Yoshita sails away

By Vimukthi Yapa

Ere the spit had dried on President Mahinda Rajapakse's much publicised verbal rhetoric to treat his second son no different from the other naval cadets, Yoshita was shipped off to the UK last week on a full naval scholarship to Dartmouth, just two weeks after joining as a cadet officer the Sri Lanka Navy.

Dartmouth in UK is one of the most prestigious academies for naval personnel and the dream of every young cadet. The December 2006 recruitment batch - the only one for that year - consisted of 24 young cadets of which Yoshita was one.

According to web based naval sources normally selections for limited berths inbasictrainingabroad (International Midshipman Course at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, UK or the Sub Lieutenant Technical (Executive) Course in India or Bangladesh etc.) will be based on performance during training.

However a naval spokesperson explained that basic training is usually three years. After the first year of training an officer would be given the rank of midshipman. After the second year the officer will be ranked as acting sub lieutenant. An officer is commissioned only after completing the entire degree course.

Getting a berth at Dartmouth is difficult and requires an officer to face a panel of interviewers. Naval sources from the rank and file claimed that usually such an opportunity is given to the best cadet on performance after a period of time, but Media Spokesperson for the Navy, Commodore D.M.K. Dassanayake refuted this claim and told The Sunday Leader that even entire batches have been sent on training abroad immediately upon recruitment and that such scholarships depended not on period of training but performance.

Navy sources also said that the panel of interviewers would look not only for excellence in education but also for competence in drill, games, shooting, sea training, battle training, fiscal training and a good command of the English language.

When it was pointed out that most of the recruits were from rural areas and the criteria of a good command of the English language itself went against the whole boomiputra culture that was the fulcrum of the Mahinda Chinthana, and the xenophobia that pervaded the election platforms of the likes of his extremists allies the JVP, navy sources who wished to remain anonymous said that sadly that was the reality in securing a berth at Dartmouth.

Surreptiously shipped out

Be that as it may, while wide publicity was given to Yoshita joining the navy with the sycophantic media carrying banner headlines on the President 'donating' and 'gifting' a son to the navy in November and December last year, in order perhaps to use him as bait for more recruits, it was not two weeks into his training that Yoshita, with none of the previous publicity hindering his progress, was surreptitiously shipped off to United Kingdom to follow a two year course in Dartmouth.

A spokesperson for the navy confirmed that Yoshita Rajapakse left the island to complete a two year course in Dartmouth. That means he will not see any fighting in the north and east for that period contrary to the hype generated through the media for political purposes.

Certainly the publicity given to a Head of State's son joining an armed force would no doubt encourage and inspire others to join and enhance the quality of officers, and in that sense is a good motivating factor for the recruitment drive. But such motivation has now taken a nose dive with the rank and file feeling disgruntled about what may be perceived as preferential treatment, causing a lowering of the morale of the young naval officers.

The Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Karannagoda however speaking to The Sunday Leader rejected any allegations of wrong doing and stated Yoshita Rajapakse was sent on the scholarship as he was the best in his batch. The Commander when asked how Yoshita qualified to go to Dartmouth after just two weeks training said recruits had been sent to Dartmouth in the past the very day they joined the navy.

Asked when such a practice was last adopted where a recruit with two weeks training was sent to Dartmouth, Karannagoda said he could not immediately remember.

Entrance criteria lowered

The navy lowered its criteria for recruitment of cadets from Advanced Level with minimum university entrance eligibility - that is a Z score which indicates 'YES' as was the practice in the past to Ordinary Level examinations with two Advanced Level passes with effect from 2006, the year Yoshita joined.

Earlier the air force had advertised for new recruits with the requirements standing at four credits at the Ordinary Level Examination and two Advanced Level passes.

The navy was to follow suit except that they asked for six credits at the Ordinary Level examination and two Advanced Level passes.

Two weeks later the Navy lowered its criteria again.

According to navy sources the usual requirement of three A'levels might have restricted recruitment only to the more academically inclined while the navy was also looking for people with a background in sports and other extra curricular activities as well.

Fortunately this lowering of the criteria last year was a happy coincidence for young Yoshita as they fell in line with the qualifications he had - two Advance Level passes. If the criteria was not amended Yoshita would not have qualified to join as a cadet. Navy sources however maintained to The Sunday Leader that the lowering of the criteria had nothing to do with the recruitment of President Rajapakse's son.

Entry requirements

Meanwhile Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Karannagoda told The Sunday Leader Yoshita was chosen to go to Dartmouth as he was the most eligible officer and had topped the batch. He also stated that the requirements for entry into the cadet officer programme was not lowered to suit any particular candidate and the purpose of lowering the criteria was to attract not only the academic type of officer but also those with more experience in sports.

