Believe in ourselves – Ingenious Sri Lanka!

These are tough times for leaders and their followers. This is applicable right across all countries and Sri Lanka is no exception. So many issues, opportunities and challenges and at times making any real progress appear quite a daunting task.

While some challenges are manmade, climate challenges appear to pose the strongest test of character. It is interesting to note the reactions when the leaders and their subjects alike are subjected to submersion due to a downpour!



Lessons

Some excuses made with regard to making any headway for a long time clearly are no longer relevant at least within Sri Lanka’s framework. If they were seen to be insurmountable for some, that need not be debated now, but lessons should be learnt.

We must visualise the current environment and embark on creating this an Asian dream destination. What I mean is not about creating history through numbers who visit us but making the footprints count in a way that we realise real confidence.

This is my 24th guest column to Daily FT and I have strived to position that our opportunity at this stage lies with science, technology and research and to reiterate the sense of urgency. I mentioned earlier on the numbers mismatch in terms of economic foot soldiers. There is lot of food for thought in the strategy document published recently.

As in any endeavour, to succeed some basic needs must be met. Hence, the idea to stress the ultimate ingredient – attitude with regard to confidence in investing in science and technology.



Looking within

We Sri Lankans have long shown a habit of looking all over the place but within for solutions to some of our problems. Some may say that we are too focused on the arrival lounge of the Bandaranaike International Airport for solutions. When resource crises happen, the focus shifts to Colombo harbour.

I know this is too strong an expression, yet the view I have taken with some experience. This certainly does not discount learning or seeking answers from those who are really knowledgeable. We must really inculcate the habit.

An issue we have faced for many years is that due to our almost submissive behaviour, lot many personnel have honed their skills with us and our systems as test subjects. Many an example can be given in this regard. Due to lack of depth prevailing within really strong personnel do not consider engaging with our system.

We certainly are not a knowledge hub today. However, it is quite interesting to note the interest and the policy direction accepted from the top and it is true that when leadership is keen and supportive a lot can happen. With the vision set it is how we realise such aspirations that become important – the steps in the process. We must not let ideas of value languish only as rhetoric.



Ingenious Britain

Consider what recently British politicians have implemented. A document that came to be published in UK is ‘Ingenious Britain’. It was an attempt by the conservative party to raise the country’s standing and its title gave me part of today’s title.

Today the UK’s coalition government had set in motion some of the steps contained in that document initially starting with a Sterling 200 million investment. Note the action – it is all about bridging the gap between universities and businesses.

There is the idea in UK that ideas get generated within but it is someone else who would commercialise them. There is brain drain from UK to USA in search of better research facilities. The priority is given for bringing research to market. UK is now trying to emulate the German model of Fraunhofer Institutes the idea being to have centres focused on specific technologies.

A similar approach was seen in Post-independent India which also opted to place science as a high priority. They went on establishing a series of high profile laboratories totally state funded to support growth in various sectors from nuclear to herbal.

These institutions are still functioning with a greater deal of modernisation that has resulted in a steady stream of intellectual property developments. The objective of these specialised institutes primarily to enable businesses to access specialised equipment and expertise.  Recently we have seen Ireland pursuing a policy based on S&T considering that as the only way forward for a smaller country. Today the model is tested with Irish economy in crisis. However, we failed to realise that most of these crises have resulted due to greed and mismanagement.

It is heartening to note Ireland still pursuing recovery without affecting their faith on policies on S&T. Sri Lanka too had witnessed elements of this model. Today the country boasts of around 31 research institutes and around 15 universities.

If one is challenged to list 46 breakthroughs with one per each the task is not quite easy. The issue is the existence of an institute in a certain ‘form’ does not guarantee results. The ‘minds’ are not attuned to ‘can do’ ideals. There are few linkages between the industry and these institutes. The lackluster existence needs to be changed and one area that needs change is in procedures and practices.

Even though Max Weber coined and studied Bureaucracy as an organisational feature, he was not placing a negative connotation. However, today our research management policies appear to be within a Weberian cage! It is no use crying out for productivity without addressing the basic constrains holding the system down.



Double deduction

Certainly, an aspect worth noting is the provision of 200% tax benefit or double deduction to those who engage in research and development by accessing locally established institutes. This important ingredient can really support long-term growth and support institutional development.

Whoever proposed this idea as well as whoever accepted the concept need applauding. A long outstanding need has been finally met. Now with a sensible financial instrument in place, how would the players react? Will our industry contribute collectively to resolve some of their burning issues through R&D? Will our industry collectively or individually set up research and development facilities together with universities and research institutes?

One aspect is certain. There may be better accounting in time to come to ensure that tax rupees are saved availing this provision. Hopefully the dismal current statistic indicated in the strategy document with regard to private sector contribution to research and development may change.

The document records that with R&D playing an insignificant role in adding to country’s GDP it is still the State that supports even what little that take place. This expenditure makes no major impact as the quantum of investment is below the levels required to make a critical change.

Hence the answer is not to cry foul indicating that nothing much is happening and the expenditure to be curtailed but the exact opposite to be followed – enhance the inflow and elevate the level of confidence.

It is well known that our industries instead of setting up instrumentation facilities within our boundaries spend significant sums of money to carry out testing and analysis overseas.

The setting up of NANCO (formerly SLINTEC) – the nanotechnology research lab – has indicated to us the strength of such an activity. Presence of specialised skills enable industry to elevate to a higher level of performance provided integration of skills and ideas. Time will tell but we do certainly note the fact that how this development helped some industries in the short time frame of its existence.



Sharpening the wrong saws

The ingenuity of our ancestors is unquestionable. Their demonstration of living in harmony is just beginning to be understood. The present is different. We have shown at times ingenuity in overcoming built in security of ‘tamper-proof’ devices. We have shown that we can conquer long distances cramped into closed spaces in search of greener pastures, be it trucks or boats.

We have shown our ability to master languages in double quick time or use technology to get through examination barriers. Our spirits to endure tough conditions or engage in menial labour abroad is well known. Steven Covey may intone that we have been sharpening the wrong saws.

While hard work within a legal value set is admired, we must change emphasis. Start to ‘believe in ourselves’ in what we can do within of course with continuous learning factored in.

One can admire the statement made by that ancient Roman philosopher – Seneca. He was quoted as saying that “we do not do things because they are difficult and it is because we do not dare that things are difficult”.

Seneca living today may draw in many more examples to strengthen his thesis from us on this day and age as we are quick to come out why we should not be doing many of the important things. Each negative argument only places one more nail on our confidence.

There are plenty of success stories in Sri Lanka. Yet they find little space. The negative usually upstage the positives, which in turn lead to lowering self-worth or ones assessment of collective capabilities.

If I am to state strongly, while cities and countries declare themselves to be intelligent and eco-driven – Masdar and Singapore as examples – we just cannot afford to be a fool’s paradise!



(Professor Ajith de Alwis is Professor of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. With an initial BSc Chemical engineering Honours degree from Moratuwa, he proceeded to the University of Cambridge for his PhD. He is a Science Team Leader at the Sri Lanka Nanotechnology Institute. He can be reached via email on [email protected])