COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment (BOI), the Colombo Port City Project and several other institutions drawn into the National Priority Program of the policy statement ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ have been brought under the purview of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa through a gazette notification issued earlier this week.
Among other institutions brought under the president’s purview are the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) and allied institutions, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and allied institutions and the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT).
In an earlier gazette issued in August, the seven institutions, though part of the National Priority Program, were not assigned to any particular institute or ministry.
The president’s office in a statement said the objectives of the National Priority Programe include expanding digital governance by the adoption of information technology as a tool in the delivery of efficient and people-centric services and exchange of knowledge, simplifying governance mechanism and the market process.
It also intends to install international electronic commerce and international electronic payment systems and formulate new laws and institutional structures for Data Security, CyberSecurity and intellectual property rights.
Other objectives include introducing legal and institutional provisions for transforming Colombo City into an international, commercial, trading and financial centre highlighting the special importance of Sri Lanka in relation to environmental sensitivity and the field of information technology, knowledge and skills, tourism and sports and expanding local and foreign investment facilities for export and import substitute productions benefiting all parties. The latter is intended to eradicate poverty through national development program spelt out in the ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’.
The institutions that will come under the president through the Program are:
- Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) and allied institutions
- Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and allied institutions
- Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team
- Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI)
- Colombo Port City Project
- Sri Lanka Telecom and its Subsidiaries and allied institutions
- All Information Technology Parks
- Presidential Task Force to study and provide instructions on measures to be taken by all armed forces to prevent coronavirus infection among members of the Tri-Forces
- Presidential Task Force to build a Secure Country, Disciplined, Virtuous and Lawful Society
- COVID-19 Ministerial Task Force
- Presidential Task Force for Archaeological Heritage Management in the Eastern Province
- Presidential Task Force on Sri Lanka’s Education Affairs
- Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation
-economynext.com/ENCL