Assignment Report F O R INTERNAL USE O N L Y IPDC 350-SRL-91 NOT FOR GENERAL Arthur C . Clarke Centre D I S T R I B U T I O N for Modern Technologies
SRI LANKA
A Review of Operations and Financing
by John Clarke
This report represents the views of the author and not necessarily those of U N E S C O
UNITED NATIONS E D U C A T I O N A L , SCIENTIFIC A N D C U L T U R A L ORGANIZATION (UNESCO) Paris 1991
Serial No. FMR/CII/COM/91/228 (FIT)
FIT/350-SRL-91 Assignment Report (Clarke) F M R / C W C O M / 9 1 / 2 2 8 (FIT) Paris, 13 September 1991
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SUMMARY i
I INTRODUCTION 1
H BACKGROUND 2
m ARTHUR C. CLARKE CENTRE FOR MODERN TECHNOLOGY 3
Personnel 3
Finance 5
Equipment 6
Activities 7
IV PERCEIVED PROBLEMS 9
V RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTION 11
ANNEXES
I Legislation creating the Arthur C . Clarke Centre for M o d e r n Technologies 15
II The Board of Governors 16 III Arthur C . Clarke Centre Staff 1990-1991 17 IV Salaries and Conditions of Service 19 V Summary of estimated recurrent income and
expenditure for 1990-1991 20 VI Equipment 21
V E Activities 22
SUMMARY
U N E S C O has been associated with the Arthur Clarke Centre for Modern Technologies since its establishment in 1984. It has since benefitted from two phases of funding from the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). Concern has been expressed for the future of the Centre, in particular in financing and operations, and the development and tenure of its staff. At the request of the Honorary President of the Centre, Dr . Arthur C . Clarke, U N E S C O sent a consultant mission to Sri Lanka. The tasks were to assist and advise the Centre in the organization of programme courses, research, experiments and projects; finance and sources of finance and in particular, to elaborate a system of endowment funds for sponsoring professorial chairs and lectures; and special projects of the Centre in networking and data exchange.
The Centre has performed well despite difficult circumstances. It has initiated interesting and relevant programmes while others are still in the pipeline. In fact, it has received more requests for services than it could fulfill. There is no doubt that it can develop further, especially if certain measures could be undertaken.
A s a government department, the Centre's operational effectiveness has been made difficult by the bureaucracy. Although there are merits in remaining a government body, such as having an assured source of funding, the Centre could develop m u c h faster if it could gain some measure of autonomy and freedom particularly in the recruitment of personnel, the determination of salary structures and terms of service and in the disbursement of its funds.
The Centre needs to fill up its senior posts with people w h o can work full-time. Past directors and deputy directors have worked only on pan time basis. Related to this, other vacant professional/technical posts which have as yet been unoccupied should be filled. These vacancies have greatly affected the efficiency of the Centre.
A s government employees, Centre personnel enjoy certain privileges not had in the private sector. Nevertheless, their salaries and other benefits, like sabbatical leaves, should be reviewed and upgraded to attract and retain personnel. Salaries are comparatively lower than their counterparts' in the private sector, although they are higher than their counterparts' in the government sector.
Financial autonomy would also make the Centre more efficient. At present, the legislative act that created the Centre specifies that all revenues, government subventions, Centre earnings and grants or donations are to be paid into the Fund of the Centre. The Centre must then go through laborious procedures to secure the authority to spend the Fund.
The Centre could also draw up a management plan that prescribes strategies and targets whose progress can be measured in time. Such a plan could contain statements of its long-term as well as short-term aims in such areas as construction, staffing, purchase of equipment, revenue and work schedules.
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The Centre could also profit from the establishment of an endowment fund for professorial chairs, representing donations of international or national commercial companies directly contributing to or benefitting from technology development, concerned private foundations or individual donors. The endowment fund itself will not be spent but its interest could be used to fund specific professorial chairs at the Centre.
Staff members would receive an amount in the form of an additional honorarium in proportion to the Centre salary, thus giving them incentives to make specific contributions to fulfilling the Centre's objectives. While not intended to upset the civil standard service salary scales nor to replace the Centre's wage system, the honorarium would provide an outside increment and in addition to the Government budget, thereby inspiring additional dedicated work represented in concrete results.
