In 1948 Ceylon became a signatory to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Chicago Convention, which was established in 1944.In 1950, a second system of air administration was established in Ceylon with the introduction of the ‘Air Force Act of Ceylon’ in addition to the ‘Air Navigation Act No. 15 of 1950’

 As determined by the President of Sri Lanka, the Air Force may be activated:

(1) (a) for the defence of Sri Lanka in time of war whether actual or apprehended, or

(b) for the prevention or suppression of any rebellion, insurrection or other civil disturbance in Sri Lanka by Proclamation or, where the circumstances render it impossible to issue a Proclamation, by order, call out on active service the whole or any part of the Air Force.

(2) All officers and airmen of any such part of the Air Force as is called out on active service under subsection (1) of this section shall be deemed to be on such service until the President terminates such service by Proclamation.

Meanwhile, the Air Navigation Act No. 15 of 1950 was in place for two purposes:

(a) for carrying out the Chicago Convention, any Annex thereto relating to international standards and recommended practices (being an Annex adopted in accordance with the Convention) and any amendment of the Convention or any such Annex made in accordance with the Convention; or

(b) generally for regulating air navigation.

 There were 18 Annexes to the ICAO Chicago Convention pertaining to a wide range of Standards and Recommended Procedures (SARPS) of subjects as shown below

Annex 1 – Personnel Licensing

Annex 2 – Rules of the Air

Annex 3 – Meteorological Services

Annex 4 – Aeronautical Charts

 Annex 5 – Units of Measurement

 Annex 6 – Operation of Aircraft

 Annex 7 – Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks

Annex 8 – Airworthiness of Aircraft

Annex 9 – Facilitation

 Annex 10 – Aeronautical Telecommunications

Annex 11 – Air Traffic Services

Annex 12 – Search and Rescue

Annex 13 – Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation

Annex 14 – Aerodromes

Annex 15 – Aeronautical Information Services

Annex 16 – Environmental Protection

Annex 17 – Security

Annex 18 – The Safe Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Air

 A nineteenth Annex was subsequently added: Annex 19 – Safety Management

 These are the systems of administration existing in the island even today. The Director General of Civil Aviation ‘owns and administrates’ the airspace in Flight Information Region (FIR) during times of peace.

 As can be seen, the objectives of the two prevalent acts are poles apart.

 Unfortunately, it seems that the new government is appointing Sri Lanka Air Force personnel to key positions of authority in civil aviation. The only justification is that they have ‘shared air space’ with their civilian counterparts. They have no exposure to administration of civil aviation and are limited only to the area within the perimeters of the island, and certainly not to international standards and procedures that need to be observed and practised.

 It might be worth a rethink as ‘militarisation’ will badly affect the civil aviation industry and kill domestic aviation which is already in the doldrums and struggling hard to operate safely, efficiently and economically.

 GUWAN SEEYA

Sri Lanka’s Renewable Energy Strategy:

by Dilum Alagiyawanna
Environmentalist / Wildlife Conservationist / Citizen Scientist
dilum.alagiyawanna@gmail.com

Sri Lanka’s decision to prioritise exporting renewable energy, particularly wind energy, to India as a quick solution to its economic crisis raises significant concerns. While selling clean energy may provide a short-term financial boost, this approach could severely limit the country’s ability to meet its own long-term energy demands, industrial growth, and environmental sustainability.

Environmental Impact: Mannar’s Ecological Sensitivity

The Mannar Peninsula, a focal point for Sri Lanka’s wind energy development, plays a critical role in the country’s renewable energy export plans. However, this region is also an environmentally sensitive area, lying on the Asian bird migration flyway and posing significant risks to migratory bird species. The construction of wind turbines in Mannar could disrupt bird migration patterns and destroy important habitats. Research has shown that wind farms can increase bird mortality, particularly among migratory species, by causing collisions with turbines.

By building wind farms in Mannar, Sri Lanka risks violating both local conservation laws and several major international conventions to which it is a signatory, including the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS), the Bonn Convention, and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Interfering with bird migration routes could also have economic consequences, particularly for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which heavily depends on wildlife, including birdwatching and eco-tourism. Disruptions to wildlife and biodiversity can damage the country’s appeal as a global eco-tourism destination, leading to potential revenue losses in this sector.

