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Early History of ICT in Sri Lanka – Lessons for the Future
Aruni Goonetilleke interviews Prof. Mohan Munasinghe
September 2017
The Beginning
It was almost a chance event that drew the attention of former President J.R. Jayewardene to
computers. In 1982, Prof. Mohan Munasinghe, in the course of his work as Senior Energy Advisor
to the President of Sri Lanka, tabled a 3-page memo at his first weekly meeting. The President on
seeing it had requested a ½ page memo with the recommendations summarized in just two lines.
Prof. Munasinghe, promptly edited the document using his Tandy Radio Shack TRS 80 computer
and his EPSON dot matrix printer (both very new to Sri Lanka at the time), and returned with the
document in the style and format required by the President, within ½ hour.
Impressed with this outcome, the President had said “we should know more about this technology”
and had requested a report. Prof. Munasinghe’s brief report resulted in the setting up of the Special
Presidential Committee on National Computer Policy, and thereby launched Government
intervention in the area of ICT.
The National Computer Policy for Sri Lanka (COMPOL)
The Committee on National Computer Policy (COMPOL) guidelines was set up at the request of
the H.E the President, by the Natural Resources, Energy and Science Authority (NARESA). It
comprised eminent members with extensive experience and expertise. Prof. Mohan Munasinghe
was the Chair, while the other members were Prof. VK Samaranayake, Dr. RB Ekanayake, Dr.
NWN Jayasiri, Prof. S Karunaratne and Dr. Ajit Kanagasundram. Mr. Yapa from NARESA was
the Secretary.
The COMPOL report was completed in just four months, due to the high professional quality of
the Committee and the excellent teamwork. The resultant policy document was approved by the
Cabinet in 1983, and it has stood the test of time. For over 20 years, this was the only Cabinet
approved ICT policy in Sri Lanka, until many years later, in 2009, when the e-Government policy
drafted by ICTA was approved by the Cabinet.
Prof. Munasinghe stressed that this very first computer policy was not a “controlling” policy.
Rather, the emphasis was on facilitation and the use of ICT for development – i.e. to use computer
technology in all its aspects, for the benefit of the people of Sri Lanka, and to further the socio-
economic development of the nation. First the developmental needs of the country were addressed
and then the way in which technology could be used for development was ascertained. The general
philosophy underlying the National Computer Policy Guidelines was specifically stated as “to
foster initiative and creativity in both public and private sectors, and to coordinate, encourage and
guide these efforts rather than to control and regulate them”.
In retrospect, this dovetails almost exactly with the vision of the e-Sri Lanka Development Project,
implemented by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA)
20 years later; the vision was to “take the benefits of ICT to every village, every business and to
improve the way Government thinks and works”.
COMPOL report – emphasis on development
No other country at that time had such a well-defined computer policy as COMPOL. The needs of
the country were addressed from a developmental perspective. There was to be a Board or a
Council to advise the Minister in charge on the formulation of National policy for supporting
development, to improve the quality of life of the people and to meet the challenges of
technological change.
The focus was on advancing technological skills, creating a facilitating and enabling environment;
on establishing professional standards in the sector; and the far-sighted objective, even then, of
exporting computer related services. These same objectives were also encompassed within the e-
Sri Lanka Development Program implemented by ICTA, 20 years later.
The Computer and Information Technology Act no. 10 of 1984 and setting
up of CINTEC
Drawing on COMPOL report, Prof. Munasinghe personally helped the Legal Draftsman’s Office
to prepare the Computer and Information Technology Act no. 10 of 1984. This Act was broadly
focused on the formulation and implementation of policy for supporting national development.
Some of its key objectives were to advise the Minister on the formulation and implementation of
a national policy on computers and IT and also to promote, facilitate and assist the use of and
application of computer and IT in Sri Lanka with a view to improving the quality of life of its
people and enabling Sri Lanka to acquire the necessary capability to meet the change of
technological change. Prof. Munasinghe also served on the Presidential Committee on
Telecommunications Policy , and incorporated relevant ideas from that exercise into the CINTEC
Act.