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350-SRL-91 Arthur C . Clarke Centre for M o d e m Technologies Assignment Report
I. INTRODUCTION
1. U N E S C O has been associated with the Arthur Clarke Centre for Modern Technologies in Sri Lanka since its establishment in 1984. The Centre has since benefitted from two phases of funding from the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). Concern has been expressed for the future of the Centre, in particular in the financing and operations, and the development and tenure of its staff. At the request of the Honorary President of the Centre, Unesco sent a consultant mission to Colombo from 12 November to 17 December 1990. The consultant was to assist and advise the Arthur Clarke Centre for Modern Technologies in the organization of a programme of courses, research, experiments and projects; finance and sources of finance and in particular, to elaborate a system of endowment funds for sponsoring professorial chairs and lectures; and special projects of the Centre in networking and data exchange.
2 . While on mission, the consultant met most of the officers and staff of the Centre, among w h o m were: Prof. K . K . Y . W . Perera, Chairman of the Board; Prof. S. Karunaratne, Acting Director; M r . M . U . Mohideen, Industrial Relations Manager; M r . W . J . Wijetunga, Executive Secretary; M r . A . D . V . N . Kularatna, Principal Research Engineer; Mrs. S. Godamunne, Accountant; M r . P. Wamakulasooriya, Technician; M r . W . P . Soysa, Librarian. The consultant also liaised frequently with Dr. Arthur C . Clarke, Honorary Vice-Chancellor of Moratuwa University.
3. Besides the Centre, the consultant also visited the International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI), which is based in Sri Lanka, and discussed its organization with Mr . D . C . Goodman, Director for Finance and Administration.
4 . Although this report attempts to describe all the work of the Centre, including its technical programmes, the consultant restricted himself to comments and recommendations involving administrative or organizational aspects.
5. In summary, the Centre has performed well despite difficult circumstances and there is no reason to doubt that it can expand and develop further in the years to come. It has initiated some interesting technical programmes, all of which are relevant to the needs of Sri Lanka or, for that matter, to those of people elsewhere in the world. Even to the nontechnical observer, it is evident that the Centre owes its success partly to its staff engineers who have displayed considerable resourcefulness.
6. Clearly, its development has been slowed down by severe troubles which Sri Lanka went through during the late 1980s. But there is no doubt that like other institutions troubled by similar difficulties, the Centre will weather the problems. The Centre's operational effectiveness may have been somewhat restricted due to its having to function virtually as a government department and thus, being subject to government bureaucracy. This was frequently articulated by many persons during the current study. However, there have also been some benefits derived from working in the government, the principal of which is having an assured source of capital funds.
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II. BACKGROUND
7 . Early steps to establish the Centre date back to 1981, w h e n a draft proposal was prepared and submitted to U N E S C O for consideration and funding. In réponse to this document, U N E S C O appointed two specialists to visit Sri Lanka in 1982. The following year, U N E S C O appointed a third specialist to prepare a report on the proposed project.
8. The Centre was eventually created by an Act of Parliament — the Arthur C . Clarke Centre for M o d e m Technologies Act N o . 30 of 1984. The general intentions of the Act were to accelerate the introduction of modern technology in the fields of communication, computers, energy, space technology and robotics. The Centre was named after the author and scientist Arthur C . Clarke, w h o originated the concept of communication satellites in 1945. Dr. Clarke has been Vice-Chancellor of Moratuwa University since 1979 and is the Centre's Honorary President and patron.
9 . The Centre is located at Katubedda, about 12 kilometres south of central Colombo, on the University of Moratuwa campus. It has close associations with the University and with the Institute of Fundamental Studies (IFS) based in Kandy, as well as with various industrial development institutes, professional associations, engineering, research and development institutes and local businesses.
10. The buildings are well laid out, spacious and attractive. The existing building complex was developed in two stages. In the first, construction of a single-storey building was begun in 1983 and opened for functional use in November 1984. At that time, the Centre was manned by only a small nucleus of administrative personnel. The first engineering personnel began arriving in February 1985, at which time technical operations began. The second phase added a larger, two-storey building, which opened in February 1987.
