Sarath Wijesinghe (President’s Counsel – SL Solicitor in England and Wales, President Ambassador’s Forum in UK/SL)

Digitalisation – the world trend today

Digitalisation is the world trend today  with the next step to Artificial Intelligence world has just begun on the door steps of the age of Artificial Intelligence in action worldwide in many sectors and areas. Digitalisation is the mode of compression of data  and images to different productive modes including  artificial Intelligence which is the conversation of human brain to machinal way artificially and scientifically by scientists which is still not successful as expected. Data has become a money spinner and area the world is in need for all wonderful innovations and developments, which is the base for digitalisation  and artificial intelligence. President AKD has discussed many aspects in details at he throne speech and subsequently on the future of the country giving special emphasise to digitalisation that the new government say  would implement the programme on digitalisation and steps have already been taken immediately by appointing a world renowned expert on the subject as his advisor Dr Hans Wijesuriya who has given up his lucrative international carrier to serve the nation on the area he is expert on. He has already started working on the project and his advice has been of immense help to the currently ongoing ID and other projects active and successful.

Digitalization is an expensive process

This is an expensive process but once done it will ease combating bribery, inefficiency, corruption, lethargy of the public sector and the country will be orderly if at least the public sector is streamlined before other sectors in due course. Fortunately we have ample educated IT literate human resources in the work force to be utilized in the new innovative team on digitalisation which is as expensive President AKD has determined to implement, and it is a good sign may learned, and reputed professionals have chosen to arrive motherland with no remuneration or a reasonable low pay for existence. Wealthy nations have commenced the transformation to digitalize operation successfully Denmark as a pioneer followed by 17 EU nations and UK too quite successfully mainly on e-governance, and selected sectors such as health, technology, business, education, which are crucial for the development.

NHS system and Uber in the forefront

NHS system in UK supposed to be one of the best systems offered to the citizen free, is partly digitalized operating on mega servers, for every citizen to have access to NHS through GP’S who has access to records anywhere in the country that includes all hospitals, an amazing successful system in deed. Uber is another example of digitalization and operation on Artificial Intelligence where unmanned cars are successfully in operation and Uber network world over including Sri Lanka fast spreading and diversifying into many areas such as retail business, new sale platforms, using the modern technology in the worldwide operation of the business. But once put to practice it will make the e-governance fast,clear, less complicated, and with a system with less paperwork like the system in UK NHS and other governing programmes are 90% digitalized leaving the state sector and  the  citizen happy, satisfied and contended.

It is not an easy process to implement

Implementation of digitisation is a difficult, complicated and cumbersome process that involves lot of hard work incur expenditure and expert experience and knowledge successful tested and implemented many parts of the world, we can learn and follow from. EU practised the process is these best to learn in addition to UK and many other. EU has been in practice over two decades resulting efficiency, clarity, development, improvements on taxation, and interstate affairs based  on development and mostly on good governance, it is easy and appropriate for a country like Sri Lanka to learn and follow up, as cost of implementation of other sectors would be expensive and would result on high spending. It seems in Sri Lanka this is partly implemented in areas on issuance of passports, ID’s, and in the examination process but not in the government sector where implementations in the process slowly and steady accelerated after Hans have initiated his services. Digital ID is a pioneer project connected to the issuance of passports and few other areas that will bring immediate results on combat of crime, underworld, internal crime and network of drug mafia connected to money  laundering,are some immediate burning issues to the governance thriving inefficient and ineffective public service that needs rejuvenation andd immediate reforms that has become the main issue to maintain law and order and rule of law which are main prerequisites for good governance even IMF is demands maintain law and order as a prerequisite to assist Sri Lanka in the muddle on economic downturn also may be due to bribery corruption inefficiency and indifference of the government servants. Countries with digitalised forms of developed systems  on governance, and other areas have proved to be successful in organized public service, less crime rate, development in all areas such as econimic and discipline, quick response to the public and international business and relations that it works and may be a panacea if implemented in Sri Lanka tough difficult to find funds immediately.

Advisable to start with e-Governance and tourism

We are backward on governing the state which seems to the cause for many issues and downward trends on development, agriculture, industry, tourism ect that will be given new life is the system on these areas are digitalized with teh help of the educate and professional community within and outside Sri Lanka as a service. Digitalization could be started with the disciplined security forces and the government sector of 1.5 million which is unbearable and unproductive to make them productive and happy to work like any state employees in the west who are eager and willing to serve the  citizen happily,readily and efficiently. 2018 has been the peak year and now tourism in sorrowing faster and our target should be to increase the GDP earnings form 12% to higher in par with teh rest of teh world where tourism has become the easiest, ad fastest growing industry. Our compact Island is if not the best one of the best beautiful Islands on the globe, ideally suited and tailor made for tourists and tourism situated on the traditional silk route in the powerful Indian Ocean to be branded as the brand name BEAUTIFAL SRI LANKA similar to incredible indie, with ideal different climatic condition within hours and present whether  round the year with  an excellent network of roads connected to highways, will be presented to the world faster and clearer digitalization as a vehicle as the best tourist destination on the globe. Sarath28dw@gmail.com Please browse internet for the other articles by the author on tourism