President Anura Kumara Disanayake met with the Executive Vice Chairman of Oracle Corporation Mike Sicilia during the World Governments Summit held in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday (11).

The discussion focused on Sri Lanka’s digital transformation, the adoption of fintech services, and cloud infrastructure to enhance economic and governance efficiency.

Oracle expressed its willingness to support Sri Lanka’s digitalization by providing Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). President Disanayake invited Oracle to establish a sovereign Oracle Cloud region in Sri Lanka to host government applications, e-governance facilities, and a national data system while ensuring data sovereignty and regulatory compliance.

The President and Oracle’s Executive Vice Chairman also discussed laying the foundation for fintech and digital payment solutions to accelerate Sri Lanka’s transition to a cashless economy. As part of this initiative, President Disanayake invited Oracle to establish a Digital Transformation Hub in Colombo Port City, which would function as South Asia’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cloud Hub. He also requested Mr. Mike Sicilia to send a team to Sri Lanka to facilitate this initiative.

Recognizing Oracle’s regional vision for digital transformation and innovation, the Executive Vice Chairman expressed keen interest in establishing Oracle’s South Asian AI and Cloud Hub in Colombo Port City. He highlighted that this move would strategically position Sri Lanka as a regional leader in AI-driven cloud solutions, fostering public-private partnerships and attracting cutting-edge technology investments.

During the discussion, President Disanayake reiterated Sri Lanka’s commitment to leveraging new technologies for governance efficiency, economic growth, and global competitiveness. He extended an invitation to Oracle to play a key role in Sri Lanka’s digital transformation journey.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, along with the Governor of the Western Province, Hanif Yusoof, also participated in the discussions.

[PMD]

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Chairman of the Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reforms (PRCCR) Lal Wijenayake yesterday (12) said that former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, in his current capacity as the Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), intended to initiate a dialogue with the National People’s Power (NPP) government to explore the possibility of advancing the constitutional proposals unveiled during the Yahapalana administration.

The Cabinet, headed by President Maithripala Sirisena, appointed the PRCCR on 22 Dec., 2015.

Attorney-at-law Wijenayake said that they recently discussed the constitutional proposals that were available for the NPP government’s consideration. “Having met at Jayasuriya’s residence, we reached consensus that the former Speaker should write to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in this regard,” Wijenayake told The Island.

Noting that President Dissanayake serves as the leader of both the Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna (JVP) and the NPP, Wijenayake emphasized that Premier Dr. Harini Amarasuriya had been a member of the PRCCR. Therefore, the NPP government could comfortably handle the constitutional proposals prepared following a countrywide public consultations at the onset of Yahapalana administration (2015-2019), the civil society activist said.

Wijenayake explained the current status of their efforts in response to The Island queries. According to him, the NMSJ Chief has called another meeting later this month to pursue the matter. Pointing out that some felt that the government should entirely focus on post-Aragalaya economic recovery process, the new administration couldn’t afford to keep the constitutional solution on the backburner, Wijenayake said.

The Public Representations Committee consisted of S. Winston Pathiraja (Secretary), Faisz Musthapha, Prof. A. M. Navaratna Bandara, Prof. M. L. A. Cader,  N. Selvakkumaran, S. Thavarajah, Kushan D’Alwis, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Dr. Kumudu Kusum Kumara, Sunil Jayaratne, Dr. Upul Abeyratne, Themiya L. B. Hurulle, S. Vijesandiran, M.Y.M. Faiz, Mrs. M. K. Nadeeka Damayanthi, Ms. Kanthie Ranasinghe, S. C. C. Elankovan, and Sirimasiri Hapuarachchi.

The Wijenayake-led PRC handed over a report that contained the entire set of proposals to Yahapalana Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe on 31 May, 2016.

 Karu Jayasuriya served as the Speaker of the Yahapalana government and was a key supporter of that constitutional process that received the backing of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council.

