'Proposed Weerawila Airport - need of the hour'

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

AIRPORT: The construction of the alternate international airport at Weerawila is a vital component of the integrated Southern Development Program which comprises the construction of the harbour at Hambantota and the oil refinery.

The Government has focused its attention towards constructing a modernised alternate airport rich with facilities to boost tourism as well.

This is in order to gear the aviation sector in Sri Lanka to fall in line with the other developed countries, Additional Secretary Ministry of Ports and Aviation G. S. Withanage who was the chief guest at the Annual Academic Awards Ceremony of Asian Aviation Centre (AAC) held at the BMICH recently said.

He said that there is also huge potential to develop allied industries such as Heavy Aircraft Maintenance Bases, Aircraft Component Manufacturing Industries and Cargo Processing and Transhipment facilities which would help to reduce youth unemployment in the South.

Withanage pointed out that rapid growth in aviation has posed new challenges for airlines, airport operators and allied services and AAC is performing a valuable service to the Sri Lankan youth by giving them high quality training in the field of creating a lot of job opportunities.

Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Kingston University Dr. Peter Mason, said that the Kingston University is extremely happy about the valuable service performed by AAC over the ten years and the AAC students who come to Kingston in UK brilliantly complete their courses.

Hundred and seventy awards won by 99 students for the excellence in performance in their respective courses at the 10th anniversary celebrations of AAC which is the premier Aeronautical and Flying Academy in Sri Lanka.