President Praises Political Parties in Parliament for Supporting the Economic Transformation Bill

President Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude to all political parties in Parliament for supporting the adoption of the Economic Transformation Bill and urged them to unite in advancing this initiative. He highlighted that the bill includes the necessary governance and institutional framework for developing an export-centered digital and green economy in the country.

The President made these remarks during a ceremony today (26) at Rambukkana Parakrama Maha Vidyalaya, where he participated in providing smart classroom equipment for schools and pirivens under the “Digital Economy Strategy 2030” program, implemented jointly by the Ministries of Education and Technology.

According to President Wickremesinghe’s plan to expand digitization across the country, the Ministry of Technology has initiated the “Digital Economy Strategy 2030,” focusing on six key pillars: infrastructure, connectivity and access, skills, literacy, industry and employment, cyber security, security and privacy, digital financial services, e-governance, industry sectors, and digitization.

As part of this initiative, the first phase of digitization was launched in the Kegalle district, which included distributing smart classroom equipment to 42 pirivens and 62 schools.

This marks the first visit by a President to Rambukkana Parakrama Vidyalaya, a significant occasion during which students warmly welcomed President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Additionally, the President participated in an event today (26) at the Pinnawala Zoo premises to introduce the QR code system as part of a comprehensive program aimed at empowering over one million micro, small, and medium enterprises in the Kegalle district.

The Ministry of Tourism and Lands is set to develop seven new projects in the Rambukkana Divisional Secretariat under the Pinnawala Kithulgala Tourism Development Project. This includes the development of a pathway from the Hirivadunna Bridge to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, installation of streetlights around the orphanage and the Pinnawala Zoo, enhancement of the ancient tourist attraction at Iparanigama, development of the Kotavehera Temple as a tourist site, the establishment of a vehicle parking area and proposed retail complex near the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, improvement of sanitary facilities at the Pinnawala Zoo, and initiation of road development projects in front of the elephant orphanage.

During the event held at the Pinnawala Zoo premises, President Ranil Wickremesinghe also visited the DIGIECON exhibition stall and officially launched payments through QR codes.

Following this, the President toured the construction site of the Kotelawala Defence University at the Wagolla Agricultural Training Center.

The presentation of SLS certifications to entrepreneurs also took place under the patronage of the President.

Expressing his views at this event, President Wickremesinghe further stated,

“Today, as I visited this school, I was reminded of my own school days. Back then, all we had were blackboards and pieces of chalk. We didn’t have the facilities available today. I saw my first computer only after completing my university education. Today, you have modern equipment and smart classrooms. The world is rapidly changing in every sector, and we must acquire the knowledge needed to face these changes.

During the time of bankruptcy in our country, I often wondered how we could move forward as a nation after overcoming that crisis. I also questioned how we would secure the foreign exchange we need. We decided that we must quickly transition to a digital economy equipped with new technological knowledge. We need to start working towards that now.

We have taken steps to bring digitization to both the agriculture and business sectors, as well as schools. Accordingly, the program for establishing smart classrooms in schools and pirivens has been implemented. It’s essential that the benefits of this initiative reach rural areas as well. I invited Elon Musk to come to Sri Lanka to begin this work, and the necessary permits have now been issued. We hope to bring technological knowledge to our villages as much as possible. You must be ready to move forward using that knowledge.

You can utilize this technological knowledge in implementing the agricultural innovation program. We must establish a green economy and a digital economy in the country. Last Wednesday, there was a debate in Parliament regarding AI technology, where many speakers drew insights from ChatGPT. Parliament is now in a position to address such matters. We need to leverage this technology effectively.

At times, this technology can distort religious issues, and we are currently developing relevant regulations to prevent such situations. Additionally, we have decided to seek support from India in introducing this new technology.

We also plan to establish technology-based universities. Our aim is to advance with new economic transformation in the country using this technological knowledge. To facilitate this, we have presented the Economic Transformation Bill to Parliament to draft the necessary laws. It was discussed in Parliament, where various opinions were expressed. Ultimately, it was adopted without opposition. I am grateful to all political parties in Parliament for coming together on this initiative. I declare that we will move forward collectively with this work.

Today, countries like India and China are rapidly undergoing digitization, with all their financial transactions conducted through mobile phones. We must also reach that level. In this context, the QR code becomes crucial. It is essential to raise public awareness and introduce this technology to them. Therefore, I want to emphasize the importance of this program.

In the future, I hope to provide opportunities for anyone in this country to collaborate with economies from all nations, including India, China, and Singapore. For this, we need to strengthen our currency and improve our foreign reserves. We are currently working towards these goals. By strengthening our export economy, we can increase our foreign exchange. With a solid foreign exchange reserve, we can engage in transactions with these countries without any issues.

With this program, we believe it is possible to establish a modern economy in this country within the next ten years. We will ensure that this development is not limited to Colombo but also extends to rural areas.”

Sabaragamuwa Province Governor, Attorney-at-Law Navin Dissanayake,

This marks the first visit by a President to Rambukkana Parakrama Maha Vidyalaya. On August 2, a computer course will be offered to 1,000 children in the Sabaragamuwa Province, with the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council allocating Rs. 50 million for this initiative. Additionally, the British Council will provide English education to 850 teachers and students, funding this program with another Rs. 50 million.

Furthermore, Rs. 50 million will be set aside to acquire necessary equipment for pirivens, and Rs. 20 million will be allocated for the construction of school buildings. These efforts aim to strengthen education and create an informed society.

State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath,

“First of all, I extend my best wishes to the President. May you have a wonderful day today. Since Ranil Wickremesinghe assumed the presidency in 2022, his primary goal has been to rapidly introduce digitization to the country. Accordingly, he presented the “Digital Economy 2030” plan. This plan aims to promote digital literacy and create job opportunities.

The government has initiated a program to develop infrastructure and provide computer literacy to thousands of schools outside Colombo. Steps are being taken to introduce modern technology in piriven education, with 440 pirivens across the country being equipped with technological tools. By providing smart classrooms to remote villages, we hope to create a new generation equipped with technological knowledge. The government is also working to modernize education by introducing artificial intelligence technology. This effort aims to produce a generation of young people who can compete globally.”

The event was attended by Ven. Hemmathagama Sri Siddhartha Nayaka Thero, Chairman of the Kegalle District Shasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Member of Parliament Sudath Manjula, former Members of Parliament Champika Premadasa and Sandip Samarasinghe, Principal Jayampathi Bandara of Parakrama Vidyalaya, the school’s faculty, and a group of students.