So who is a cadet officer? The Sri Lanka Navy website states that "it's a golden opportunity for all young Sri Lankans to be an officer and a gentleman/lady of high calibre, capable and innovative in a challenging sea faring career, in any of the following branches in theSri Lanka Navy."

Executive, Logistics, Patrolman, Legal, Engineering, Medical, Shipwright, Information Technology, Electrical and Electronics, Dental, Provost, and Music.

According to the website dated January 12, 2007 "officer training is mainly conducted at the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) Trincomalee andshort / specialised officer training is conducted at the Sri Lanka Naval Ship Gemunu, Welisara. This training includes theoretical aspects covered at the training institute followed by a practical exposure onboard the Sri Lanka Navy fleet at sea."

The criteria for cadet entry prior to the new regulations introduced in 2006 was as follows:

Cadet entry degree programme

Have passedGeneral Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) with minimum qualifying results for university admission.

Cadet entry non-degree programme

Have passedGeneral Certificate of Education (Advanced Level).

Direct entry stream for regular force

Should have a degree from a recognised university or Higher National Diploma (minimum one year duration) with two years working experience.

Volunteer stream

Should have a degree from a recognised university or Higher National Diploma (minimum one year duration)withtwo years working experience.

Service entry

Ratings with special aptitudes, qualifications and outstanding leadership abilities are selected, trained and granted a commission.

Eligibility for cadet entry officers is as follows

Citizen of Sri Lanka, Unmarried males, Age between 18-22 years, Height 5'6", Weight 110 lbs, Chest 32 inches (minimum), Vision Colour STD II, Distance 6/6 each eye.

According to the navy website training in the Sri Lanka Navy falls in to two broadcategories -

Initial training (Basic training) and Advanced training.

Scope of the initial training is to impart a basic knowledge on the profession and to give a broader knowledge on the navy in general. Advanced training is focused on imparting technical knowledge to transform semi-skilled naval personnel to skilled- personnel with better orientation.

Advanced training is done at the Naval & Maritime Academy, Naval Artificer Training Institute, Combat Training Wing at the NRTC (Shiksha) and other designated local and foreign training institutions.

Naval and Maritime Academy - NMA

This premier training institution of the SLN is located at the Naval Dockyard, on the shores of the Trincomalee Harbour. Established in1969, it conducts basic and professional training for officers and all advanced training for sailors. There are numerous specialised schools under the NMA which imparts training in the fields of - navigation, gunnery Anti -Submarine Warfare, Communication, Seamanship, Logistics, Marine Engineering, Electrical / Electronics Engineering, Diving, Information Technology, Physical Training, Leadership and Management.

The three year Officer Cadet Training Programme conducted at the NMA has been accredited to the University of Kelaniya as a degree programme for the award of a Bachelor's Degree in Naval Studies specialised in either Maritime Warfare, Land Warfare or Logistics Management.

The NMA was awarded prestigious President's Colours on December 13, 2003, in recognition of its valuable service in training naval personnel of the highest caliber.

A source at the Navy Directorate of Training told The Sunday Leader the basic training course for a cadet officer is about three and a half years after which the officer would be awarded a degree as well. However this would depend on the criteria on which the officer entered the NMA.

Recruitment of batches and the strength of each batch would vary according to the approved cadre of the navy at the time the source said.

While we commend the young man for his courage to join the navy especially during these turbulent times of war, sincerely encourage his progress and pray for his safety as we would pray for the safety and freedom of all the sons and daughters of this nation, it is unfortunate that the young man has been made perhaps an unwilling political tool subject to the vile and myopic machinations of a coterie of misguided presidential advisors.

Even the much reviled former President Ranasinghe Premadasa did not stoop so low as to use his then young son for political purposes in this manner - in fact he once soundly castigated a political hanger on for getting his son Sajith to stand on a political stage.

In contrast wide publicity was given in the media to the President's son, young Yoshita who recently left school - S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, and joined the navy. The young man who captained the College first 15 rugby team last year joined the navy amidst a fanfare of publicity and media hype usually accorded only to a member of the Royal Family.

Front page news

He was front page news, being shown measured up for his physical statistics by the navy, blessed by the Mahanayakes, at a naval shooting range, worshipping his parents and even being escorted out of Temple Trees by his mother and father on his way to the navy.

Yoshita's actions would have been laudable if they had not been hijacked by the President's stooges to make a political meal out of it.

What is unfortunate is that it was projected - as in some newspapers- that the President 'gives' or 'donates' his son to the navy, a projection which is at best in very bad taste and at worst downright political exploitation not only of this young Rajapakse only just setting out into the world but also of all the other young men who may follow his example and join the navy.

Yoshita Rajapakse should not have been exploited by his father's advisors for cheap publicity especially since it is they who set him up in a place where he could do nothing else but keel over.

Those who used him as a media spectacle for political gain should have been more circumspect knowing that once the media lens was focused on him it would be hard to turn it away merely because the kept press decided to keep away when it suited Temple Trees.

