Drive development with IT

Software industry and awards recognitions should be strategised for national development and all should partner the Government in development, said ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) CEO Reshan Dewapura.

Quality software production and motivation for it by awards such as NBQSA should go hand in hand with directing these towards the ultimate goal of national development, he affirmed.

The ICTA CEO thus invited all and in particular the software industry and the best in the field to partner the Government in the country’s national development journey. Dewapura extended this invitation at the National Best Quality Software Awards – NBQSA 2011 – partnered by ICTA as national partner for the third consecutive year and held in Colombo recently.

ICTA Chairman Prof. P. W. Epasinghe presenting the NBQSA 2011 ‘Most Outstanding Contribution Award’ to winner Jayantha De Silva. Others in the picture are NBQSA 2010 Chairman Dr. Vajeendra S. Kandegamage, BCS SL Section Chairman Dr. Gihan Wickramanayake and ICTA CEO Reshan Dewapura

Speaking further on the occasion on behalf of ICTA, Dewapura stressed on the need to aim at best quality software and make the industry and the best talents serve national development.

“Every year the cream of the local software industry and the greatest of the local software products are recognised and motivated to achieve even more. As we do this it is important to also look at the bigger picture in our national development plans. It is important to strategise this industry and specially awards recognitions such as the NBQSA to contribute to national development,” Dewapura said.

Drawing the attention of the audience to the wider picture and goal as indicated in the ‘Mahinda Chinthana – Vision for the Future,’ the Government’s policy statement, Dewapura said: “In this post-terrorism era, Sri Lanka is looking to transform itself to a dynamic global hub in the region by 2016. Becoming a ‘Knowledge Hub’ is one of five key areas that are being pursued.”

“In all probability, Information and Communication Technology will be the cornerstone of this transformation exercise of our country to a hub status,” Dewapura said, stressing on the premier role of ICT in the journey towards becoming a ‘Knowledge Hub’.

“This contribution from the ICT industry will be invaluable not only to the ‘Knowledge Hub’ exercise. It will be a vital component in achieving success and reaching hub status in the other identified sectors as well – Maritime, Aviation, Commercial and Energy,” Dewapura added.

Moving on to explain how ICT can play this pivotal role, the ICTA CEO said: “It is my opinion that the entire ICT sector and specifically activities such as NBQSA can contribute at the heart, at the core, at the foundation itself to such endeavours. For this the ICT sector including activities such as the NBQSA should be more strategic and align itself with the national plan for the country’s transformation to a hub status. Being so it should be an important factor and an essential cog – so to speak – in its success.”

Confirming that the ICT sector has been well in the path to fulfil the requirements for achieving the goals set before it Dewapura said: “We are all aware of the great strides Sri Lanka has made in the field of ICT in the last five to six years. From being the catalytic driver for development to contributing to improving the quality of life of all our citizens and to increasingly providing a recognisable boost to the national economy, the ICT sector has strived to lead from the front in Sri Lanka’s development efforts.

“The successful implementation of Sri Lanka’s e-Development agenda, in the past few years, has resulted in numerous achievements and successes. Our country is seen to have had the fifth best development in the ICT sector in the world, in the last five years, according to the World Economic Forum.”

Pointing out what needs to be done in the future further for achieving the national goals, Dewapura stated: “It’s now time to build on this success, take the lead in moving this effort to the next level and ensure that in the next five years not only would the ICT sector have grown, developed and matured in order to achieve the targets that we have set for ourselves, but also that ICT will have been a great and direct contributor in achieving our overall goals in the country’s national development plan, especially in the achievement of the mentioned hub status for Sri Lanka.

“The Government of Sri Lanka has already taken significant steps in this regard and in order to reach these goals, a clear plan for ICT development for the next five years has been finalised. This national ICT action plan continues to focus on using ICT as a true catalyst and an essential tool in contributing to the economic growth and social development in the country. In addition the continuing need to take the benefits of ICT to every citizen and to make each and every one of them a part and parcel of this transformation is clearly understood and factored into the plan.”

Moving on to focus the attention of audience on the importance of the private sector in this regard, Dewapura said: “The contribution from the IT industry and the IT private sector is a critical ingredient in achieving these targets successfully and I invite you all to play an active part and contribute wholeheartedly to this national effort.

“Sri Lanka already boasts a dynamic and energetic workforce in the software industry, capable of producing world-class software applications, products and services. All these can play a vital part in contributing towards many local initiatives and through processes and events such as NBQSA and by realigning themselves to national priorities they can directly contribute to achieving the national goals and objectives the country. I reiterate my invitation to all of you to partner the Government in this remarkable journey of national development in our country.”

Several awards were presented at NBQSA 2011. Among the distinguished recipients of the NBQSA 2011 awards was Jayantha De Silva, the winner of the ‘NBQSA 2011 Most Outstanding Contribution Award’ in recognition and appreciation of his yeoman services to the development of the ICT industry in Sri Lanka.

British Computer Society President Dr. Jim Norton participated in this function as the Chief Guest. ICTA Chairman Prof. P. W. Epasinghe, BCS SL Section Chairman Dr. Gihan Wickramanayake and NBQSA 2010 Chairman Dr. Vajeendra S. Kandegamage also graced the occasion.