Upgrading science and technology
Dinesh de Alwis
“We have won the war against terrorism
and now we have to win the war against the economic development.”
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa uttered above statement after
government successfully won the war against LTTE.
To energize a country it needs science. To move forward a country,
similarly, it needs technology. Therefore science and technology are
concerned as a fundamental energy source for economic development.
"The
declaration of the Year of English and IT today is thus a
benchmark which coincides with the end of terrorism and the
clearing of the political space for the expression of the
resolve of the Sri Lankan people to march together as one proud
people towards a future of peace and prosperity. In the global
environment of today, English and IT are two essential tools for
the achievement of our goal." |
- President
Mahinda Rajapaksa |
This essay traces how science and technology were developed under
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and examines his strategies for future in
the process of making Sri Lanka the wonder of Asia.
President Rajapaksa has appointed the prominent intellectual Prof
Tissa Vitarana as the Science and Technology Minister. The ministry was
renamed as Technology and Research Ministry in April.
President has added extra weight on the Ministry attaching several
new research institutions. The aim is to enhance Research and
Development (R&D) activities which are essential for the economic
development in Sri Lanka.
A number of institutions come under the purview of the Technology and
Research Ministry and President has taken every step to strengthen and
upgrade those institutions timely: Arthur C Clarke Centre for Modern
Technologies (ACCIMT), Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), National
Science and Technology Commission, National Engineering, Research and
Development Centre (NERDC), Sri Lanka Planetarium, National Science
Foundation (NSF), Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), National Research
Council (NRC), Institute Of Fundamental Studies (IFS), Sri Lanka
Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (SLABCA), Sri Lanka
Standard Institute (SLSI), Institute of Technical Science (ITS) and
Inventor’s Commission (IC).
During the war period, Government gave the highest position to
soldiers and gave the necessary support. When it comes to economic war,
researchers and scientists deserve priority. Government should give them
necessary support and facility to win the Economic War. That is why
President has requested local scientists established abroad to come back
and help the country’s development.
Minister Prof Tissa Vitarana has presented a five year strategic plan
(2011-2015) on Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Sri Lanka
to President. This new strategy plan will help Sri Lanka enter the upper
middle income range gaining US$ 4000 Per Capita income by 2016.
Ministry has taken measures to increase the research scientists and
technologists in Sri Lanka up to 7200 personnel by 2016. Currently there
are about 4600 research scientists and it is not sufficient to win the
economic war.
Ministry hopes to establish a full time research cardre in the
universities and absorb 500 personnel per year.
USA Economist Robert Solow has said the economic development depends
largely on the technological advances. Government has missed several
technological waves which are flown across the globe since Independence.
There were technological waves such as Electronic, ICT and Bio
Technological waves. But after President Mahinda Rajapaksa became the
president, he asked internationally-excelled local scientists to bring
the latest technology to Sri Lanka.
Today around the world nanotechnology waves are spreading. Scientists
brought the technology to Sri Lanka and President decided to move with
the latest trends in order to overcome the technological challenges.
In 2009, Nanotechnology was introduced to Sri Lanka under the
leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Institute of
Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) was open at Biyagama Export Processing Zone. At
the moment more than 92 countries, including Sri Lanka, enjoy this
technology; most of them are developed countries such as Japan,
Singapore, South Korea and the UK.
This new move will create a competitive environment for Sri Lankan
export products in the world market. At the moment Sri Lanka exports
more raw materials than finished goods to the world market.
As a result Sri Lanka looses a considerable sum of foreign currency.
With the development of nanotechnology Sri Lankan export products will
be more qualitative and it will increase foreign currency.
The aim of this program is to use high technology to enhance the
quality of exporting products. Up to now SLINTEC have taken four patent
licenses from the United States of America. President Rajapaksa had paid
utmost attention to enhance the rural Information Communication
Technology and as a result Vidatha program was initiated in 2005.
Currently 260 Vidatha Resource Centres (VRC) are established across
island. Technology and Research Ministry targets to establish 330 VRCs,
covering all Divisional Secretariats in Sri Lanka.
The objective of the VRCs is to transfer Information Communication
Technology to rural village and create job opportunities at village
level to alleviate rural poverty. VRCs are provided with free computer
training to youth community, school leavers and those who have no way of
acquiring ICT knowledge.
They can now access new technologies via these centres. At the moment
over 30,000 youths have been given computer literacy through the VRCs
and Government wishes to double the beneficiaries next year.
Vidatha Resources Centres are supply the technical assistance to the
rural entrepreneurs. Rs Million-worth loans have been granted for
Vidatha rural entrepreneurs under its lending scheme conducted with the
support of People’s Bank. Currently over 10,000 rural entrepreneurs have
been given the technical assistance through VRCs.
Before 2005, research institutions and scientists performed
individually, which has affected the country’s overall technological
improvements and synergy effort. Hence On the directive of the
President, Government has taken measures to coordinate all the research
institutions and scientists in Sri Lanka.
Ministry launched program to establish 1000 school science societies
and upgrade the present science societies. Currently there are 400
science societies islandwide. The aim of the program is to create a
Science and Technological environment in schools and make children aware
of latest science researches, innovations and developments in
Information Technology.
Sri Lanka possesses one of the highest rates of biological endemism
in the world with 16 percent of the fauna and 23 percent of flowering
plants.
The 12-member National Task Force was appointed by the President to
investigate into bio-piracy and take necessary action against illegal
exporting of Sri Lankan bio-diversity species.
Government has started constructing a Gamma Irradiation plant in
Biyagama Export Promotion Zone spending Rs 300 million and hope to
complete the plant by 2012.
After the completion, plant would produce medical products such as
latex gloves, syringes, sterile dressing and also provide facility to
sterilization of agricultural food products for export.
Gamma Irradiation also help R&D projects such as Hydrogel wound
dressings, vulcanization of natural rubber latex and gem irradiation
work in radiation processing.
Savidhana co-operative bank emerged to facilitate rural entrepreneurs
with financial difficulties. Savidhana grants loan facilities from Rs
5000 to 200,000. Technology and Research Ministry hope to expand bank
system into other districts.
Ministry has started awarding scholarships and fellowships for
scientific study or work at science and technology institutions, with a
prize granted for young scientists. At the moment Sri Lanka is only
investing 0.14 percent in GDP for Research and Development while it is
3.2 percent in South Korea. This will be increased up to one percent
within next five years.
The ministry will focus more on scientific research and development
to improve the advanced technology in Sri Lanka. President instructed
scientists to conduct R&D surveys on regular basis to provide most up to
date information to the policy makers and other stakeholders in the
country.
The science and technology sector of Sri Lanka has been greatly
developed during the past seven years under the Mahinda Chinthana
National Development Drive.
In the period ahead the ministry will focus more on scientific
research and development and transfer of technologies, to ensure
improved quality and productivity and expand economic activities which
are essential for the economic and social development of Sri Lanka.
Finally our vision for Sri Lanka is to be the scientifically and
technologically advanced country of the region by 2020. |