship which enabled to load and unload 3,000 troops plus cargo within 15 minutes.

Courtesy : Daily News

1 comment:

  1. They are the greatest of Generals we have ever had after Gen Kobbekaduwa.

    We are so proud of you.

    ReplyDelete