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| Tuesday, 2 March 2004 |
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Our Nation and The Sea Initiative : Integrating Lanka's ocean realm by Uditha Egalahewa, Executive Secretary, ONS Initiative Although an island nation, Sri Lanka's principal interests in the ocean
have been to extract fish and for maritime transport. The potential for
minerals, energy, recreation, and other uses have not This can be achieved through suitable changes in policy, formulation of strategies for ocean development and the implementation of necessary programmes and activities. This task is significant considering the large extent of sea that has accrued to Sri Lanka in terms of the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the large continental margin accruing to the country, following the international recognition of the special seabed boundary to be set as far away as seven hundred miles from shore. It is against this backdrop that lawyers from the Attorney-General's Department joined with Sri Lanka's leading specialists on the Law of the Sea to launch the Our Nation and the Sea (ONS) Initiative. As P. A. Ratnayake Additional Solicitor General, Member of the ONS Organizing Committee explained: "The ONS initiative was launched as a result of our realization that there were only a few persons amongst us versed in the Law of the Sea, and that it was incumbent on us to train younger lawyers who could serve the nation in the coming years. There was also considerable interest expressed by the private bar. We also felt that knowledge of the law by itself was insufficient and that we needed to inculcate a better understanding of the oceans as well as promote the idea of integrated marine affairs management". Meanwhile Dr. Hiran Jayewardene, Secretary General of IOMAC, Co-Convener of the ONS Initiative stressed the importance of capacity building to facilitate an integrated approach in all spheres of marine activity. He said that: "At present, we do not know how many experts we have in the field of marine affairs in the country simply because there is no organization or person to monitor the ocean sector in Sri Lanka. The ONS Initiative intends to mobilize a strong cadre of multi-disciplined personnel who will be better equipped to contribute towards the growth of this sector for the next 20 to 30 years. The persons involved should be from both the public and private sector in order that a holistic approach can be taken with regard to the formulation and implementation of policy in marine affairs". Therefore, a primary focus of the ONS Initiative is to conduct a comprehensive training programme in integrated marine affairs management and the law of the sea. The Certificate Course will be conducted by a group of leading Sri Lankan marine specialists and will target not merely those with a legal background but also middle and senior level administrators involved with marine affairs in order to equip them to more effectively performing their varied tasks. Dr. Hiran Jayawardene also said that it is the bounden duty of those who have gone before to draw on their experience and sign post the way for the next generation of marine specialists who will steer the nation in this field in coming years. With this in view the following have been formulated as the objectives of the ONS Initiative: * Create awareness among Professionals * Harness Resources and Capacity Building * Formulation of policies and strategies for implementation * Submission of a plan of implementation to the Government * Monitoring and reviewing progress in ocean resource management The ONS Initiative will also seek to identify the stakeholders from the public and private sectors and model a policy that would bring long-term economic benefits to the nation. The Initiative will also emphasize on the private sector participation in the formulation of Government policy in marine affairs to ensure the co-relationship between these sectors. The difficulty encountered presently in implementing government policy is a lack of consideration of a unified policy towards Ocean activity. Therefore it is expected that the public private synergy would create the link between all Ocean related activities and finally formulate a blueprint that could be implemented for the economic benefit of the nation. In this regard Razik Zarook, Attorney at Law and former Chairman NARA said: "NARA had teamed up with her regional counterpart organisation IOMAC to engage in a long-term capacity building exercise for the country. NARA has found it increasingly difficult to generate and sustain a sufficient cadre of specialized personnel. Such experts in various fields are needed to drive an effective national programme for development of ocean resources. Therefore I am sure that NARA fully endorses the ONS Initiative and would be contributing to the development of new ocean policies, strategies, programmes and activities-in the form of a "Blueprint for the Ocean" in the coming years, to be recommended to the Government and associated national entities for implementation. G. Piyasena, acting Chairman of NARA, who is a Co-Convener of the ONS Initiative fully endorsed the views of Mr. Zarook and pledged the support of NARA for this initiative. NARA will be providing exhibits for an exhibition to be held on 3rd and 4th March 2004, along side the inauguration of the ONS Initiative. The proposed "Blueprint for the Oceans" Parallel to the Training Programme, ONS will take on the monumental task of surveying the range of marine activities spanning: * Marine Science and Technology (Oceanography and related disciplines) * Living resources (Fisheries) * Non-Living Resources (Ocean Minerals and Energy) * Ocean Law Policy and management including Capacity Building (Enforcement, Monitoring surveillance and control) * Marine Transport and Communications Marine Environment (Harbours, Ports and Shipping) * Marine Environment (Recreational and Tourism) The ONS Initiative will commence with an Inaugural Session on March 3rd 2004 at the B.M.I.C.H. at which the Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva will be the chief guest. |
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been fully
addressed. Greater utilization of these resources and better management of
the sea can be brought about through the integration of the ocean sector
in national development.
