FITIS to play major role in creating digital trust in Sri Lanka

FITIS Digital Trust Chapter President  Ashane Jayasekara

The Government of Sri Lanka is actively pursuing a mission to build digital trust, aiming to foster a secure, resilient, and ethically governed digital ecosystem. This involves various initiatives focused on streamlining public services, and empowering citizens and businesses through digital technologies. In reaching this goal, Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS – Digital Trust Chapter) underscored the urgent need to embed Digital Trust as a foundational pillar in Sri Lanka’s Digital Transformation Roadmap. FITIS decided to actively engage in this mission at a Board Meeting held last week at FITIS Secretariat in Colombo.

The Digital Trust Chapter under FITIS aims to promote awareness, collaboration, and policy advocacy on issues such as cybersecurity, data protection, digital ethics, identity governance, and regulatory compliance. The Chapter brings together stakeholders from the public sector, private enterprises, academia, and civil society to build a secure and resilient digital future for the country. 

Presiding the meeting, FITIS Chairman Dr. Dayan Rajapakse said, “Successful digital transformation relies heavily on establishing and maintaining digital trust. Without trust, even the most advanced technologies and well-designed processes can fail to deliver intended results, essentially leading to a fruitless endeavour. This means integrating trust into all aspects of the digital transformation journey, from the initial planning stages to the ongoing operation of platforms and systems.”

FITIS Digital Trust Chapter President Ashane Jayasekara, a veteran in governance, risk, and cybersecurity, noted that lack of trust in digital platforms can lead to resistance, low adoption rates, and even reputational harm. He explained that Digital Trust refers to the user confidence or the ability of people in technology, and processes to create a secure digital world. Technologies like cloud computing, AI, blockchain, and data analytics become more integrated into public services, financial systems, and everyday citizen interactions. He also said that digital trust ensures these systems operate with integrity, privacy, and resilience. 

He called on all stakeholders, government agencies, tech industry leaders, regulators, and educators to prioritise trust in all digital initiatives from design to deployment. “Digital transformation without digital trust is a high-speed road to nowhere. We must make trust into every policy, platform, and process from the outset, whether it is the Government rolling out digital ID systems, banks offering mobile financial services, or businesses adopting AI-powered platforms. Digital trust is the catalyst that drives adoption and success,” added Jayasekera.

He also said that Sri Lanka’s ability to compete globally, attract tech investment, and deliver citizen-centric digital services hinges on its commitment to upholding the highest standards of security, privacy, and ethical use of technology.

In a compelling statement, Ashane Jayasekara noted that as Sri Lanka accelerates its journey towards becoming a digitally empowered nation; trust in digital systems, transactions, and platforms are no longer optional but is mandatory. “Digital transformation is not merely about digitising services. It is about creating an ecosystem where people, businesses, and governments can engage confidently, knowing their data, identities, and transactions are secure, ethical, and transparent. Digital Trust is the cornerstone of Digital Sri Lanka,” he said.