The Computer and Information Technology Council of Sri Lanka (CINTEC), was established in
1984 as the apex Government body on computers and IT. There were three elements which
comprised CINTEC; firstly, there was the Board or the Council to advise the President or the
Minister in charge. Prof. Mohan Munasinghe was the founder Chairman. The other members of
the first Council – recommended by Prof. Munasinghe — were Prof. V.K. Samaranayake,
(University of Colombo and next Chairman of CINTEC), Dr. R.B. Ekanayake (President of the
Computer Society of Sri Lanka), Prof. Abhaya Induruwa (University of Moratuwa), Dr. N.W.N.
Jayasiri (National Institute of Business Management (NIBM), Mr. C. Gunasingham (Additional
Secretary, Presidential Secretariat), Mr. K.K. Gunawardena (Director of Telecommunications),
Mr. Akiel Mohamed (Director of National Planning), Mr. G. Kumaratunga (Commissioner of
Customs), and Prof. J. Gunawardena (University of Peradeniya).The professionalism and broad
coverage of the Board (which included senior persons from government, academia and civil
society) helped to ensure its success.
CINTEC functioned under the President from its commencement. This gave CINTEC the clout
that was necessary for implementing policy and the relevant IT related decisions throughout the
Government organizations. President Jayewardene also relied on Prof. Munasinghe to help him
articulate and implement public policy on ICT for development – establishing Sri Lanka as a leader
among developing nations. For example, in his famous address at the convocation ceremony of
the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 1984, the President stated: “Science and Technology
must be an essential part of development. It has to be part of upbringing from the cradle….we are
in the process of establishing a computer and information technology council…..the microchip is
today the carrier of knowledge….the need to leapfrog into the future is paramount in the life of a
developing nation….Time is of the essence. The time is now, and we must grasp it. You, young
men and women of the future will be the beneficiaries.”
The CINTEC Secretariat supported the work of the Council. There were several Working
Committees such as the Committee on Law and Computers, the Committee on Data
Communication, the Committee on Public Sector Computerization and the Education Committee.
Committee members were drawn from the Government sector, from the academia, the private
sector and comprised those with expertise in these fields.
Then there were the other elements with which CINTEC had ties such as the Centers of Excellence
– viz., the Universities of Moratuwa, Colombo and Peradeniya and NIBM for academic work and
for skill development. CINTEC also supported the Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL), a
professional body which had just been established. And CINTEC also interacted with focal nodes
in key Ministries, which served as the points through which computerization would be introduced
into Government organizations. These links facilitated the promotion and use of computers.
Since its inception in 1984, CINTEC became a role model for developing countries and a prime
example of how computer driven development could take place in a developing country. Many
leading articles were published in Sri Lanka and internationally. Two premier world science
academies, The United States National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC, and Third World
Academy of Science (TWAS) in Trieste, recognized the path breaking work in Sri Lanka. They
collaborated closely with CINTEC during this early period, conducting several international
seminars and publishing books jointly (CINTEC-USNAS, 1985 and CINTEC-TWAS, 1989 ).
Looking ahead
Prof. Munasinghe stressed that implementation of technology should not be pursued as an end in
itself, but rather it is necessary to first commence with a development challenge and thereafter the
appropriate technology should be selected and applied. Government, he states, should play an
enabling, facilitating and guiding role, while business is the main driver of innovation and
technology development, and academia develops the human resource capacity and addresses skill
development issues. Furthermore, Prof. Munasinghe stresses that goal no. 9 of the Sustainable
Development Goals – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – can be a prime driving force for
ICT-led sustainable development.
Besides his pioneering work in ICT, Prof. Munasinghe has won accolades for his exceptional
contributions towards the areas of environment, energy, climate change and sustainable
development. He further explains that today, humankind is using more than 1½ times the
sustainable capacity of this planet. And ICT, because it improves the efficiency of resource use,
can help reduce this burden on the planet. ICT can also help the poor lift themselves out of poverty,
achieve a more equitable distribution of wealth; provide information and livelihoods; and facilitate
good governance, improve accountability and transparency. ICT should not be perceived as just a
useful technology but as a major thrust area for transforming society and making development
more sustainable.