President's backing

The very fact that photographs were released to the press when Yoshita joined the navy, taken by the President's official media photographer itself shows that this distasteful media blitz had the full backing of President Rajapakse.

Ironically it is the very day after there was a media blitz of the President going to Trincomalee and young Yoshita in full navy attire with a sword to boot acting as his ADC that he was flown down to Colombo by helicopter and later sent to Dartmouth.

The question then arises if the President's official media was there in full force when Yoshita was to join the navy and cover the presidential visit to Trincomalee, why was there not even a whimper when he left for a two year course to the UK? Then there were no photographs of young Yoshita worshipping his parents before leaving Temple Trees or waving goodbye at the airport. Why?

Is it that the people who were treated to every move of Yoshita as a political sideshow to be kept in the dark about his departure because it was not politically advantageous to do so?

That cameras were at hand to capture every move of Yoshita's only demonstrates that it was a politically motivated campaign from the start. That his quick departure to cooler and safer climes - and make no mistake we are glad he is safe - only underscores the fact the earlier media circus was politically orchestrated.

"A sham"

In fact it is President Rajapakse's own political allies the JVP who have now deplored these politically motivated military actions by the government.

JVP Parliamentarian Sunil Handunneti last week told a public rally in Polonnaruwa the war in the east is a sham and propagated only for public consumption. The JVP accused the government of sacrificing men and material not for military purposes but for political strategy.

Only two weeks ago K.D.Lalkantha called the Rajapakse government the worst since independence.

Therefore while we salute the young Rajapakse for taking this bold step to join the navy and wish him all the best as he trains in the UK at Dartmouth, we would also like to pay special tribute to all those other sons and daughters in the armed forces who have given their lives and limbs and paid the supreme sacrifice on behalf of their country.

It is their's not to reason why as politicians make disastrous decisions on how to solve the ethnic conflict, and theirs but to do and die. And we ask the powers that be on behalf of that unknown soldier/serviceman, 'To save your world you asked this man to die, Would this man could he see you now, ask why?'

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20070114/spotlight.htm

பின்னை மகிந்தவின் பிள்ளையாவது இலங்கையில் சண்டை பிடிக்கிறதாவது. மகனை காட்டி ஏழை சிங்களவர்களை கடற்படையில் சேர்க்கும் மாற்றான் தாய் மகிமையை சிங்கள மக்கள் இன்னும் புரியவில்லையா? அத்தோடு மகிந்தவின் மகன் கடைசியாக தகப்பனை பார்த்து விட்டு போகட்டும்??????????. 3 வருட பயிற்சிக்கு போகின்றாராம்!!!!!!!!!

என்ன இது ? ஒன்றுமே புரியவில்லை.

ம்ம்ம்ம்.... உந்த "சண்டே லீடர்" ஆசிரியர் "லசந்தவின்" இறுதி நாளை வெதமாத்தயா பிறதர்ஸ் இவ்வளவிற்கு எழுதியிருப்பார்கள். பாவம் முன் கூட்டிய இரங்கலை அன்னாரது குடும்பத்து தெரிவிப்போம்!!

ஆரம்பகால அரசியல் வாழ்வில் தன்னை சோஷலிஸ் ஆக காட்டிவந்த மகிந்தா தானும் ஒரு சாதரணமான சராசரி அரசியல்வாதி என்று நிரூபித்துவிட்டார்.

அதுவும் ஒரு சாராசரிக்கும் குறைவான கொலைவெறி பிடித்த பாசிஸவாதி என்பதனை உலகத்திற்கே நிருபீத்துவிட்டான்.

ஜானா

செய்தியை தமிழிலே தர மாட்டீங்களா?

`The Sunday Leader` news paper today reported that the president`s second son Yoshitha Rajapakse has been sent to the UK last week on a full naval scholarship to `Dartmouth academy`.

According to this report, from his batch it is only Yoshitha who had the `luck` to be selected for the scholarship. According to web based naval sources, normally selections for limited berths in basic training abroad will be based on performance during training. However the basic training is usually three years. After the first year of training an officer would be given the rank of midshipman. After the second year the officer will be ranked as acting sub lieutenant. An officer is commissioned only after completing the entire degree course.

Getting berth at `Dartmouth` is difficult and requires an officer to face a panel of interviewers. But the news paper quoting naval sources from the rank and file claims that usually such an opportunity is given to the best cadet on performance after a period of time.

But the most stunning coincidence is that this year the entry requirements for the navy had been lowered to a minimum of two passes at the GCE advance level, from the previous which need the minimum university entrance `Z score`. Incidentally, Yoshitha has obtained 2 passes at the GCE A/L examination.

The picture shows a president`s recent visit to Trincomalee where Yoshitha served as his escorting officer. A great controversy arose as Yoshitha who is a junior officer was wearing the traditional sword at the occasion.