29th July 2016 21:30:37 Hours
The Security Force Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J) with the noble intention of promoting the livelihood of north-based rehabilitated ex-LTTE combatants enabled 20 ex-combatants to make a living by selling lottery tickets as permanent sales assistants of the Development Lottery Board (DLB).
The novel notion, initiated by Major General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander, SFHQ-J with the blessings of the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, was launched by the 521 Brigade of the SFHQ-J during a ceremony, held at Thennamarachchi Kalai Mantram Cultural Hall, Chavakachcheri on Monday (25).
Under the self-help project, the DLB would pay each sales assistant a daily allowance of Rs 750.00 for three months in addition to the commissions those 20 selected ex-combatants would earn through sale of lottery tickets to the public.
Mr Romesh Jayawardene, Chairman, Development Lottery Board attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest, together with Dr Wickrama Weerasuriya, the senior consultant to HE the President and the founder of DLB, Mr Anura Jayarathne, DLB’s Deputy General Manager (Marketing), Mr Chanaka Dodangodage, DLB’s Assistant General Manager (Marketing), Mr Senthil Nadan, Assistant Divisional Secretary for Jaffna, Brigadier Mervyn Perera, General Officer Commanding, 51 Division, representing the Jaffna Commander, SF, several DLB officers, military officers and other rankers, Police officers, recipients and their next of kin attended the inaugural distributing ceremony of the outlets and letters of appointment.
Dr Wickrama Weerasuriya in a brief oration to the occasion said that the government was determined to create as many employment opportunities as possible to the youth in Jaffna.
Upon completion of three months, those 20 sales assistants would continue on their own, subject to free delivery of lottery tickets from the DLB management in Jaffna. Profits from the project go to the President’s fund and the Mahapola Higher Education Scheme. The ceremony was coloured by dancing features of Tamil and Sinhala cultures.
At the same ceremony, SFHQ-J troops as gestures of goodwill and incentives to those new 20 sales assistants gave away gift packets containing dry rations and vegetables.
A large gathering, including religious leaders of all faiths witnessed the ceremony for delivery of those outlets to the new sales assistants. The visitors to the occasion were conducted to the ceremony hall in a procession.