Additionally, Mannar’s wetlands and lagoons support diverse ecosystems, home to numerous endangered species. Large-scale wind energy farms in this region could exacerbate biodiversity loss by fragmenting habitats and displacing species from their natural environments. Protecting the environmental significance of Mannar should be a priority when planning energy projects in the area.

Energy Needs for High-Value Industrial Growth

While environmental concerns regarding Sri Lanka’s renewable energy strategy are considerable, addressing the country’s growing energy demands is crucial for long-term economic development. According to the Ceylon Electricity Board’s Long-Term Generation Expansion Plan (CEB__LTGEP 2023-2042), Sri Lanka will require approximately 9,426 MW of installed capacity by 2047. However, this projection does not fully account for the energy needs of high-value industrial sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and agriculture, which are key to driving export-led growth.

By contrast, Vietnam, which is rapidly industrialising, has projected energy demand to reach 158 GW by 2030, 354 GW by 2040, and 573 GW by 2050. Sri Lanka’s wind energy potential, estimated at 20-30 GW for onshore wind (CEB_LTGEP 2023-2042), is significant but insufficient to power an economy of similar industrial scale. To meet its long-term industrial growth needs, Sri Lanka must invest in modernising its energy grid, improving storage solutions, and ensuring reliable backup power sources.

Exporting renewable energy, particularly to India, could limit Sri Lanka’s ability to develop industries that are crucial for its future economic competitiveness. Retaining energy resources for domestic use is essential to support high-value industries and ensure long-term economic growth.

The Hidden Risks of Green Energy Exports

Exporting green hydrogen or wind energy to India might appear attractive for immediate financial benefits, but the associated environmental costs could outweigh these gains. Green hydrogen production, while being emissions-free, requires large amounts of water, raising concerns about water scarcity and habitat destruction if not managed responsibly. The environmental risks extend beyond Mannar and could negatively impact Sri Lanka’s broader biodiversity and natural resources, which are foundational for industries like tourism and agriculture.

Additionally, relying on renewable energy exports may not deliver the long-term economic gains Sri Lanka hopes for. Without sufficient energy generation for its own needs, Sri Lanka risks becoming dependent on more expensive energy imports to fuel its industries in the future.

A More Strategic Approach

Sri Lanka’s strategy to export wind energy and green hydrogen requires reconsideration. The long-term risks to the country’s environment, tourism-based economic prosperity, energy security, and industrial growth far outweigh the short-term financial benefits. The Mannar Peninsula’s ecological significance as a migratory bird hub should be safeguarded, not sacrificed, for energy projects. Moreover, Sri Lanka’s growing energy needs for high-value industrial sectors make it imperative to retain renewable energy resources for domestic use.

In an increasingly sustainability-conscious world, Sri Lanka must avoid being penny wise and pound foolish. By prioritising domestic industrialisation, energy security, and environmental conservation, Sri Lanka can secure long-term prosperity without compromising its natural heritage or economic future.

By Dr Upul Wijayawardhana

Monumental elections were held both in Sri Lanka and the UK recently. Whilst optimism is still running high in Sri Lanka, this emotion seems to have faded fast in the UK. Though many political observers predicted an autumn election in UK, Rishi Sunak sprang a surprise by going for an early election in July with disastrous consequences for the Conservatives, who had been in power for 14 years. He would have done much better in an autumn election, and Rishi Sunak is yet to explain why he went for an early election; it may well be that he had so much of backstabbing from his colleagues that he decided ‘enough is enough’.

It was widely expected that Labour would win so much so that even captains of the industry, who usually support Conservatives, started singing the praises of the then shadow Chancellor, Racheal Reeves, a Master of Economics degree holder from the prestigious London School of Economics. What was totally unexpected was the magnitude of the Labour victory, which was partly due to the right-wing Reform party splitting the Conservative vote. With an increase of just 1.6% of the share of the vote, Labour was able to gain 211 seats, having 412 out of 650 parliamentary seats. With a technocrat, the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer as the Prime Minister and the economist Rachel Reeves as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a new dawn was anticipated and optimism was running high.

