Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Kamal Gunaratne said that the government’s aim is to rid the country of its narcotics menace and assured that the efforts taken to achieve this task will not be stalled at any cost.
The Defence Secretary gave this assurance at the 25th Anniversary celebrations of the Inamaluwa 53 Division in Dambulla, last morning. The event was also attended by Army Commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva.
Responding to questions raised by the media during the ceremony, Defence Secretary Gunaratne said that the largest prison in the country is the Welikada Prison, adding that majority of the illegal activities reported there on a daily basis, such as the discovery of mobile phones and narcotics, takes place through its entry points.
Therefore, he said that measures have been taken to immediately remove all prison guards from the entry points and replace them with Special Task Force (STF) personnel from yesterday. Hence, he assured that no one would be able to take into the prison any illegal or banned items hereafter. He also noted that with the assistance of the Air Force Special Task Force, all large-scale cannabis cultivations would be destroyed.
The Defence Secretary vowed to eradicate the scourge of the underworld, drug racketeering, extortion, and organised crime from the country, permanently. He said that, had the country travelled in the same path as it did in the past, people would not have been able to travel on the streets without fear.
Gen. Gunaratne also noted that a special programme has been initiated in the country with the joint participation of intelligence services, police, the military, and prisons. Expressing his views Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said the great commitments made by the government paved the way for COVID-19 to be controlled, and that, now, there are no Coronavirus cases reported in the community.
However, he noted that despite Sri Lanka controlling its COVID-19 infection rate, due to positive cases entering the country from overseas, the numbers are rising. Hence, he said that as a result, it is impossible to declare that Sri Lanka is completely Coronavirus-free.
Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva also said that despite the claims made by certain parties that Sri Lanka has stopped repatriating those stranded overseas, the country is making concerted commitment to bring back those expatriates.
