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| Sunday, 15 September 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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ICT exports to hit US$ 1b by 2006 by SUREKHA GALAGODA Chairman of the ICT Cluster Dr Lalith Gamage expressed confidence that Sri Lanka can achieve US$ 1 billion in total ICT exports by 2006 with the right mix of industry coordination, support from academia and an environment conducive to the growth of the sector.
He said that addressing and identifying issues, building confidence and creating competence are essential to increase the competitiveness of the industry globally. The issues identified by the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Cluster, formed with the assistance of the Competitiveness Initiative, include human resources, IT infrastructure, business environment, legal environment and marketing. The cluster has already increased the training opportunities in IT education with the assistance of the Government. "To create competencies, we have set up centres of excellence in e-learning, systems and services, project management and virtual teaming as well as e-government," Dr Gamage said. He said centres of excellence are a cost effective method of making the country visible as a world class offshore organisation since Sri Lanka needs to distinguish itself to establish brand leadership in global markets and surpass competition. Initially the Universities of Moratuwa and Colombo and the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology have been identified as centres of excellence. Dr Gamage said that software and service exporters are fundamental to increasing Sri Lanka's export earnings and employment. The success of these exporters depends on creating a world class policy environment conducive to the growth of the ICT sector. William Garrison, an international telecom consultant, after a two-week study, presented his findings and recommendations evaluating the telecommunications market in Sri Lanka relating to the IT industry. Virtual business incubators developed as web portals or CD-ROMs will show Sri Lankan companies how to succeed in competitive electronic markets, providing a gateway for investments and sharing the understanding necessary for seeking market opportunities here and abroad. In a bid to creating a conducive legal environment, the government is in the process of drafting the Electronic Transaction Bill, Computer Crimes Bill and the Data Protection Act. He said that a 15-member delegation will visit USA on an ICT business development matchmaking programme in November. The proposed programme for the visit will include at least two networking events in the USA where potential investors and venture capitalists will get an opportunity to meet Sri Lankan entrepreneurs to discuss the development of ICT products, outsourcing as well as business and academic research. It would facilitate business linkages and financial ties between firms and institutions in the USA and Sri Lanka. The organisers of the tour will assist the delegates to analyse market trends, identify high potential prospects and develop a strategy to make it an effective matchmaking trip. The delegation will include members from the private sector, ICT industry, ICT companies, venture capitalists as well as representatives from government and technical institutes. The mission is sponsored by the USAID/ANE Bureau. "This is the time to go for a big bang approach exploiting all available opportunities, taking advantage of the peace process with focused marketing missions. If Sri Lanka attracts one big investor, others will follow, as it happened in India," said Dr Gamage. At present there are about 100 firms in the ICT field while 60 are engaged in the export of software and related services. In 2000, export earnings from software and related services were US$ 50 million which increased to US$ 60 million in 2001. |
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