SLT launches Rs. 5 bn investment upgrading ICT in Jaffna

In a significant boost to the Northern region, Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) rolled out the first phase of the i-Sri Lanka initiative in Jaffna last week to enhance broadband penetration and empower the nation to become the research and development hub in South Asia through cutting edge technology and industry innovations.

The objective of this network modernization project, which is expected to be completed in 2013 under a five billion rupee investment, is to dismantle all technological barriers, bridge the digital divide and make information and entertainment services accessible to people across the country.

The key focus of i-Sri Lanka is to revolutionize broadband access island-wide by upgrading the existing copper based access network with fibre optics. This will enable customers to enjoy consistent, uninterrupted high-speed internet services delivered on the network, up to high speeds up to 20 Mega Bytes Per Second (Mbps) and more.

Described as the largest Information and Communications Technology (ICT) project Jaffna, the launch coincided with the opening of the modern SLT Regional Telecommunication Office and Maintenance Centre.

"In line with the vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make Sri Lanka ICT enabled and take modern technology to the grass-root level, this project is a dream come true for the people of the North", says Douglas Devananda, Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development.

This innovative concept create more job opportunities, improve living standards and transform lifestyles through social developments, he underscored. "As a whole, it will contribute towards Sri Lanka’s economic progress".

"This network transformation could have been launched in Colombo or in the President’s constituency of Hambantota or in my electoral district of Kegalle, but the government opted for Jaffna to boost ongoing development initiatives", said Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Development.

The government’s goal is to enhance ICT literacy from 30% to 75% in 2016 and also create 100,000 new jobs in this vital sphere during this timeframe, he noted. "This is top priority in our agenda".

The superior service offered by SLT via iSri Lanka and the improved Information Technology (IT) services will present an opportunity for the country to earn over a billion dollars through exports by 2016, Siyambalapitiya continued.

The Minister said this project will also facilitate setting up IT centres in all villages in the North – a big technological boost to the region. "It will also help the country to transact online business with the international community".

The launch of iSri Lanka is an important milestone to SLT, the ICT industry and the country as a whole, said Nimal Welgama, Chairman, SLT.

He said that SLT is inspired by a vision to connect all Sri Lankans seamlessly with world class information, communication and entertainment services across the country. The company’s’ new brand proposition - ‘One Country. One Voice’ - epitomizes the infinite value that the brand adds to the lives of Sri Lankans both here and abroad.

After three decades of war, the Northern region is now developing swiftly", he stressed. "This is one of the future growth areas of Sri Lanka which will contribute significantly towards economic development".

The iSri Lanka project will open up a "world of opportunities at their fingertips" as the an ideal platform for private business networking, interactive entertainment, distance learning, online education and e-health at superior speed, high quality and reliability, as never experienced before, the Chairman said.

The same technology that connects the entire country to the global community also provides the foundation that will serve telecommunications in Sri Lanka for the next decade, Welgama noted. "Sri Lanka wants to be future ready".

"With the end of the war, we seized the opportunity to extend our fibre optic cable project to connect Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Jaffna along the A9 main road. This was commissioned late 2010", said Greg Young, CEO, SLT.

He said that through i-Sri Lanka, Jaffna, Manipay, Sitthankerny, Chunnakam, Kopay, Chavakachcheri and Nelliady areas have already been connected to the SLT Broadband network through optical fiber connectivity.

Quoting research by the World Bank, the CEO said a country’s broadband growth rate and its Gross Domestic Production (GDP) are directly connected. Accordingly, there is a link between country’s broadband service growth of 10% and an increase in a country’s GDP of 1.38%.

"At present, the GDP of Sri Lanka is 4,825 billion rupees. The increase in broadband penetration will have a direct impact on economic growth in the country", Young assured.

He pointed out that in developed countries, 22% of the population use fixed broadband services, but in comparison, the percentage with broadband access in Sri Lanka still remains minimal.

Amongst those present were Mrs. Emelda Sukumar, Jaffna Government Agent, Nimal Athukorala, Secretary, Telecom Ministry, J. Blatt, Board of Director, SLT, Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander Security Forces, Jaffna, Rear Admiral R. C. M. Wijegunaratne, Northern Naval Area Commander, Brigadier R. P. De Z. Wickramaratne, General Officer Commanding, 51 Division, Group Captain Athula Kaluarachchi, Commanding Officer, Palaly, N. Padmadeva, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jaffna and A. Kirupakaran, Regional Head, SLT.`

Source:http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=35442

Sinhala family in the South donates 1500 books to Jaffna library

Jaffna Library received another round of generous donation of 1500 books from new supporters, this time a Sinhala family in Nugegoda, Colombo. With sheer intention of quenching the thirst for knowledge of Jaffna students and other interested readers, a generous family in the south donated a volume of valuable books to the Jaffna Library recently.


The donation coordinated by the Security Forces Headquarters- Jaffna included 1500 books on various disciplines such as a set of encyclopedia, novels, famous story books for children and a rare collection of educational books. The latest donation by Mr. Vipula Wijeratne, Ms Nilmini Jayasinghe and Ms Menaka Jayasinghe of Nugegoda reached the Security Forces Headquarters- Jaffna as a response to the request.
On behalf of the Sri Lanka Army, Security Forces Headquarters- Jaffna, General Officer Commanding 51 Division Major General Janaka Walgama and Lieutenant Colonel Deeptha Ariyasena handed over the consignment to library authorities on Tuesday 09 July. Both the authority of the library and the Army expressed sincere thanks to the generous family for their book donation. The library authority also said “we are extremely grateful for this assistance. It is certainly a worthwhile cause”.

