News
Montana National Guard and Lanka advance a targeted, partnership-driven approach to recovery and resilience
The US Embassy in Sri Lanka last week welcomed a team of engineers and medical professionals from the Montana National Guard as they engaged with counterparts from Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and other government agencies to assess damage to health facilities and critical infrastructure following Cyclone Ditwah.
The visit reflects the United States’ partnership-based approach to humanitarian assistance—linking post-disaster recovery with long-term resilience and institutional capacity. Drawing on extensive experience responding to natural disasters in the United States, the Montana National Guard team conducted site visits in Colombo, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matale, and Puttalam to support recovery planning and inform future US humanitarian assistance decisions.
“This visit shows what the US–Sri Lanka partnership looks like on the ground, where it matters most,” said Lt. Col. Matthew House, U.S. Defence Attaché and Senior Defence Official at the US Embassy in Sri Lanka. “By working side by side with Sri Lankan counterparts and drawing on Montana National Guard engineers and medical professionals with experience from real disaster response at home, we’re supporting recovery now and helping build stronger systems for the future.”
The engagement builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2025 between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence and the Montana National Guard, formalising cooperation under the US Department of War’s State Partnership Programme. In Montana, the National Guard serves as the state’s primary responder during natural disasters—ranging from wildfires and floods to severe winter storms—making this partnership a strong and practical match with Sri Lanka’s disaster management institutions.
“The Montana National Guard plays a central role in responding to natural disasters across our state, working closely with civilian partners when communities need help the most,” said Brig. Gen. Trent Gibson, Adjutant General of the Montana National Guard. “That experience shapes how we approach this partnership with Sri Lanka. We’re not just sharing technical expertise
— we’re building relationships grounded in trust, cooperation, and mutual respect. We are proud to stand with Sri Lanka, not only as partners, but as friends. That is the Montana way.”
This mission builds on years of cooperation through the State Partnership Programme (SPP), which pairs the Montana National Guard with Sri Lanka to strengthen security, enhance disaster response capabilities, and foster enduring relationships. Recent engagements such as ATLAS ANGEL 2024 and PACIFIC ANGEL 2025 saw US and Sri Lankan personnel working side by side to improve humanitarian assistance and disaster response readiness—relationships that proved vital in the rapid response following Cyclone Ditwah.
Sri Lankan officials from the Disaster Management Centre welcomed the collaboration.
“This partnership brings valuable experience drawn from real-world disaster response,” said Maj Gen Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd),
Director General ofthe Disaster
Management Centre. “The insights and technical expertise
provided by the Montana National Guard have been valuable to our recovery efforts and it also strengthened our national capacity to manage future emergencies. This collaboration is more than just a formal assessment; it is a testament to the enduring partnership between our nations.”
The Montana National Guard’s visit follows broader US support after Cyclone Ditwah, including $4 million in US humanitarian assistance, the transfer of 10 American-made Bell 206 (TH-57) helicopters to the Sri Lanka Air Force through the US Excess Defence Articles programme to strengthen disaster response and emergency aviation capacity, and US.Air Force C-130 relief flights delivering critical aid. Together, these efforts reflect America’s continued commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s recovery and long-term resilience through partnership and shared capability.
Headquartered in Helena, Montana, the Montana National Guard is composed of highly trained Soldiers and Airmen who serve both their state and the nation. As the primary responder to natural disasters within Montana, the Guard plays a critical role in protecting communities while maintaining readiness for federal missions. Through the State Partnership Programme, the Montana National Guard has partnered with Sri Lanka since 2021 to strengthen disaster preparedness, resilience, and institutional capacity through sustained, mutually beneficial cooperation.
Flawed, poorly planned and rushed education reforms could widen inequalities between urban and rural schools, teachers’ unions warned yesterday, criticising the government’s newly launched education reform programme, despite its formal inauguration earlier in the day.
Union leaders said essential resources needed to implement the reforms, including teachers’ guides, have yet to be issued, raising serious concerns over how educators are expected to deliver lessons under the new framework.
They urged the government and the Education Minister to suspend the rapid rollout of the reforms and undertake proper planning and consultations before implementing them nationwide.
Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) Secretary, Joseph Stalin, addressing a press conference in Colombo on Thursday, cautioned that the reforms risk deepening existing disparities between urban and rural schools.
He drew attention to the new Grade 01 textbook, which reportedly includes 42 QR codes aimed at supporting digital learning. Stalin questioned the practicality of this approach for rural schools, where access to the internet and digital devices remains limited or non-existent.
“How are children in rural schools expected to access these facilities when internet connectivity and digital devices are either unavailable or very poor?” he asked.
Stalin also raised concerns over the absence of a clear long-term vision behind the reforms, stating that even policymakers have failed to clearly articulate the academic or developmental outcomes students are expected to achieve by the time they complete Grade 13.
Teacher preparedness was another major concern, he said, noting that educators assigned to teach under the new system have received training only for the first school term, while key instructional materials remain incomplete.
“Teachers do not even have a proper printed teachers’ guide,” Stalin said, adding that the guide is currently available only online, making it further disadvantageous to schools with weak digital infrastructure.The unions warned that proceeding with the reforms under such conditions could undermine the quality of education and place both teachers and students at a disadvantage.
Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his two sons and two others were further remanded until 13 February by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.The group was arrested by the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) over allegations of misusing a Sathosa lorry during Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Cooperative and Internal Trade.
It is alleged that the vehicle was used for operations linked to an ethanol company reportedly owned by Fernando, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs. 2.5 million to the state.
Fernando was arrested on 05 January. Earlier, on 09 January, a bail request was denied, and the suspects were ordered to remain in remand custody.
The investigation also led to the 30 December arrest of Fernando’s son, Johan Fernando, in Kurunegala. Former Sathosa Transport Manager Indika Ratnamalala was also taken into custody, accused of preparing forged documents related to the case.
IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya yesterday said that the Police were currently facing a shortage of nearly 32,000 personnel, with the service operating well below its required strength.
He made these remarks while attending a ceremony held yesterday morning (30) to appreciate the contribution of fingerprint officers, crime analysis officers, and forensic photographers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department for their role in solving crimes.
Addressing the gathering, the IGP noted that 2,500 police officers are due to retire this year, while a further 2,700 officers are expected to retire next year.
In light of the situation, he said that plans are underway to recruit 10,000 new officers to the Sri Lanka Police in the future.
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