A public service that upholds its professional responsibilities is necessary – President
A nation requires a public service that maintains professionalism, competence, discipline and accountability across all sectors, stated President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The President emphasized that the Sri Lanka Air Force, with its distinguished and honourable legacy, has consistently upheld its standards of professionalism.
President Dissanayake made these remarks while attending the awarding of the President’s Colours and the commissioning of cadet officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force as the Chief Guest at a ceremony held this morning (18) at the Sri Lanka Air Force Academy in China Bay.
Recalling the vital role entrusted to the Sri Lanka Air Force in monitoring drug trafficking and other illegal activities conducted via maritime routes, the President also commended the significant contribution made by the Air Force during times of disaster.
Under the theme “Safeguard the Lankan Skies,” the No. 03 Maritime Squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force was awarded the President’s Colours in recognition of its outstanding service, operational excellence and unwavering dedication to the protection and advancement of the motherland.
Under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the commissioning of officer cadets from the 66th, 67th and 68th Officer Cadet Courses and the 20th Lady Officer Cadet Course of the Sri Lanka Air Force took place today, marking their induction into active service to safeguard the skies and protect the nation’s sovereignty. Furthermore, the officer cadets from the 103rd Flying Course received their flying badges at the ceremony.
Special awards were also presented to the cadet officers who demonstrated exceptional performance during the course. The award for the Best Flying Cadet Officer was presented to Cadet Officer Parakrama Jayasundara, while the award for the Best All-Round Cadet Officer was won by Lady Cadet Officer Ameshika Wickramasinghe.
Addressing the gathering at the ceremonial parade, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated:
“Today, 66 officer cadets are being commissioned following a disciplined and experienced training programme. This is a remarkable milestone in their lives. The opportunity you have received to serve in the Sri Lanka Air Force is both rare and honourable. Your parents will be the first to take pride in your achievement. Every parent dreams of seeing their child engaged in a respected and professional career.
Today, you have fulfilled the hopes and expectations of your parents. We must also extend our gratitude to them for their contribution in giving our Air Force a courageous and energetic group of young men and women dedicated to serving the motherland.
You are now joining one of the most prestigious, respected and professionally accomplished forces in Sri Lanka. I believe your foremost duty is to uphold and protect that honour and reputation at all times. You must understand that even a single act of misconduct by one officer can affect the entire reputation of the Air Force. Therefore, you are no longer an ordinary young person; you are an officer who carries the pride, dignity and value of your force upon your shoulders. Protecting that honour, as well as safeguarding the security and future of our motherland, is a duty that you cannot relinquish.
We know that the safety of our nation’s skies rests in your hands. It is a noble and irreplaceable responsibility. We have full trust and confidence that you will fulfil this great duty entrusted to you, the duty to protect our motherland and ensure the safety of our people.
You also play a vital role in ensuring the security and surveillance of our maritime borders. I believe that among the many responsibilities entrusted to us today as a nation, monitoring and safeguarding our territorial waters is of great importance. This is because our maritime borders have increasingly become entry points for illegal migration, smuggling, drug trafficking and in recent times, even the infiltration of arms. Therefore, protecting our coastal boundaries is not only a duty to the motherland but also a responsibility owed to the people who live within it. We have great confidence that you will fulfil this responsibility with utmost dedication.
At present, we also understand the deep and complex link between narcotics, organized crimes and certain elements of politics and state mechanisms. This is not merely a matter of drug trafficking or isolated criminal networks; it is intertwined with political and institutional systems, some of which have directly or indirectly contributed to this menace. This tragedy is spreading across our villages, affecting families and communities. That is why maritime surveillance has become essential in preventing this national catastrophe. The task entrusted to you is to carry out these operations with precision and to protect the security and prosperity of our motherland and its people.
Moreover, during times of national emergencies, you are entrusted with an irreplaceable responsibility. I am aware that during the recent tragedy in Ella, your timely intervention was recognized and appreciated across the country. Your actions were of great significance and the entire nation valued your service. Therefore, the responsibility of providing aerial assistance during such emergencies rests in your hands and we have full confidence that you will fulfil that duty efficiently and with compassion.
You are also entrusted with the vital responsibility of training and nurturing the pilots and technical experts our country needs, ensuring the continued advancement of that mission. Therefore, today, as you enter this honourable service, you do so as the guardians and future defenders of our nation.
Professionalism has become essential across every field in our country. Unfortunately, the situation in many professions is far from ideal. The purpose of a profession should be to uphold and protect its integrity yet in many instances, it is being undermined from within. Every public institution carries a specific responsibility and citizens have rightful expectations regarding how those duties are performed. Public servants receive their salaries and benefits from the taxes paid by the people, yet we know that some have allowed their professional duties to be distorted or even directed against the public interest. As a result, the professionalism that once defined the public service has, to a large extent, deteriorated. However, we can say with pride and confidence that the Sri Lanka Air Force has steadfastly preserved its professionalism, integrity and strength, standing as a model for all other sectors of the nation’s public service.
Therefore, every profession in the country requires a public service that embodies professionalism, expertise and the discipline and responsibility associated with it. Accordingly, the responsibility entrusted to you is of the highest professional standard. We have full confidence that you will fulfil this responsibility diligently. You have been assigned a significant duty and your seniors are watching you closely, confident that you will uphold the professionalism, honour and integrity of the service. Likewise, your parents and relatives place great expectations on you and the general public trusts that you will discharge this duty with utmost dedication. As President, I too observe you with deep confidence and respect.
Our motherland and people need to be freed from the immense challenges they face. As a political authority, we are fulfilling our responsibilities and we have full confidence that you, as officers of the Air Force, will also faithfully carry out the duties entrusted to you. This marks a momentous occasion for you, a milestone in your professional life and your future. I extend my best wishes with the firm hope that you will honourably fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to you, safeguarding your future, the security of the motherland and the well-being of the people.
This ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Gunatilaka, Governor of the Eastern Province Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya, along with senior Air Force officers, parents of the newly commissioned cadet officers, and a large gathering were present at the ceremony.
(President’s Media Division)