Web References
1. http://www.ict-history.lk/prof-mohan-munasinghe/ : Article
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKLIyeG4KbI : Video interview
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEdBxiK4bSE : Website Launch - News First TV Video
1
M I N D
Brief Review of ICT in Sri Lanka
and Lessons for the Future
Professor Mohan Munasinghe
www.mohanmunasinghe.com
Founder Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND), Colombo
Vice Chair, IPCC-AR4 who shared the 2007 Nobel Prize for Peace
Chairman, Presidential Expert Committee on Sustainable Sri Lanka 2030 Vision
Distinguished Guest Professor, Peking University, China
Keynote Address at the
Launch of the History of ICT in Sri Lanka website
Colombo, 26 September 2017
Ayubowan! Vanakkam! Greetings!
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
ICT Early History: 1960s to early 1980s
1. First computer applications in government and business
•Computerization of organisations began in the 1960’s (e.g. Walkers, AMS
Data Services,State Engineering Corporation, and Department Census &
Statistics)
•Results of GCE O-Level exams were processed by the State Engineering
Corporation in 1969.
•Computer companies set up in the 1980s –eg., Jagath Robotics in 1985
2. President Jayewardena initiated COMPOL (1982) & created
CINTEC (1984) –enabling policies to support development
•Special Presidential Committee on National Computer Policy (COMPOL)
set up by HE President J.R. Jayewardene in 1983.
•COMPOL report led to apex body on ICT –Computer & Info. Techn.
Council of Sri Lanka (CINTEC), created through Act no. 10 of 1984.
•COMPOL Guidelines sought to use ICT to benefit the people of Sri Lanka,
and further national socio-economic development. CINTEC aimed “to
foster initiative and creativity in both public and private sectors, and to
coordinate, encourage & guide these efforts rather than to control them”.
•ICTA vision (20 years later) continued this same strategy – “to take the
benefits of ICT to every village, every business and to improve the way
Government thinks and works”.
2
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
CINTEC Highlights (1984-2002)
•First Chairman: Prof. Mohan Munasinghe
•Followed by Prof. V.K. Samaranayake.
CINTEC initiatives in 1980s: Developing country role model & leader, help
for national development by promoting ICT in govt., business & academia
•CINTEC became a role model for developing nations and prime example of how
computer driven development could take place in a developing country.
•International workshops held, and CINTEC published books on computers and
development with prestigious scientific institutions like the US National Academy
of Sciences, and Third World Academy of Sciences.
•Working Committees created on (1) Law and Computers, (2) Data
Communication, (3) Public Sector Computerization, and (4) Education.
•Supported Centers of Excellence –Moratuwa, Colombo & Peradeniya Univ. NIBM
•Support for private sector - Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL), etc.
•CINTEC interacted with focal nodes in key Ministries, to promote computerization
in government organizations –the precursor of e-government today.
CINTEC initiatives in 1990s: Continuing support for national development
•Sri Lanka Computer Vendors’ Association (SLCVA) in 1992
•Sri Lanka Association for the Software Industry (SLASI)
•Association for Computer Training Organizations (ACTOS).
•Federation of IT Industry SL (FITIS) in 1995, to coordinate activities of industry.
•INFOTEL Lanka demonstrated important role that industry can play.
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Maintained focus on ICT for national development:
e-Sri Lanka Development Program, ICT Road Map, etc
•Modification of 1984 CINTEC Act by 1994 S&T Act led to dilution of
effectiveness –ICT no longer under the Preident.
•Closure of CINTEC led to the formation of the Information and
Communication Technology Council (ICTA) of Sri Lanka.
•ICTA commenced implementing the e-Sri Lanka Development
Program. The World Bank reviewed ICTA as a capable and
professional institution which played a substantive role in the
significant outcomes of the project.
