Local Industry News

The number of mobile phones used by 20.8 million Sri Lankans hit over 20.3 million for the fist time at the end of December 31, 2012, Central Bank data showed.

The Board Members of the Cambio Healthcare Systems AB led by the Chairman of the board Göran Persson visited the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC) to ceremonially open the Cambio Research Lab of the UCSC on the March 25, 2013. Cambio Healthcare Systems AB formally handed over 40 Computers to the UCSC. Chairman of the Cambio Healthcare Systems, Göran Persson is a former Prime Minister of Sweden (1996 - 2006) and other board members included CEO Tomas Mora-Morrison, CFO Niklas Berglund and Chief of Software Engineering Göran Skold. Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawarathna, Secretary Ministry of Higher Education and Prof. Kshinika Hirimburegama, Chairperson, University Grants Commission also graced the occasion.

The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team Coordination Centre (Sri Lanka CERT|CC) played an active role in celebrating Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team’s (APCERT) 10th anniversary recently. Sir Lanka CERT |CC is a subsidiary of the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA).

Amana Takaful PLC, the pioneering Takaful provider in Sri Lanka along with its subsidiaries signed up with Saberion (Pvt) Ltd as their preferred web solutions partner. With ventures in insurance, investments and asset management the Amana Takaful Group is now focused on providing a more holistic customer service experience online and by working with Saberion, the company is keen to redefine the online experience of its discerning clientele.
Having recently launched new web solutions for Amana Global (www.amanaglobal.com), Amana Takaful (www.takaful.lk) and Amana Maldives (www.takaful.mv), the Saberion solutions offer a streamlined brand experience and a range of online services to its customers.

With so many students who are eligible to enter university being deprived the chance to do so due to the state university intakes being limited, a majority of students do not have the opportunity to pursue higher education and achieve their cherished dreams.
Taking this fact into consideration, The Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT) has over the past years been instrumental in offering a unique scholarship scheme “inforschol” for students who have obtained good Advanced Level results but who unfortunately have not been able to enter the state universities.

Marking yet another milestone in its history, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) ceremonially launched its first ever degree programme in applied accounting at a gala ceremony held under the patronage of Minister of Higher Education S. B. Dissanayake on Monday, 25th March 2013. Secretary to the Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade, Mr. G K D Amarawardena and Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne were also present at this occasion.

Sri Lanka is now journeying from version 1.0 to version 2.0 of Development Agenda, 'Smart Sri Lanka' moving from pure technology and focusing more on innovation, transformation, entrepreneurship and inclusion, said ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), CEO Reshan Dewapura at the inauguration of IBMSoftwareUniverse2013 in Colombo. It was organised by IBM Sri Lanka.

"The permanent Nenasala computer laboratory at the Hardy Advanced Technology Institute, Ampara (HATI) fulfils a dire need," said Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya at the launch of the Nanesala computer laboratory at HATI recently. "As the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) is wont to do, this time too it has come out with a mechanism for accelerated development through ICT," he said.

Source www.outsourcemagazine.co.uk

By Dr. Arul Sivagananathan

Traditionally Sri Lanka’s export income was earned through tea (the world-famous Ceylon Tea), rubber and coconut until apparel and tourism became big earners. With the end of the 25-year war, tourism seems set to be a bigger foreign currency earner than ever before. However the country is yet to realise its full potential in the hospitality industry.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) and the University of Kelaniya (UoK) recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which aims at developing and promoting the accounting education and the profession in the country.

The results of the GCE Ordinary Level Examination 2012, were released to the web by the Examinations Department yesterday afternoon.

In a move to further liberalize country’s foreign exchange controls, the Central Bank has granted permission to Dialog Axiata PLC (Dialog) to facilitate inward remittances via mobile phone technology, according to the Exchange Controller.

Sri Lanka's MAS Holdings is investing 20 million US dollars in attune Consulting, an information technology firm that caters to the apparel and fashion industry, said.

Imagine Cup 2013, Sri Lanka’s premier student technology competition, will take place at the main auditorium of the UCSC (University of Colombo School of Computing)on the 10thof April. This year UCSC is the co-host of Imagine Cup Sri Lanka Finals grand event.

Microimage HCM the flagship HR Solution for key government and non-government projects in Maldives.

Microimage HCM, together with its business partner Win Solutions Pvt Ltd, recently won many significant HR Solutions contracts in the Maldives. Among these are projects in government entities such as the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Maldives Transport and Contracting Company Plc (MTCC), FENAKA Corporation, Island Aviation Service Limited and ADK Hospital.

Q: Could you tell me about IBM’s presence in Sri Lanka thus far and what’s in store for the near future?

Fernando: We’ve been in Sri Lanka since 1962 and have worked with many businesses and the Government on almost all mission critical IT projects, whether it be insurance, banking, telecommunications or Government projects – IBM has been a leader in being able to deliver these solutions and projects. Now, with IBM’s vision of being able to deliver a smarter planet, we believe that it’s time to think of how that smarter planet vision can help Sri Lanka to become a smarter country.

The world is entering a rapid and dramatic period of change with the emergence of new digital approaches to business and life. With the phenomenon of digitisation reaching inflection point, forces driving the shift are consumer demand, push for new technologies, and the prospects of greater economic benefits.

The Business Leaders’ Forum 2013, organized by the institute of Personnel Management (IPM) will be held from April 4, at the Galadari Hotel, Colombo. The theme for this year’s forum is, ‘Integrating human resource management across disciplines.’

Sri Lanka is now journying from version 1.0 to version 2.0 of Development Agenda, ‘Smart Sri Lanka’ moving from pure technology and focusing more on innovation, transformation, entrepreneurship and inclusion. This was stated by ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) CEO Reshan Dewapura on Tuesday (19), while participating as the Chief Guest at the inauguration of IBM Software Universe 2013 in Colombo.

Dialog Axiata PLC announced the appointment of Azwan Khan Osman Khan as its new Group Chief Operating Officer (GCOO), taking over from Supun Weerasinghe, who has taken up a regional role as Group Chief Strategy Officer of Axiata Group.

We have come to an age where the corporate world has moved swiftly from desktop based enterprise systems to mobile based enterprise solutions. Companies such as WSO2 are now leaning increasingly towards the new trend as they see a prosperous future in the world of mobile technology.

Dialog Axiata PLC announced yesterday, the Launch of Sri Lanka's First Commercial Mobile 4G-LTE service. The announcement of launch of commercial services commencing with the City of Colombo follows close on the company securing of a 10 MHz tranche of 1800 MHz LTE Spectrum auctioned by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka.

DMS Software Technologies (Pvt) Ltd (DMSSWT), a Gold Level Member of the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), successfully completed the implementation of the Oracle E-Business Suite solution at Continental Insurance Lanka Limited. The new system has substantially helped the company increase efficiency and accuracy in its many financial transactions.

Plans are afoot by the Department of Motor Traffic to computerise motor vehicle registration and transfer the process under the department's e-motoring programme, Motor Traffic Commissioner General S H Harischandra said yesterday.

The TRCSL ventured in exploring the possibility of extending its broadband QoS of fixed broadband services to remote locations to check whether the subscribers are receiving the same level of service as observed by the TRCSL at its monitoring unit.