Memorandum of Understanding signed provides Multi-million dollar investment in IT Educational and Technology Support to further E-Sri Lanka Initiative

The Government's deal with global software giant Microsoft last week is being viewed as the biggest boost for Sri Lanka's development of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed during the state visit to the US by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was to provide support for the E-Sri Lanka Initiative. The MOU will provide a multi-million dollar investment from Microsoft in technology, training, educational assistance and infrastructure support over a five year period. Microsoft also announced the formation of local Sri Lanka subsidiary by the end of 2003.

The MOU was signed at a special ceremony in Washington by the Economic Reform and S & T Minister, Milinda Moragoda, and Sanjay Mirchandani, President, Microsoft Asia Pacific, in the presence of the Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, and Brad Smith, Microsoft's Senior Vice-President and General Counsel.

The Government of Sri Lanka hailed the move as a positive step in building a thriving information technology economy and said it expected to reap far-reaching benefits for the country.

"We are delighted to have Microsoft help us to take technology to the people of Sri Lanka. Microsoft's involvement in the E-Sri Lanka initiative will improve our processes for our citizens' interaction with Government and their interaction within communities. Microsoft's participation also demonstrates the confidence that a world class corporation such as Microsoft has in the economic potential of the country and in the progress that is being made by the private sector," said Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.

"Microsoft is pleased to be signing this MOU with the government of Sri Lanka," said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. "The agreement and our ongoing investment underscore our belief in the long-term potential of Sri Lanka and our commitment to its people. We're excited about contributing to economic growth through the creation of a vibrant information technology sector in Sri Lanka and the productivity gains, jobs and revenue it can create."

Echoing Steve Ballmer's comment, Brad Smith added: "Together with the Sri Lankan S & T ministry, we wish to contribute to the building of a healthy IT ecosystem, and provide the community with technology, tools and training to help close the digital divide and build a brighter future. Our establishment of a Sri Lanka subsidiary in our Asia Pacific region will afford us the opportunity to work hand in hand with other industry leaders, the IT community and the Government in working toward these goals."

Besides opening a Sri Lankan subsidiary and headquarters office in the country by the end of this year, Microsoft also announced it would establish a state-of-the-art innovation center in order to show proof of concept and pilot programs to provide government services directly and more efficiently to more Sri Lankans as part of the government's effort to build e-government solutions. The Innovation Center will also allow local Sri Lanka IT companies to test and refine their own products and industry solutions, bringing them to market more quickly and allowing them to promote their offerings outside the Sri Lanka market, as well.

To assist in allowing more Sri Lankans to take advantage of e-government solutions and enhance their use of online resources, Microsoft is committed to working with local academic institutions and linguistic experts to produce localized Sinhalese and Tamil versions of Windows under the company's Language Interface Pack program.

Additionally, the MOU outlines a number of educational projects that will be supported by Microsoft. Chief among these is the Partners in Learning program, which will provide expanded technology access to schools throughout the country. The program recognizes the educational value of technology in schools, and aims to deliver information and communication technology skills training, tailored curriculum development, technical support, and research funds and resources to students and teachers. In Sri Lanka, the program will provide free-of-charge licenses for the Windows operating system to older PCs donated to Sri Lanka schools, a dramatically reduced price for programs used in schools, and a significant investment in teacher and student training. The company will establish an IT Academy Center to provide training and curriculum development and fund programs to encourage technology innovation in teaching.

In addition, the program will establish a Microsoft IT Academy that allows secondary students to be exposed to cutting edge technology and receive Microsoft IT certification at graduation, as a contribution toward workforce development within the country. Microsoft will also establish a Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance which will work with Computer Science and Engineering departments in five universities to ensure the best possible curriculum and tools for Sri Lanka university students and provide funding to improve IT instruction within these institutions.

Carnegie Mellon Uni., Govt. deal to set up ICT partnership
In a refreshing vote of confidence and support to Sri Lanka's efforts to bring Information Technology solutions to the people, one of the best universities in the United States in the field of computer science, Carnegie Mellon, announced its agreement to develop a program of cooperation with Sri Lanka which includes a Technology Peace Corps.

Coming on the eve of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to the United States, the announcement from Carnegie Mellon indicated that the plans include a launch of a Technology Peace Corps through which academics, researchers and training staff will visit Sri Lanka to conduct research, help upgrade the IT environment, and learn from the experience. Details of the plan will be finalized in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Reform, Science and Technology and the newly formed Information, Communication and Technology Agency (ICTA).

Carnegie Mellon University Provost Mark Kamlet said that he was hopeful that the University's expertise in the field can make helpful contributions as Sri Lanka, through the e-Sri Lanka framework, moves forward to support sustainable economic development. The students and faculty, he said, will enjoy working with creative collaborators and leverage the rich culture and traditions, and the potential that Sri Lanka has in a post conflict situation to make rapid economic growth.

Minister for Economic Reform, Science and Technology, Milinda Moragoda, who is also accompanying the Prime Minister on his visit, stated that this is a vote of confidence by a very prestigious university, in the potential for IT in Sri Lanka.

We need to open our "windows" to what is happening in the IT field in the world and the Technology Peace Corps will enable Sri Lankans to interact with volunteers who are also excited with the opportunity to work, learn and share their knowledge.

"We have one of the highest literacy rates in the developing world but we will fall behind if our IT literacy rate does not also catch up. I see prospects for the Carnegie Peace Corps initiative, through their research work, to help us develop low cost solutions that will benefit the many people who do not have the opportunity in our country to benefit from IT."

Microsoft puts $500,000 on virus writers' heads
WASHINGTON - Microsoft Corp., beset by widespread criticism of security flaws in its software, last week put up a bounty to track down the authors of two computer bugs that choked the Internet earlier this year.

Microsoft offered two $250,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the Blaster worm and the SoBig.F e-mail virus, which infected more than half a million computers, crashed thousands of systems, and snarled Internet traffic across the globe in August and September.

The world's largest software company -- which last month admitted that security concerns have begun to affect its bottom line -- also said it had earmarked an additional $4.5 million for future rewards.

The Wild West-style bounty underscored the threat posed by viruses and worms in an interconnected world, as well as the problems associated with catching those who originate them. REUTERS