•ICTA has played an essential role in achieving some key results:
Modernization of government services;
provision of affordable access to information infrastructure & services;
technical assistance to build capacity for ICT leadership, improved
policies and laws required for ICT diffusion;
increased ICT literacy in every part of the country;
promoting IT and BPO exports, and mobilizing resources and innovation
in ICT applications to meet priority social needs ;
implementing a results based M&E approach to improve project
performances and measure outcome/ impacts.
ICTA Activities (2003 onwards)
3
M I N D
COMPOL Report was presented to H.E. President J.R. Jayewardene
in April 1983. (L to R) N.W.N. Jayasiri, S. Karunaratne, A.
Kanagasunderam, M. Munasinghe (Chair), R.P. Jayawardene.
Prof. Munasinghe was first requested to prepare such a report on
December 1982 –the document was completed quickly in 4 months!
MEMORY LANE
M I N D
Seated –A.S. Gunasingham, V.K. Samaranayake, M. Munasinghe (Chair),
K.K. Gunawardena, Akiel Mohamed.
Standing –J.A. Gunawardena, A. Induruwa, G. Cumaranatunga, R.B. Ekanayake
Many Board Members were senior govt. officials, outside
the sector - strengthening the long-term policy viewpoint.
CINTEC BOARD 1984
4
M I N D
TRADITION OF
DIRECT
PRESIDENTIAL
INVOLVEMENT
WAS SET IN 1983
H.E. President J.R.
Jayewardene handled
the new Ministry
himself and submitted
Cabinet Memoranda on
ICT Policy.
Chairman of CINTEC
dealt directly with the
President (Minister in
Charge).
M I N D
Book distributed worldwide
1985 by National Academy of
Sciences, Wash. DC, USA
Book distributed worldwide
1989 by Third World Academy
of Sciences, Trieste, Italy
CINTEC key 1980s role model for Developing Countries
5
M I N D
CINTEC: Computer &
Information Technology Council
Act No.10 of 1984
CINTEC: Science and
Technology Development Act
No.11 of 1994 –Part III
ICTA: Information &
Communication Technology Act
No. 27 of 2003
WHAT NEXT ?
(2017-2030)
19 years
14 years
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Global Vision:
Sust. Eco-Civilization of
21st Century focusing
on Happiness & Well-
Being (GNH) determined
not only by material
consumption (GNP)
Economic: build a prosperous economy that is resource-efficient,
but respects key environmental & social sustainability constraints
Social: ensure rights & basic needs of all citizens (esp. the poor),
ensuring peace, reconciliation, harmony, social justice & security.
Environmental: respect nature & contain natural resource use
within the sustainable ecological capacity of the country.
.
Sri Lanka 2030 Vision: Key Targets
17 SDG adapted to National needs - monitoring framework.
6
M I N D
UNDERLYING STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES
OF 1982 STILL RELEVANT TODAY!!
1.ICT key thrust area for national sustainable development based
on SD triangle: including service to the people, supporting
economic prosperity & reducing envir. pressures.
•Broad vision to address SD challenges
•Deep knowledge of the technology
2. Govt. –defines national interest; provides enabling/guiding
policy framework (light)
3. Business –main driver of innovation and technology
development and applications
4. Academia –capacity building in centres of excellence, expand
democratic space & civil society awareness, etc.
Define Sri Lankan SD vision adapt ICT policy to reach goal
DO NOT allow techno-trends to shape our development and
blindly follow others.
Some useful examples:
Two elections of 2015 - key role of Social Media and ICT.
Geo-strategic position of Sri Lanka as future trade, transport
and financial hub, supported by ICT hub.
