BSA to address software piracy issues

Anjana SAMARASINGHE

The Business Software Alliance (BSA), the foremost organisation dedicated to promote a safe and legal digital world officially launched their presence in Sri Lanka yesterday.

They appointed Shalini Ratwatte as their local BSA Consultant.

Consultant, Sri Lanka Committee BSA Contracted Representative attorney Shalini Ratwatte said they launched in Sri Lanka and are still setting up the groundwork.

“We expect to address the policies and law enforcement on software piracy in Sri Lanka. We will also handle PR and marketing activities to reduce software piracy in the country,” she said.

“Sri Lanka is ranked as one of the countries which has a high software piracy rate in the world and this makes us to expand our services to Sri Lanka seeking opportunities to combat software piracy.

“BSA will conduct awareness programmes and educate public on software piracy. We will also work closely with the Government in strengthening the regulatory framework.

“Sri Lanka has a good legal structure for intellectual property rights”, she said.

Director - Marketing, Asia BSA Roland Chan said the annual global PC software piracy study says PC software piracy rate in Sri Lanka last year was 90 per cent.

“Studies have shown that a reduction of software piracy will not only promote the growth of the local software industry, it will create new jobs, attract foreign direct investments and generate additional tax revenues from legitimate business to the government,” he said.

BSA’s strong presence in Sri Lanka together with an effective enforcement mechanism as well as the establishment of the Commercial High Court, the local software industry will one day become a significant global player, he said.