Wijenayake said that in the wake of the November 2019 presidential election, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a nine-member committee, headed by Romesh de Silva, PC, to formulate a new draft Constitution. That effort was discarded after Aragalaya forced Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of office, Wijenayake said, urging all political parties represented in Parliament to examine their proposals with an open mind. “Let us stop playing politics with the constitution making process. We should be genuinely interested in formulating a Constitution that would meet the aspirations of all communities,” Wijenayake said.

Wijenayake, who is a member of the NPP’s Executive Committee, said that during the presidential and parliamentary election campaigns references were made to the PRCCR’s proposals.

Responding to another query, Wijenayake emphasized that in spite of the successful conclusion of the conflict the country couldn’t achieve true national reconciliation for want of a new Constitution that was acceptable to the people.

Former SLPP National List MP Gevindu Cumaratunga accused Jayasuriya of promoting Yahapalana constitutional proposals that had been roundly rejected by the people at the presidential and parliamentary polls in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Cumaratunga emphasized that the proposed new Constitution should reflect the actual situation on the ground or post-2009 position. Asked to explain, the former parliamentarian said that the government shouldn’t, under any circumstances, promote a federal agenda in the guise of enacting a new Constitution.

Wijenayake noted that at the time the PRCCR formulated those constitutional proposals those who now represented the main Opposition SJB were members of the UNP. In the Yahapalana Parliament the JVP had only six MPs though the Marxist party-led NPP consisted of 159 MPs in the current Parliament.

The Government and the United Nations in Sri Lanka have launched the ‘Transforming Local Administrative Data Collection Systems for SDG Acceleration’ Joint Programme, marking a significant step towards strengthening the country’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system.

This initiative, named ‘One Registry’, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Sri Lanka, and supported via the UN Sri Lanka SDG Fund, aligns with the Government’s broader digital transformation agenda and strategy, aiming to ensure equitable access to quality public services for all citizens, particularly the vulnerable populations, and paves the way for inclusive digital transformation and sustainable development.

The project launch was held recently in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya; Minister of Public Administration, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Dr. A.H.M.H. Abayarathna; Deputy Minister, Ministry of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne; Registrar General W.R.A.N.S. Wijayasinghe; Resident Coordinator, United Nations Sri Lanka Resident Representative Marc-Andre Franche; Officer-in-Charge WHO Sri Lanka Azusa Kubota; Dr. Shalala Ahmadova; Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, alongside UN partners, development agencies, private sector organizations, and CSOs.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that “Strengthening the CRVS system is a transformative step towards enhancing public administration and driving our digital agenda. This initiative will ensure every Sri Lankan has access to critical services and a recognized legal identity, fostering transparency, inclusivity, and progress.”

The initiative focuses on three pillars: digitalized civil registration processes, a functional interoperable registry linked with key government agencies and increased public awareness and digital literacy to maximize the system’s benefits. These efforts will complement national digital initiatives, such as the e-NIC and Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) projects, advancing the country’s vision of a unified and digitally inclusive society.

Reflecting the UN’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, Marc-André Franche, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Sri Lanka, commented, “The CRVS programme is a critical part of Sri Lanka’s digital journey, providing legal identity for all and generating high-quality data for data-driven policymaking. With the right policies and partnerships, digital technology can drive sustainable development, fostering greater inclusivity and accountability in governance. The United Nations in Sri Lanka is proud to partner with the Government to build a people-centered system that leaves no one behind.

Commenting on the initiative, Lars Bredal, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives noted, “We are happy to partner with the Government of Sri Lanka, UNDP, and WHO through the UN Sri Lanka SDG Fund on the launch of the Joint programme to modernize the country’s civil registration and vital statistics system, facilitating equitable access to quality public services. As a global contributor to the Joint SDG Fund’s digitalization window, the EU Global Gateway funding will directly contribute to progress on interlinked SDGs through investment in digitalization. The EU stands ready to share best practice in digitalization and data protection.”