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Economic
Social
•empowerment/governance
•inclusion/consultation
•institutions/values
Environmental
•resilience/biodiversity
•natural resources
•pollution
•inter-generational equity
•values/culture
Sustainable Development Triangle –harmonising key elements and
interconnections (corners, sides and centre) Source: Munasinghe [1992], Rio Earth Summit
•growth
•efficiency
•stability
Build Democratic Space for Sustainable Development:
Use ICT to harmonise, balance & integrate SD triangle
Democratic
Space for SD:
Key Role for
ICT
7
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Multi-Stakeholder Harmonization and Balance to
Ensure Cooperation for Sustainable Development
Social
Capital
Business
Govern-
ment
Civil
Society
ICT can catalyse and balance interactions among government, civil society
and business to protect democratic space & strengthen good governance
Source: Munasinghe (1992), Rio Earth Summit
ICT to Protect
Democratic Space
& Improve Good
Governance
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Stakeholder Imbalance: Dominance of Executive
Presidency & Govt. Control crushed civil society
and business - destroyed Democratic Space
Social
Capital
Business
Govern-
ment
Civil
Society
Source: Munasinghe (1992), Rio Earth Summit
Government
Executive Presidency
18th Amendment
2/3 Parliament Majority
Nepotism, Corruption,
Violence, Intimidation,
Media Control,
Security State
Two elections in 2015 reversed this trend and
influence of Social Media & ICT had a key role
8
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Challenges: 1982 and 2017
1982 Future Unknowns:
Personal computing - microcomputers, laptops, tablets, etc.
Internet and www expansion
Mobile phones
Selected reports
Presidential Committee on Computer Policy (COMPOL): 1983
Presidential Committee on Telecommunications Policy: 1985
Sri Lanka Integrated National Energy Plan: 1985
2017 Future Unknowns:
Disruptive technologies - Mobile Internet, Internet of Things,
Cloud technology, AI, Robotics, Autonomous vehicles
Advanced materials, Genomics, Energy storage, 3D printing,
Advanced oil and gas extraction, Renewable energy
Selected reports
Presidential Expert Committee on Sustainable Sri Lanka 2030
Vision 2018
M I N D
A NATIONAL COMPUTER
POLICY FOR SRI LANKA
(COMPOL)
Report of the Special Presidential
Committee of the Natural Resources,
Energy and Science Authority,
Colombo, Sri Lanka
to
His Excellency J.R.
Jayewardene
President of Sri Lanka
April 1983
1983
MEMBERS OF SPECIAL
PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE ON:
NATIONAL COMPUTER POLICY
FOR SRI LANKA (COMPOL)
9
M I N D
A NATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
POLICY FOR SRI LANKA
Report of the Special Presidential
Committee on Telecomunications
to
His Excellency J.R.
Jayewardene
President of Sri Lanka
July 1985
1985
MEMBERS OF SPECIAL
PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE ON
NATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY
FOR SRI LANKA
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Sri Lanka
Integrated
National Energy
Plan: 1985
World Bank
Publication
10
M I N D
2017: Presidential Expert Committee (PEC) on
Sustainable Sri Lanka 2030 Vision
1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction (Chair: Mohan Munasinghe)
3. Clusters
–Economic (S. Kelegama & D. Weerakoon))
–Social (Siri Hettige & Savithri Gunesekera)
–Envir. (H. Ranasinghe & WL Sumathipala)
4. Sectors
–Agriculture (Anural Ekanayake)
–Education (Madhura Wehella)
–Energy (Shave Fernando)
–Health (Pani Gooneratne)
–Marine & Fisheries (Kamal Ranatunga)
–Transport (Amal Kumarage)
–Urban & Physical Planning (Jagath
Munasinghe)
–Water (S R K Arupola)
5. Cross-cutting issues
•Citizenship Values & Ethics
(A.Tilakaratne)
•Climate, Air, & Disasters
(WLSumathipala)
•Gender (Neloufer de Mel)
•Governance & Inst. (Savithri Gunasekera)
•Innovation, Techn. & Ind. (including ICT)
(R.Samarajeeva)
•International Relations
•National Security, Law & Order
(A.Abeygunasekera)
•Poverty & Inequality (Udan Fernando)
•Reconciliation & Harmony (Mano
Tittawela)
•Youth Perspective (P. Abeyeratne)
6. Recommendations & Conclusions
7. Annexes
Contents
M I N D
Endorsed by
President
Sirisena, UN 2015
Prioritize 17 Sust. Dev. Goals (SDG) to suit Sri Lanka
ICT falls within SDG 9 & also cuts across many other SDG
Last Chance before
Multiple Global
Crises Converge
Universal-Complete
Integrated-Holistic
Fair to everyone
9. Innov.
& Infrastr.
