Intel to double investments in Lanka

Shirajiv Sirimane reporting from India

Tuesday Mumbai, Intel Corporation would double its investments in Sri Lanka and would also expand its regional operations said Corporate Vice President Intel Anand Chandrasekhar at the Centrino Duo mobile technology launch at the Taj Ends hotel here yesterday.

He said that when Chairman Intel Corporation Craig Barrett visited Sri Lanka he met the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa. "There were some commitments made and we would execute them within this year.

He said that they have already tied with wit Sri Lanka telecom to provide WiMax technology which would increase the internet wireless radius to about 50 kilometers.

"In addition we would provide technology for the apparel sector in the country and get involved in a teacher training program," he said.

Director South Asia Sales and Marketing, Amar Babu said that though there are computers in Sri Lanka schools the teachers' knowledge in operating them is some times limited. "What we want to do in Sri Lanka is to train the teachers so that they would in turn spread the knowledge of IT among school children.

Similar programmes have been done in other countries," he said. When asked as to why they waited such along time to invest in this programme he said that they were waiting for the right political and economic climate to do so," he said.

This in turn would also help to increase the computer literacy in the country.

Sales Manager Intel Sri Lanka Indika De Soysa said that they were very happy with the government move to take off the 15 percent duty on the import of computers to Sri Lanka. "This would make Sri Lankan prices of computers and note books in par with countries like Singapore and Thailand.