25th July 2023 20:42:56 Hours
Saving a large chunk of foreign exchange to the country and proving once again that ‘Nothing is Impossible’ for the Sri Lanka Army, either in the battlefield or for development of the country, the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME) troops of the Army joined history by formally handing over six locally-manufactured vehicles of UN standards to the Special Task Force (STF) of the Police at the request of Ministry of Public Security.
Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, Commander of the Army whose initiative prompted the SLEME to manufacture those two new Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and four Police Crowd Control Vehicles (PCCVs) for the STF at a minimal cost of Rs. 66 m as against the estimated Rs. 100 m, thereby saving Rs. 34 m, delivered those six vehicles formally to the Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramarathne and Deputy Inspector General of Police W. Jayasundara, Commandant, STF on Tuesday (25 July) after inviting both of them to the Army HQ.
Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramarathne, together with Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, Commander of the Army afterwards closely inspected those six vehicles and shared a few thoughts, relevant to their manufacture in the presence of the Director General Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
The handover was symbolized presenting a replica of the vehicle key and vehicle log books to the day’s invitee, Inspector General of Police at the same location.
Each of those vehicles for importation generally costs about Rs. 200 m for the country in the event of the STF had to bring them down before their departure to undertake UN assignments. However, the Army managed with Rs. 66 m for all six vehicles.
Those APCs and PCCVs, manufactured at Katubedda SLEME Base Workshop under the close supervision of Director General Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Major General J.A.R.S.K Jayasekara USP psc, during the manufacturing process cost Rs. 16 m for one APC and Rs. 8.5 m for a PCCV without the cost for chassis.
In the year 1980, the Army imported the Unibuffel vehicle from South Africa for safe passage of soldiers to the battlefield during the 30-year long war against LTTE terrorism. However, the SLEME took to manufacturing of armoured vehicles, including Unicorn Mark II and Unicorn Mark VI during the years 1984 - 2008.
At the culmination of the event, the IGP along with the STF Commandant presented an appreciative memento to the Commander of the Army leaving memories of the occasion. The gesture was reciprocated.
Chief of Staff, Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu, Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General C.D Ranasinghe RWP RSP, Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, Major General S.U.M.N Manage WWV RWP RSP psc, Director General Budget and Finance Management, Major General W.B.S.M Abeysekera RSP USP, Quarter Master General, Major General G.R.R.P Jayawardene RWP RSP ndu, Commander, Army Logistic Command, Major General S.P.A.I.M.B Samarakoon Hdmc Lsc, several Principal Staff Officers, Senior Officers, and Officers were there to attend the formal handover ceremony at the Army HQ.
