10th December 2000
By Alia

Punya to retire

CID Chief, Punya de Silva, is to call it quits. He will retire from service from March 1, this year.

According to highly placed Police sources, Mr de Silva, who is on an extension of service after reaching 55 years, put up his papers for retirement to the Inspector General of Police, Lucky Kodituwa-kku, on December 1. The immediate reason for his retirement is not known but the same sources say he is likely to take up an overseas assignment.

Fonseka for RCDS

Sri Lanka Army’s candidate for next year’s course at UK’s prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) is Major General Sarath Fonseka, Security Forces Commander, Wanni.

Unlike in the past years, the Army has had to pay Sterling pounds 55,000 (Rs 5.5 million) for next year’s course. The Army’s inability to send another Major General on a course in view of the prevailing security situation has forced it to forego a place at India’s National Defence College. As a result there may be two candidates from the Sri Lanka Navy going to New Delhi later this month.

delayed return

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, currently in the United Kingdom, this week cancelled some of her limited public engagements in the coming weeks. That included ceremonies connected with the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Navy, which is being observed on an elaborate scale.

President Kumaratunga is learnt to have directed Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, to represent her at the public events. The sponsors of those events have in turn been told to invite the Premier. According to Government sources, the move is the result of President Kumaratunga, having to stay abroad for at least two or more weeks.

scurrilous war

Intense lobbying for service extensions and promotions have become the pre-occupation of many in the security arms of the State. It’s not only because of the year end but more in view of a recent Gazette notification extending the terms of some military officials until December 31.

Scurrilous anonymous letters containing vituperative accounts of those in line for promotion or extensions are doing the rounds. Addressees include Defence Ministry officials, diplomatic missions and the media. At least for the moment, it seemed it’s not the Tiger guerrillas but their own colleagues who are the worst enemy.

Some scribes were even chided for not highlighting some of the points made in the scurrilous letters. One of them received an abusive call at 2.45 am one morning. That again was for not giving consideration to juicy accounts of the personal life of one officer, though such events, had in fact, not occurred.

But the caller’s number has now been identified. The scribe had kept his line under observation after another caller made a similar call at midnight. Even if he carries the name of the hero, the slip was showing. More details will unfold.

Rajpal Abeynayake's Column

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