SECRETARY Defence Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, taking a brief respite from his day’s busy office schedule on Tuesday (16) spent more than six hours with six hundred next of kin of fallen War Heroes of the Tri-services and the Police with a view to learning of their grievances and problems, if any during the 18th Ranaviru welfare workshop, held at Commando Regimental Headquarters in Ganemulla.
This 18th round of the Ranaviru welfare programme, founded on a concept mooted by Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is actively spearheaded by Ranaviru Seva Authority (RSA) under the chairmanship of Major General (Retd) Palitha Fernando.
On arrival at the Ganemulla Commando Regimental Center, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mrs. Ioma Rajapaksa, President, Defence Ministry Seva Vanitha Unit, were received by Major General (Retd) Palitha Fernando and Colonel of the Commando Regiment Major General Srinath Rajapakse.
District Secretary for Gampaha P. Abeysekara, all Divisional Secretaries in Gampaha District, Additional Secretaries Messrs Udeni Wickramasinghe and W.W. Gamage to Ministry of Defence, representative senior tri-service and Police officers attended the workshop where Ranaviru family members submitted their unresolved issues for attention and speedy resolution.
Mr. Rajapaksa in his brief address on the occasion to Gampaha District based Ranaviru families paid a glowing tribute to those fallen War Heroes for the sake of the country and reminded that their sacrifice was not in vain.
‘The purpose of this ongoing scheme was to listen directly to family members of War Heroes in order to obtain first hand accounts, related to realities at their home fronts and explore possibilities for resolution of respective issues then and there,’ he added. Mr. Rajapaksa later on took time off to speak to Ranaviru families separately and paid his gratitude to parents and spouses who allowed their loved ones to fight for the country.
Chairman RSA Major General (Retd) Palitha Fernando during the opening address outlined measures that have already been taken to assist Ranaviru families, particularly in relation to purchase of lands for them, construction of houses, receipt of scholarships for their children, etc. He also announced that the RSA has also launched a separate training programme to improve skills of differently-able soldiers, both working and non-working.
Hundreds of spouses and relatives recalled their memories of the beloved ones and thanked RSA for their concern and commitment on behalf of their lost husbands, sons and daughters.
Towards the end of the proceedings, Major General Srinath Rajapakse as Colonel of the Commando Regiment gifted a memento to the visiting Defence Secretary.
Commando Regiment officers and soldiers after preparing facilities for all those bereaved ones and visitors treated them to a sumptuous lunch and refreshments.
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