President says security of Sri Lanka must never be taken for granted

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says the security and stability that Sri Lanka enjoys today must never be taken for granted.

Speaking at the 96th Commissioning Parade of the Sri Lanka Military Academy held in Diyatalawa today, the President said that?young officers have a responsibility to ensure that they work towards upholding national security by fulfilling the duties they are assigned to the best of their abilities.

“Even though the environment you inherit is a much more secure and stable one than we experienced, you will nevertheless come across situations in which you are called upon to make critical decisions that will have significant consequences during your time in the military.?In those instances, you must have the courage to trust your training, your instincts, and your experience, and make those decisions without fear,” he said.

The President also said that occasionally the young troops will make mistakes, even costly ones but added that failures are a part of life, and they must not shy away from them.

“They are an invaluable part of your learning process, and you will gain a great deal from them. However, if you fear failure so much that you do not push yourself to take those bold decisions, you will fail anyway by being indecisive. Positive thinking, therefore, is crucially important. Optimism, self-belief, and confidence in yourself and those in your teams will be at the heart of your success,” the President said.

The President also told the troops that discipline of the highest degree is one of the most important aspects in a military officer?s life.

He also said that fostering the ability to work well together with others is one of the hallmarks of the military. (Colombo Gazette)