A special Public Day programme has been held under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), at the Deputy Minister's office in Colombo providing an opportunity for retired Tri-Forces personnel, their family members and other public to directly present their concerns and grievances.

The programme held on 16 September, was organized with the objective of providing prompt solutions to matters requiring the intervention of the Ministry of Defence, as well as issues requiring coordination and necessary intervention from other relevant government institutions, the Ministry of Defence said.

During the programme, the Deputy Minister personally engaged with the participants and attentively considered the concerns and grievances presented by them.

He subsequently instructed the relevant officials to take required action to address the matters raised and provide expeditious solutions, the Ministry said.

The Chairman of the Ranaviru Seva Authority, representatives of the Department of Pensions, Pay and Records Officers representing the Tri-Forces, officers from the Directorate of Army Veteran Affairs and Rehabilitation, and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence were also present on the occasion.

These officials extended the necessary assistance in facilitating interventions and solutions to the matters presented by the participants.

Notably, this was the first occasion on which a programme of this nature was conducted with arrangements to provide appropriate solutions to the issues raised by participants at the venue itself, it added.