Cautioning the government officers who were involved in corruption, Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said the good work done by many dedicated officers in state institutions were at stake due to a few corrupt officers among them.

“Their hard work and dedication was lost,” he said adding that organised crimes, drug smuggling and extortions needed to be curbed while cleaning corruption in state institutions to make the government sector free of corruption and efficient.

Defence Secretary, who pledged to end corruption in the state sector, addressing a forum of Police officers of the Southern Province at a session to evaluate the progress in respective Police divisions held at the Hall-De-Galle in Galle, (Aug 19), said measures would also be taken to address the existing grievances faced by officers.

He further said Sri Lanka Police had made tremendous sacrifices and won many commendations for their service but they needed to re-think its present status and people’s expectations with regard to the Police service in the country.

“People feel safe and protected because of the Police service of a country, where without this service people’s life, liberty and freedom is lost. Therefore, Police needs to be a corruption-free service to have a just and peaceful society,” Maj. Gen. Gunaratne said.

Meanwhile, the Defence Secretary lauded the Police Department for its recent contribution towards conducting a free, fair and peaceful election without violence.

He said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected by the people with the hope of assuring and reinstating safety and security of Sri Lanka.

“When we mean security, it has many facets and when all those put together, it is called national security. The first obligation in ensuring national security is towards providing security from terrorist acts, secondly the possible external aggression and thirdly the security to keep people safe from natural disasters and calamities, pandemics etc, “ he explained adding that creating a safe and secure society for people is also a part of national security.

He said that there was a great request from the public to make Police officers perform their duties free from political interferences.

Being critical on certain allegations received against some Police divisions and stations in the Southern Province, Maj.Gen. Gunaratne stressed the need for taking measures and adjustments in performing duties and responsibilities to maintain law and order to deliver fair service to the public.

He revealed about the new mechanism, which would be functioned within a few weeks to address and follow-up progress made on public complaints, petitions, which were received against Police Divisions or station in respective areas.

“Separate files would be opened for those complaints about those respective Police divisions or stations and those complaints would be reviewed monthly to evaluate the progress made to investigate those complaints. We would take firm actions against OICs of those Police stations who fail to take measures to solve those complaints,” he said.

Maj.Gen. Gunaratne said the Southern Expressway had become the main transition route for drug dealings and it was a surprise that only traffic police officers could be seen on duties at the entry-exit points.

He also stressed the need for initiating effective Police intelligence network in respective areas and act more vigorously in arresting drug-peddlers, illegal arms circulation, land encroachments and other related crimes in respective areas.

Defence Secretary spelling out the measures taken recently to eradicate drug network operating from prison cells said it had resulted to make the Welikada Remand Prison free of illegal drugs.

“The wrongdoers in the society need to be brought before the law. The Defence Ministry together with the Attorney General’s Department is ambitiously working towards achieving this,” he said.

Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) C. D. Wickremaratne, Commandant of the Police Special Task Force (STF) DIG Waruna Jayasundara , Senior DIG Southern Province, Rohan J Silva were also present at the event.