Business Times

E-government policy reduces public inconvenience

By Chanaka de Silva

The e-government policy to be implemented through the Secretaries, Additional Secretaries, Chief Innovative Officers is for the convenience of the public, a top official said this week. “A properly-maintained database makes people’s life simple and comfortable,” said Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga addressing the National Conference on ICT policy for the government, held at the Ceylon Continental Hotel last Saturday. The Secretary said that the foreign countries including ICT giant India had a lot of praise for Sri Lanka’s ICT achievements, the world awards won and Sri Lanka’s flagship project namely the Government Information Centre (1919).

It was stated that several countries were keen in emulating some of Sri Lanka’s projects and adopting them to suit their countries. These included the Government Information Centre and the Lanka Government Network which links all government institutions. Mr Weeratunga said that in a particular instance ‘1919’ ( the government hot-line providing information to the public on a 24x7 basis) had saved him from embarrassment. It was pointed out to him that when a particular Sri Lankan government institution’s website was accessed it was found not to have been updated. However the service provided by 1919 was able to compensate for the shortcomings of the website.

The Secretary said that the excellence of one project was no excuse for imperfections in other projects and he would request secretaries of all ministries to ensure that the websites of their ministries are updated regularly.

Giving a comprehensive overview of the legal framework of the e-government policy Attorney General Mohan Peiris said that ICT would turn the course of history if ‘we would be bold enough to make use of the e-government policy’.

Justice Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamlath said that the enactment of the Computer Crimes Act No.24 of 2007 is an effective tool in the prevention of computer related crimes. “In the fast changing ICT environment the Computer Crimes Act provides a safeguard for all those who use it,” he said.
The event was attended by over 70 top officials comprising Secretaries, Additional Secretaries of ministries and their chief innovative officers.

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
 
Other Business Times Articles
SLT halts job cuts, aims to enhance productivity
Helitours dressed up; ready to go as a commercial venture
Etisalat interested in Suntel
GK fraud case to drag on for indefinite period
UK parent takes control of Finlays Colombo
GK protestors released on bail
Quality time at Coke
Comment - Kotelawala era winds down
Feature - Customised and waste-free
Feature - What does the rise of the East and collapse of the West really mean?
CB grants first Credit Guarantee Scheme facility to IFL
Jaffna to be developed as a knowledge hub
New Board of Directors at PC House
Etisalat increased business through pre-paid products
SL must double credit flow to achieve target growth
23% of GDP logistics costs resulting in too high cost of living
E-government policy reduces public inconvenience
ABC Extra Stout Bags Gold at Asia Beer Awards 2010
Lanka’s Coke plant: Where workers and management share same goal
Virtusa ventures into social media
Good Performance by CSE in 2009, must improve poor liquidity: annual report
Lanka Tiles posts increased profits
SriLankan Airlines deploys world-class messaging solution from Microsoft
Logistics, inclusion added to NBQSA awards categories
First Sri Lankan appointed to regional chamber
Munchee bridge replaces coconut trunk-crossing
Depositor files action against F & G for default on maturity payment
‘Chandiya’ foreign policy negative for Sri Lanka: veteran trade unionist
HSBC appointed advisor on Lankan ratings
IPO oversubscription raises concerns
Buy SL govt bonds, t-bills, recommends HSBC
Sri Lanka no longer needs Wall Street type of banks : PBJ
TRC to re-look interconnection/minimum floor rates by year end
16 teams vie for MTI Venture Start-Up Challenge
Security, server and cloud software from Novell now in SL
Huge development opportunities ahead in post-war scenario
Thomson Reuters’ Islamic Finance Head to headline SL event
Asoka Peiris to lead Singer as new Group CEO
ICASL says adopting new standard
PC House offers shares to the public
SEC inquiring into rejected broker application appeals
Part one – derivative basic terms

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2010 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution