Sentries at the PM’s Office, Presidential Secretariat

Day in and day out when going past the Prime Minister’s official residence at Temple Trees on my way to office, I feel very sorry for the sentries because they are stationed inside makeshift, mini- guardrooms, hoisted on L-iron (or is it H-iron?). Moreover, these enclosures have aluminium corrugated roofing sheets and the rest of the structure is also fabricated out of aluminium, making it like an oven to bake humans! 

The security room for the solitary sentry at the Presidential Secretariat is also atop a similar metal structure.

With the hot weather nowadays, I am of the opinion that we are knowingly or unknowingly exploiting security personnel. From a human resource management perspective, I think this is not how the members of the security industry should be treated.

Why don’t we completely do away with this existing outdated security system when we have more advanced technology at our disposal like CCTV security cameras which can be monitored by security personnel located from more conducive, convenient and spacious surroundings? Why not implement the above suggestion or any other innovative method to provide security for VVIPs?

I am sure that both the President and the Prime Minister, who are very practical and down-to-earth unlike their predecessors, will do away with the above system of providing security and implement a better alternative without compromising their much-need security.

Mohamed Zahran

Colombo