23rd October 2019 10:30:40 Hours
As request made by the Defence Wing of Embassy of the Republic of Maldives in Sri Lanka to conduct basic and advance course on Bomb and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal Training (BIEDDT) for Maldivies National Defence Force (MNDF) a training team constituted with five officers and five Other Ranks are currently deployed at MNDF Central Headquarters, Khadhoo Island in Maldives. The opening ceremony of the Basic Course was held on 16 October 2019 with the participation of senior officials of MNDF and the Chief Field Engineer Sri Lanka Army Major General TJ Nanayakkara RWP VSV USP ndu graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour representing the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army.
Bomb and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal Basic Course for 38 MNDF personnel will be held from 16 October 2019 to 29 December 2019 and the Advance Course is schedule to be conducted from 02 January 2020 to 19 February 2020. The MNDF Central Headquarters at Khadhoo located 232 kilometers southwards to Capital City Male provides all training amnesties for both training courses.
The Chief Field Engineer Major General TJ Nanayakkara RWP VSV USP ndu during his key note speech value the opportunity extended to the Sri Lanka Army to conduct a training module for the personnel of the Maldivian National Defence Force. He highlighted the bilateral relations which the Maldives and Sri Lanka enjoy are very cordial and historical. He further added that the training activities in this nature between the two Armies would definitely strengthen the already strong bond between the two Forces.
The grand opening ceremony was graced by the Commandant Service Corps Brigadier General, Brigadier Hamid Shafeeq, Commander of Ordnance and Disposal Unit Colonel Mohamad Shareef, Deputy Commander College of Defence and Security Studies Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Ashraf, Officers, Student officers and Other Ranks of MNDF.
This is the second occasion that the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers conducting Bomb and IEDD Training for the Maldivian National Defence Force, previously in 2011 prior to the SAARC Summit the first training team has conducted the same training module. The present training team deployed is headed by Lieutenant Colonel CD Wickramanayake WV RSP SLE along with officer instructors Major KKP Pussewela RSP SLE, Major KANPK Kodithuwakku psc SLE, Major AJ Gunawardena USP SLE, Captain KVP Gunesekara SLE and Other Rank Instructors Warrant Officer I KM Weerarathne USP, Warrant Officer II Kumarasiri VRN USP, Warrant Officer II Samantha Bandara MM USP, Staff Sergent Karunarathne HGC and Corporal Nishantha Kumara HGC.