One hundred days later, it is now like a false-dawn! One MP has already quit the Labour party, the fastest exit of an MP from a governing party in the UK. Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have fallen to minus 26 and Labour’s to minus 21. Almost half of those who voted for Labour feel let down by the government, and Conservatives who were trailing Labour by over 20 points, at the time of the election, are now neck and neck with Labour. What a change in a matter of just 100 days!

What are the reasons for this drastic change in fortunes? Top of the list is sleaze, the Prime Minister himself topping the table. Keir Starmer has been receiving personal gifts estimated to be worth over £100,000 from Lord Waheed Alli, the biggest donor of the Labour party. Not only had he received large sums for suits and eyeglasses but also his wife has received donations for her dresses! Many other Cabinet members, too, have been beneficiaries of Lord Alli’s generosity. According to British law, it is not illegal, as long as these are declared in the book of members interest, which they have done but what they have not been able to defend is the immorality of these actions.

Sue Gray, a senior civil servant, whose damning report regarding the parties held in Downing Stret, during the Covid epidemic, led to the resignation of Boris Johnson, was recruited as the chief of staff by the then Leader of the Opposition Keir Stramer, breaking existing conventions. When he became PM, she was naturally chosen to be the Chief of Staff at Downing Street, but she had insisted on a salary increase of £5,000 over that of the previous holder.

Interestingly, this increase would mean that her salary would exceed that of the PM! When other political advisors, whose salary have been reduced, leaked this information to BBC, Keir Starmer initially denied but later had to admit that it was his decision! Sue Gray’s son who got elected as a new MP from the Labour Party was rewarded with a position in government. However, it is extremely unusual for any MP with no experience at all to get any position like that. Further, it was disclosed that he too had received £10,000 from Lord Alli. As things got too hot, Sue Gray had no choice but to resign, reflecting very badly on Starmer’s judgement.

The deputy PM, Angela Rayner was seen, in a widely shared YouTube video, to be raving in a DJ booth in Ibiza and it again was a freebie. Sleaze never seems to end!

Next was Taylor Swift’s world tour creating a ‘Taylor-gate’ for the Labour government. When it transpired that the PM as well as the Home Secretary had received free tickets for her tour, PM agreed to pay for them! Worse was yet to come; it has now transpired that Taylor Swift was given ‘Blue Light’ top security by the Metropolitan Police, which is usually reserved only for royalty and very senior politicians.

It was reported in the British newspapers that the Scotland Yard was reluctant to do so but was pressured to do so by the Home Secretary as well as the Labour Mayor of London, who too was a recipient of free tickets! Worse, some papers reported that they had pressured the Met through the Attorney General! Why the security for a popstar who earns billions should be provided at taxpayer’s expense is a question that needs urgent answers, especially when one of the first acts of the Labour government was withdrawing the winter heating allowance from poor pensioners!

Rachel Reeves decision to tax the rich, especially the non-domiciled, has led to a flight of the rich out of the UK and her gloomy predictions of the economy has backfired. One of the first acts of the new government was passing legislation strengthening trade union action. Meanwhile, Starmer is chairing a summit to attract investment. In this mess, no one knows where the UK is heading!

We blame our politicians in Sri Lanka but it looks as if all politicians, the world over, were equally bad! It is hoped that the new government in Sri Lanka has learned lessons not only from their predecessors but also from what is happening around the world. For sure, we do not want it to go the UK way.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), as the first president to be elected without a majority, needs to tread carefully but some of the appointments made by his government have raised many eyebrows.

Equally, some of the claims made by his supporters is hilarious. Their claim about the smallest Cabinet is true but it is an attempt to make a virtue of necessity. If AKD had waited till his successor in Parliament was sworn in before dissolving parliament, he could have had a Cabinet of four.For the sake of Sri Lanka, I do hope that AKD and the government due to be elected, will do better than UK’s Labour government.