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World
Bank encouraged by "eSri Lanka" progress "A lot
has changed," said Dr. Hanna who was in Colombo to attend the
conference on eSri Lanka held recently. Speaking at
a seminar, "Making eSri Lanka a reality: The role of the Sri
Lanka Development Gateway" held to coincide with the conference
and the presence of the World Bank team, Dr. Hanna, commended the
initiative. "The roadmap was recognized by the World Bank because
the government has been seen as a driving force for social and economic
integration. There is government commitment to create an enabling
environment and commitment to civil service reform". He added,
"Few nations have taken a comprehensive approach. This is very
encouraging." However, he
reiterated the challenge ahead is in its implementation. Coordination,
public sector leadership, public-private sector integration, connectivity
and affordability were key factors that would determine the success
of the roadmap. The team included
Dr. Carlos A. Primo Braga, Director of the Information Solutions
Group of the World Bank who was also here to assess progress of
the Sri Lanka Development Gateway (LkDG). The LkDG is
an initiative of the Development Gateway Foundation organised by
the World Bank to assist developing countries through information
sharing via web portals. Sri Lanka's
prototype was commended as an example for the 44 global country
gateways last year and was awarded a further grant for its implementation. Dr. Harsha
de Silva presented the model adopted in setting up LkDG. He said
that connectivity is an issue that needs to be addressed in order
to realize the benefits of the portal. The LkDG model identifies
eight different economic areas covering the entire value chain for
each. One such economic
area, the gem and jewellery sector has already been partnered with
a related arm of The Competitive Initiative (TCI) of USAID. Dr.
de Silva also called for proposals from the public and private sector
to take the concept forward. The LkDG has been vested with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) in Sri Lanka to implement and administer the portal. PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) as project managers, E-Development Labs (EDL) for concept and design, and Interblocks (Pvt) Ltd for development of the portal, have been partnered by CCC to handle the respective areas of the portal. Exporters
concerned about SARS outbreak In the absence
of effective drugs or a vaccine for SARS, control of this disease
relies on the rapid identification of cases and their appropriate
management, including the isolation of suspects and probable cases
and the management of their close contacts. In the great majority
of countries, these measures have prevented the spread of the disease. The EASL, in
a statement, drew attention to the World Health Organisation's recommendations
for the adoption of measures to prevent travel related spread of
SARS. The WHO has
declared that there are three major issues on international travel
and the disease: Is the disease going to spread around the world
because of people with the disease travelling from affected areas
to other countries? Is it safe to visit these affected countries?
Is it safe to fly because there might be somebody who carries the
infection on board the aircraft? The EASL has strongly recommended that a competent and powerful task force be created to implement a strict and efficient system to guard Sri Lanka against the threat of SARS. The process should adhere to the standards advocated by the WHO. In addition a process of educating the community about this disease should also be undertaken as an urgent necessity, it said. Galileo
showcases 'safarEZ' at tourism mart As a travel
solution safarEZ would power an agency's customised booking engine
taking its shop-front to the consumers' homes and offices. It allows them
the convenience to access and book Galileo and non-Global Distribution
System (GDS) services like packages, tours and more. As a distribution
system, safarEZ caters to both Business to Business (B2B) and Business
to Consumer (B2C) channels over the Internet and provides and powers
Booking Engines for travel partners to assist them manage their
business better. Galileo Sri Lanka is an independent National Distribution Company (NDC), set up in partnership with SriLankan Airlines and Galileo Emirates, to distribute the comprehensive and innovative range of Galileo products in Sri Lanka. Netherlands
help to support reforms The programme
initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aimed at sharing
some of the initial financial risks that companies face when investing
in new products and/or technologies in emerging markets in developing
countries. The overall
goals of the programme is to encourage investments in the selected
developing countries and promote lasting investment and/or trade
relationships between Dutch and local companies, and contribute
to the alleviation of poverty in the developing countries through
transfer of knowledge and technology and strengthening and diversifying
the local private sector. Senter, an
executing agency of the Dutch government, has been appointed to
implement the project. An extensive presentation of this programme will be made on May 19 on the "Public presentation of the economic development facilities of the Dutch government to Sri Lanka" at the auditorium of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management at 4 pm. |
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