- ICT
16. Peace
& Recon-
ciliation
4. Education
11
M I N D
ICT Professionals have role in Good Governance
•Governance is not the sole preserve of the state
•Speak out for good governance and demand higher standards
(effectiveness, accountability, honesty/integrity, rule of law,
transparency, participation, equity, etc.)
•Reduce paternalism, micro-management, & state interference
•Provide leadership in building the social consensus
•Show greater activism in government, business, and civil society,
and participate more in decision making
What ICT Professionals can do for SD in Sri Lanka:
-Better mobilize, organize and empower business, and civil
society to use ICT & work synergistically with government,
to make development more sustainable
- help the poor and lift them out of poverty
-teach young people sustainable values based on ethical
principles.
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Poor
Middle Income
Rich Today
Source: M. Munasinghe (1995) "Making Growth More Sustainable," Ecological Economics, 15:121-4.
Green Growth Tunnel path balances Environmental
Damage and Economic Development to achieve SD: 1
ENVIRONMENT: Resource Use
(e.g. per capita Energy/GHG emissions)
ECONOMY: Development Level (e.g. per capita income)
12
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Source: M. Munasinghe (1995) "Making Growth More Sustainable," Ecological Economics, 15:121-4.
Poor
Middle Income
Rich
Incentives/resources for developing countries
1. Adaptation fund (safety net) for poorest and
most vulnerable.
Green Growth Tunnel path balances Environmental
Damage and Economic Development to achieve SD: 2
TRANSFORM (GG)
Dematerialise
ENVIRONMENT: Resource Use
(e.g. per capita Energy/GHG emissions)
ECONOMY: Development Level (e.g. per capita income)
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Source: M. Munasinghe (1995) "Making Growth More Sustainable," Ecological Economics, 15:121-4.
Poor
Middle Income
Rich
Sust. Leapfrog
Sri Lanka
ENVIRONMENT: Resource Use
(e.g. per capita Energy/GHG emissions)
ECONOMY: Development Level (e.g. per capita income)
Green Growth Tunnel path balances Environmental
Damage and Economic Development to achieve SD: 3
Source: adapted from Munasinghe (1994)
Mid-level Leaders, ICT entrepreneurs & innovators
are vital to identify Green Growth (GG) strategic
paths towards SD, in the tunnel
TRANSFORM (GG)
Dematerialise
13
M I N D Munasinghe Institute for Development
Source: M. Munasinghe (1995) "Making Growth More Sustainable," Ecological Economics, 15:121-4.
Poor
Middle Income
Rich
Widen SD tunnel with alternative BIGG
paths, and choose best BIGG path
Widen
Tunnel
Mid-level Leaders, ICT entrepreneurs & innovators
are vital to identify Balanced Inclusive Green Growth
(BIGG) paths towards SD, within the wider tunnel
Balanced Inclusive Green Growth (BIGG in wider tunnel)
balances environmental, economic & social goals: 4
TRANSFORM (BIGG)
Dematerialise
ENVIRONMENT: Resource Use
(e.g. per capita Energy/GHG emissions)
ECONOMY: Development Level (e.g. per capita income)
M I N D
Munasinghe Institute for Development
"making development more sustainable - MDMS“
10/1 De Fonseka Place, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka
Phone/Fax: +9411-259-0131; E-mail: MIND@mindlanka.org ; Web: www.mindlanka.org
•Awards, Scholarships & Training
•Applied Research on Sustainability
•Engagement in Public Policy
STHUTHI, NANDRI, THANK YOU!