INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ASSISTANCE FOR CAPACITY BUILDING -SLCG

Sixteen Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) personnel successfully completed Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) course conducted by the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) of United Nation Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Advanced Training Center (ATC) at Mirissa, Sri Lanka on 16^th July 2021.

The VBSS course was comprised with two officers, four senior sailors and ten junior sailors selected from different SLCG deployment in the country and commenced on 5^th July 2021. It was the first ever course conducted in such nature and considered as the pilot programme in acquiring advanced training capabilities in collaboration with international donour agencies at ATC Mirissa.

The participants expressed that they could gain broad range of theoretical and practical knowledge on searching, law enforcement, evidence handling, offensive and defensive techniques, human rights at sea, first aids and casualty care, boarding underway and night boarding. Further participants stated that they are much confident to carry out compliance boarding operation, situation handling and assist other law enforcement agencies in performing the SLCG duties at sea and ashore.

Deputy Director General Commodore LHA Ranasuriya RSP& Bar, USP, psc, MSc represented the Director General SLCG at the closing ceremony and handed over SLCG souvenir to the representatives of donour agencies and VBSS instructors. Participation of few distinguished personalities from donour gencies were added glamour to the event. Diplomatic representative, Counselor Mr. Kawakami Takayuki, represented the embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka and Associate Programme Officer Mr. Michael O’keefe represented the UNODC. Both gentlemen addressed the gathering and expressed thought of extending further assistance to SLCG for professional and infrastructure development.

The certificate awarding ceremony was concluded with vote of thanks speech of Director Training SLCG. He thankfully acknowledged dedicated assistance being provided to enhance SLCG capacity building and professional development in numerous fields by both organizations.