Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) has said the NPP government will undertake a thorough review of armed forces structures to ensure the best utilisation of resources and enhance the operational efficiency. He said so at a Navy passing out parade at the ‘Naval and Maritime Academy’ (NMA) in Trincomalee on Saturday evening (28). Current commanders of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are scheduled to retire tomorrow (31 Dec.).

AVM Thuyacontha said that the government intended to achieve maximum operational efficiency by implementing what he called targeted recruitment and focusing on quality rather than the numbers. During Wickremesinghe’s tenure as the President, the government announced plans to bring down the strength of the Army to 100,000 by 2030.

The Defence Secretary pledged to modernise Sri Lanka’s defence forces.

The night passing out parade saw the commissioning of 16 cadets of 38th and 39th General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Intakes and 13 Service Entry candidates of 1/2023 Service Entry Intake.

Against the backdrop of the total withdrawal of armed forces assigned for politicians’ protection, AVM Thuyacontha stressed that the armed forces would be exclusively for their primary task of military assignments.

The Island learns that the government has decided against granting extensions to service commanders as well as others under any circumstances. Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera and Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa are on extensions granted by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The government will also abolish the Office of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) with the retirement of the incumbent CDS General Shavendra Silva tomorrow.

During his address at the NMA, the Defence Secretary paid a glowing tribute to those who paid the supreme sacrifice for the country.

On arrival at the NMA, AVM Thuyacontha was received by Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera and Commandant of the NMA Commodore Rohan Joseph (SF)