By establishing yet another academic seat of excellence for career development, themed purely on Defence Management Studies and Art and Science of Warfare, the Sri Lanka Army on Monday (23) added one more glorious chapter to its annals when Mr Lalith Weerathunge, Secretary to the President, unveiled a plaque and ceremonially opened its newest Officers’ Career Development Centre (OCDC) at Buttala, the island’s only state-of-the-art faculty for warfare and defence management studies.
Its concept, mooted by the incumbent Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya was realized consequent upon the ever-increasing interest and the need for a forum of this relevance at both local and international levels.
The Army in 2011 was requested to take charge of a section of permanent structures, belonging to the UGC at Buttala 'Deyata Kirula' National Exhibition premises by the government in the aftermath of the event, following a directive of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa who confided in the Army’s ability of converting it to be a productive institute.
Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army and Brigadier Aruna Jayasekara, the first designate Commandant, OCDC warmly received the Chief Guest, Mr Lalith Weerathunge on arrival.
As a class educational seat of scholarship, the OCDC has been designed exclusively for sharing, imparting and discussing knowledge on Defence Management with special focus on Sri Lankan battlefield experiences, gained during humanitarian operations and the warfare against terrorism while serving as a vehicle for professional development of knowledge on national/international security affairs, not only among tri-service military students, but also among public officials and other academics.
Mr Lalith Weerathunga’s arrival for its auspicious opening was greeted with a drive-past Guard Turnout at the entrance plus a red carpet welcome. Soon after the unveiling of the OCDC main plaque, the Chief Guest added further significance to the occasion by hoisting flags, together with Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya at the invitation of the Commandant, OCDC
Giving symbolic memory to the visit, the visiting Secretary to the President afterwards planted a sapling in the compound before he entered the OCDC main auditorium and lit the traditional oil lamp, along with the Army Chief as the agenda for the day's event commenced rolling on.
Inside the auditorium, the Commandant Brigadier Jayasekera summed up the designed vision and mission of the OCDC after screening a visual presentation to the audience.
Mr Weerathunga in his brief address told the gathering that the Army’s effective approaches as well as its exemplary efficiency, through today’s inaugurated OCDC can be put into practice at best by infusing those essential elements to the fast deteriorating public service, to make it more productive and disciplined.
Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya making his observations at the historic opening told the audience that the Army is now fully geared to improve its quality and professional standards since the required quantity is now with it. Paying a special tribute to the President and the Secretary Defence and Urban Development who have been helpful in making the project a roaring success, the Commander underlined the need for more and more refined and well-groomed officers to the organization as time goes.
The Army Chief was full of praise to the first Commandant, OCDC and his staff for converting the place to be one of the best and attractive institutes with all academic accessories during a very short period of time.
Distinguished invitees after a brief visit to different sections such as syndicate rooms, accommodation, central lecture hall, agricultural complex at the OCDC afterwards, joined the opening of the new library at OCDC. Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya gifted a stock of new books to the library on the same occasion as a gesture of goodwill.
The visiting Secretary to the President and the Commander of the Army before the conclusion of the day’s proceedings sat together with the student officers and staff at the OCDC for a group photo at the request of the Commandant, OCDC whose untiring efforts and dedication in the past few weeks, brought the OCDC's entire infrastructure to perfection before today’s inauguration.
To its credit, the OCDC has already been approached by the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) for training assistance of about 261 SLAS junior officials and they are to be absorbed to the OCDC in batches of 35 each for courses, such as leadership development, management skills, decision-making in crisis situations, security awareness, etc, the audience was told by Brigadier Jayasekara, Commandant, OCDC in his welcome speech.
Chairman, University Grants Commission, Vice Chancellor at University of Sabaragamuwa, Chief of Staff of the Army, Senior Officers and a gathering of invitees graced the inaugural ceremony of this seat of learning on Monday (23).
Its concept, mooted by the incumbent Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya was realized consequent upon the ever-increasing interest and the need for a forum of this relevance at both local and international levels.
The Army in 2011 was requested to take charge of a section of permanent structures, belonging to the UGC at Buttala 'Deyata Kirula' National Exhibition premises by the government in the aftermath of the event, following a directive of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa who confided in the Army’s ability of converting it to be a productive institute.
Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army and Brigadier Aruna Jayasekara, the first designate Commandant, OCDC warmly received the Chief Guest, Mr Lalith Weerathunge on arrival.
As a class educational seat of scholarship, the OCDC has been designed exclusively for sharing, imparting and discussing knowledge on Defence Management with special focus on Sri Lankan battlefield experiences, gained during humanitarian operations and the warfare against terrorism while serving as a vehicle for professional development of knowledge on national/international security affairs, not only among tri-service military students, but also among public officials and other academics.
Mr Lalith Weerathunga’s arrival for its auspicious opening was greeted with a drive-past Guard Turnout at the entrance plus a red carpet welcome. Soon after the unveiling of the OCDC main plaque, the Chief Guest added further significance to the occasion by hoisting flags, together with Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya at the invitation of the Commandant, OCDC
Giving symbolic memory to the visit, the visiting Secretary to the President afterwards planted a sapling in the compound before he entered the OCDC main auditorium and lit the traditional oil lamp, along with the Army Chief as the agenda for the day's event commenced rolling on.
Inside the auditorium, the Commandant Brigadier Jayasekera summed up the designed vision and mission of the OCDC after screening a visual presentation to the audience.
Mr Weerathunga in his brief address told the gathering that the Army’s effective approaches as well as its exemplary efficiency, through today’s inaugurated OCDC can be put into practice at best by infusing those essential elements to the fast deteriorating public service, to make it more productive and disciplined.
Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya making his observations at the historic opening told the audience that the Army is now fully geared to improve its quality and professional standards since the required quantity is now with it. Paying a special tribute to the President and the Secretary Defence and Urban Development who have been helpful in making the project a roaring success, the Commander underlined the need for more and more refined and well-groomed officers to the organization as time goes.
The Army Chief was full of praise to the first Commandant, OCDC and his staff for converting the place to be one of the best and attractive institutes with all academic accessories during a very short period of time.
Distinguished invitees after a brief visit to different sections such as syndicate rooms, accommodation, central lecture hall, agricultural complex at the OCDC afterwards, joined the opening of the new library at OCDC. Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya gifted a stock of new books to the library on the same occasion as a gesture of goodwill.
The visiting Secretary to the President and the Commander of the Army before the conclusion of the day’s proceedings sat together with the student officers and staff at the OCDC for a group photo at the request of the Commandant, OCDC whose untiring efforts and dedication in the past few weeks, brought the OCDC's entire infrastructure to perfection before today’s inauguration.
To its credit, the OCDC has already been approached by the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) for training assistance of about 261 SLAS junior officials and they are to be absorbed to the OCDC in batches of 35 each for courses, such as leadership development, management skills, decision-making in crisis situations, security awareness, etc, the audience was told by Brigadier Jayasekara, Commandant, OCDC in his welcome speech.
Chairman, University Grants Commission, Vice Chancellor at University of Sabaragamuwa, Chief of Staff of the Army, Senior Officers and a gathering of invitees graced the inaugural ceremony of this seat of learning on Monday (23).
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