Navy Commander pays tribute to SLN personnel for rebuilding St. Anthony’s Shrine

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva 

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva on Wednesday paid tribute to the men and women of the Sri Lanka Navy, who worked tirelessly in the reconstruction work of the St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade, which was devastated in the Easter Day bomb attacks.

“I am very happy today that within a very short period we managed to repair the church, and bring to an even better condition than it was before. The entire work was done by the men and women of the SLN, who worked as a team,” Vice Admiral De Silva, who was in attendance at the reopening of the Shrine, said.

The Navy Commander recalled that he had arrived at the Church soon after the deadly attack, when bodies were still strewn on the floor. “I met the Father in charge of the Church, who was in tears. I told him we cannot bring the dead back to life, but can help repair the Church, which is what the SLN has done in a short time period of 40 days,” he said.

The Commander said that the remaining work of expanding the parking area and the galley of the Church will also be done by Navy personnel, and this work would be completed in three months.

Vice Admiral De Silva also recollected the generosity of people who have come forward to help with contributions from Sri Lanka and overseas. Among them, he said, is the owner of the world-famous salvage company Resolve Marine Group.

 “The owner of Resolve Marine, Joseph Farrell, who is a friend of mine sent his condolences to those affected by the attacks via email to me, soon after the incident. When I informed him that the Sri Lanka Navy is carrying out the rebuilding work, he generously donated to the fund of the Church,” the Navy Commander said. (CK)