By Alia

Credit for Chief of Staff

He was acting Commander (until the return from Bangladesh yesterday of Vice Admiral Sandagiri) and ran the show almost single handedly. 

When he was not at the Operations Room, he was in direct touch with the Naval commands in the north and east, from his residence. 

Poser for IGP

A leading PA politician was trying to get in touch with DIG (Jaffna), Keerthi Gajanayake. 

To his dismay, he learnt that the top cop in the peninsula did not have a direct line – a facility now available even to grocery shops in the area. 

Not farewell yet

Major General Dias was to have retired on April 12. On that day when he was to leave his residence to attend a farewell parade by the Armoured Corps, of which he was Colonel Commandant, Major General Dias received a telephone call at his residence. It was Army Commander Lt. Gen. Lionel Balagalle, telling him that he need not say his farewells. 

He was to remain in the Army though he had reached the age of 55-the mandatory retirement age.

Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Lohan Gunawardena, deputised for Major General Dias at the parade. But there was no farewells though there was short eats and tea.

Reprieve?

Insiders say the case may come up for review at the highest levels.

Naval largesse

Some of the assignments given to the company were on a time basis, that is, payments calculated on the basis of the time the company's ships spent on loading and unloading operations. 

The big boss was so furious she said one could have purchased a few ships with the monies spent. 

She made this observation at a top level meeting of top brass.

Rajpal Abeynayake's Column

Editorial/ Opinion Contents