With regard to export crops, are the returns from these enough to justify the material and environmental costs of building the airport? Wouldn’t it be better to invest this money in high speed rail to connect these areas with Katunayake to cut the transport costs down. This would have a knock on effect of improving mobility for all Sri Lankans.

I am yet to see a mega project bring tangible, long term benefits to local people that a better thought out series of smaller incremental projects couldn’t have brought. Maybe that’s why you can’t explain the benefits?

Any aircraft approaching in Sri Lanka has to keep fuel to fly India as no other airport is available for diversion in an emergency. They have to reduce cargo load accordingly. This kept ticket prices high.

When raining in Western part no other air strip in West is possible. Hambantota is in Dry Zone you know. The second airport was a requirement for decades, commercially and technically.

They have already developed many tisuue cultured vegitable farms suitable for export around H’tota after years of experiments in Bata-atha farm laboratory. The President has given full support and guidance for this project past few years.

Flower producers in Bandarawela are delighted about this airport as their supply time and transport cost reduced in big way.

At the begining there will be a cargo business here than passenger traffic.

I do not know how to explain to you the benefits come to local people when a mega project like this go off in any place.

Also with regard to development and the price to be paid, refere the Sunday times article on how a lot of these projects are being paid for.
http://sundaytimes.lk/091206/News/nws_02.html

Most importantly, wealth is trickling in to the poorer sections of society; Mahinda’s constituency. For instance, there are the 200,000 or so Sri Lankan guest workers in Italy. The majority got there illegally, but Mahinda made it a point to persuade the Italian Government to give new permits to those already there. This month about 3,000 permits are to be given to Sri Lankans in Italy, who know, and whose 30,000 dependents in Sri Lanka know who was responsible for it.

Whatever the faults of the buonapartist leadership, it is making an effort to make development happen, wherever possible in a participatory manner. There are many grandiose schemes for the North, to match those in Hambantota, and like the latter some of it at least will take place.

Unless the opposition is willing to come up with something better than Mahinda is offering, it will not get very far. Certainly that Sad Ferret is not an alternative.