Donating books to a library is a worthwhile cause. Therefore the Sri Lanka Army have committed themselves to filling the shelves of the Jaffna library and requested the help of the general public to make this happen. Commander of the Security Forces- Jaffna, Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe and staff officers of the Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna have made requests from various persons and organizations in Sri Lanka and as well as in abroad to contribute to restore the Jaffna public library, once served as the oasis of knowledge to Jaffna intellectuals, in its former glory.

However after Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna made the announcement of filling the shelves of the Jaffna library and donations for the refurbish of the buildings, the library literally receives hundreds of books every week from thoughtful individuals and organizations around the world.

Source:http://www.onlanka.com/?p=5623

Sri Lanka, India sign MoU to develop KKS Harbour in the North

July 21, Colombo: Sri Lanka and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday to develop the Kankasanthurai (KKS) port under an agreement the two countries had reached during the visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India in June 2010.
During President Rajapaksa's visit it had been agreed in the Joint Declaration issued on the occasion that India would extend assistance for the rehabilitation of the Kankasanthurai Harbour among other infrastructure projects in the Northern Province.

High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha signed the agreement on behalf of Government of India while Secretary of the Ministry of Ports and Highways Mrs. Sujatha Cooray signed for Sri Lanka.
Deputy Minister of Ports and Highways, Mr. Rohitha Abeygunawardena and the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama also attended the ceremony.
A press release issued by the Indian High Commission in Colombo said the Kankasanthurai Harbour project will be aided by a mix of grant funding and concessional credit from the Government of India.
The Kankasanthurai Harbour rehabilitation project is a complex and wide-ranging project that will be completed in multiple stages.
The Indian government has already committed 2.2 billion rupees (about US$ 20 million) for three initial steps, mainly for preliminary hydrographic survey, geotechnical investigations and DPR preparation and wreck removal and salvage.
In addition to this, the Government of India will provide additional grant funding for the dredging of the harbour and concessional credit for the rehabilitation of the breakwater and construction of a new pier and attendant port facilities, the release said. Final hydrographic survey and preparation of Harbour Chart will also be carried out.
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) estimating the total expenditure on the project is to be prepared.
Preliminary Hydrographic Survey has already been completed by an Indian agency in June-July 2010 as part of the preparation for this project.
One of the main problems in the rebuilding of the KKS harbor is the presence of six ship wrecks of which 4 are inside and 2 are outside the Harbour.
Indian government has awarded a contract to the Shipping Corporation of India for the removal and disposal of the six wrecks to M/s Resolve Salvage and Fire (Asia) Pvt Ltd, Singapore at a total cost
Wreck removal is expected to be completed by mid-November 2011. The work is being funded by a grant from the Government of India.
Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) will conduct the dredging of the harbour and it is expected to commence in late 2011. The work will be fully funded by a grant from the Government of India.
The contract for Geo-technical and Geo-physical studies and preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been awarded to RITES Ltd of India. These studies are in progress. The company has prepared an initial draft of the DPR and it will be presented to Sri Lankan authorities shortly.
Once the DPR is approved, RITES would carry out the tendering procedure for the work included in the DPR. The scope of work would include rehabilitation of the existing breakwater, construction of a new pier and related port facilities. The preparation of the DPR is being funded through a grant from the Government of India.
RITES will also float tenders for award of works related to the rehabilitation of breakwater/pier and construction of new pier with attendant port facilities will be undertaken in accordance with the approved DPR. The Government of India will provide a Line of Credit to the Government of Sri Lanka for the work and construction of additional pier/s for commercial cargo handling and the installation of port infrastructure facilities.
Detailed hydrographic survey and preparation of Harbour Chart will be taken up as the final stage of work.
At the ceremony, High Commissioner Kantha has remarked that restoration of physical infrastructure at the Harbour would contribute towards the Sri Lankan government's reconstruction efforts, promote normalcy in northern Sri Lanka by restoring traditional domestic and regional linkages and boost economic activity by encouraging trade. The allied activities at the Harbour would also generate employment in the area.
Noting the key role played by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Ports and Highways, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the High Commissioner has appreciated the strong support and cooperation extended by the Government of Sri Lanka at every stage of project formulation and preparation.
Sri Lankan Deputy Minister for Ports and Highways Rohitha Abeygunawardena has said that Sri Lanka will take up construction of the Quays and the breakwater and the work is expected to take about two years.
He has expressed the Sri Lankan government's appreciation for the assistance being provided for this important project by the Government of India. 


Source:Colombopage

Sri Lanka President hands over Army-built houses for needy families in North

July 21, Jaffna: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa symbolically handed over 100 new houses built entirely by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Keeramalai to the needy families at a ceremony held Tuesday (19).
The SLA has built the houses in a record 10 days with the raw materials provided by the government.

Construction of a house has cost the government less than 300,000 rupees since the Army was providing necessary planning, architecture, infrastructure facilities and labor, free of charge.
Earlier the SLA has built 1,700 new houses and handed them over to families in the Jaffna Peninsula in separate occasions.
(Photos by Chandana Perera)  

Source:Colombopage

Sri Lanka Air Force to launch civilian flights to former rebel capital

July 21, Colombo: Sri Lanka Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya announced that the Air Force would commence civil aviation between Colombo and the newly opened Kilinochchi air base.
The first civilian flight is to take off from Ratmalana airport in the outskirts of Colombo city on July 28.

The flights will be landed in the newly reconstructed Kilinochchi airstrip.
Air Force will run a light aircraft such as a Chinese built Y-12 transport plane for civilians every Thursday from next week, the Air Force says.

Source:Colombopage