11. The present complex houses the two interconnected buildings mentioned previously, a generator room, two satellite dishes and a 100-foot mast. The smaller building includes a reception area, the offices of the Director, the Deputy Director and the patron, although the latter is used chiefly by the Chairman of the Board during his frequent visits to the Centre. There is also a satellite communication room and a library. The second and larger building houses all the administrative and accounts offices, the conference room for meetings and lectures, the media office, the office of the industrial relations manager and the laboratory. A staff rest room completes the complex. Capital funds have already been approved for a major expansion of the building complex scheduled for 1991. W h e n this is completed, the additional two-storey building will increase office and laboratory space four times.
12. In its early years, the Centre was placed under the Ministry responsible for higher education, at which time the President held the post of Minister. But when a new President was named in 1988, the Centre was transferred to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Industry (MSTI) . The present Minister is M r . Ranil Wickremasinghe. There are two other Ministers of State responsible for specific subjects within the ministry. These are, at present, M r . S. Sellasamy for Industry and M r . P . Perera for Science and Technology.
13. Classed as a government corporation, the Centre is managed by a Board of Governors and is run virtually as a government department. It is obliged to follow rulings handed d o w n by the Ministry of Policy Planning and Implementation (MPPI). However, its personnel are on higher salary grades than their counterparts in other government departments and they receive a portion of the revenues earned from consultancy work and other services.
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14. Although the Centre functions within the dictates of its enabling legislation, the direction of its work will inevitably be susceptible to alterations in political intent that occur with changes in government. For example, the previous administration was said to have displayed consi-derable interest in high technology and its long-term benefits. In contrast, the present administration is believed to place greater emphasis on technology which is not only relevant to the everyday needs of local people but whose relevance is readily evident.
15. The Board argues that die work of the Centre has always been relevant to the needs of Sri Lanka. But the impact of the Centre's high technology projects on the people's lives is camouflaged. The projects are developed for government agencies like the Department of Telecommunications which then offers the services to the general public. O n the other hand, other agencies develop low-technology projects in direct service to the people, without passing through an intermediary organization. For instance, the National Engineering Research and Development Centre ( N E R D ) developed a bar-bending machine to produce bicycle frames and a fuel-efficient wood-burning stove, low-technology projects whose direct relevance to the lives of the c o m m o n people could easily be seen.
16. The Board meets almost monthly. At the time of the consultant's visit, about 11 meetings will have been convened by the end of 1990. O n the other hand, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is supposed to meet six or seven times a year but has not been meeting this target. In 1989, three meetings were convened and in 1990, only one.
III. ARTHUR C. CLARKE CENTRE FOR M O D E R N TECHNOLOGY
PERSONNEL
17. The Centre's "Schemes of Recruitment" prescribes salaries, methods of recruitment and qualifications and experience required for each post. A cadre is prepared and submitted annually to the Board for approval. The current cadre of 58 is divided almost equally between professional/technical (28) and administrative/support (30) staff (see Annex HI).
18. The five departments of the Professional Division (communication, computer, energy, robotics and space technology) report to the Director through the Deputy Director, while the Industrial Relations Division reports directly to the Director. The other divisions report through the Executive secretary.
19. The Act creating the Centre called for the organization of five departments under the Professional Division. In reality, however, the Robotics and the Energy Departments are inactive and unmanned and the Space Technology Department functions only in so far as it is concerned with Communications. Therefore, the only ongoing work is in the field of Communication and Computers. Furthermore, the five compartments were never meant to be mutually exclusive and close coordination was always intended. The two functional departments presendy work closely together.
20 . Contrary to what its n a m e suggests, the Industrial Relations Division is not at all involved with personnel matters nor does it concern itself with employer/employee interactions. The function of this division is to play a leading role in initiating and fostering technology transfer from the research and development laboratory into industry. A more appropriate title, therefore, for this division would be Technology Transfer Division. In
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addition, security guards are employed from a local security company under yearly contracts.
2 1 . Proposals for the 1991 staff specify five scientific/technical and 10 additional administrative/support posts.
22 . Support personnel (executive, administrative, accountancy, library, secretarial, clerical, etc.) are not included above. There were reports that the recruitment of secretarial staff has been prejudiced by salaries lower than the corresponding salaries in the private sector. O f seven secretarial posts available in the Centre for 1990, only three were filled at the time of the consultant's visit.
23 . However, salaries at the Centre are somewhat higher than those paid for equivalent posts in other government departments. In addition, all Centre personnel receive a share of revenues earned through training and consultancy services provided by the Centre. Tne latter m a y increase the total annual emoluments for each professional by not more than about Rsl0,000 to 20,000.
24. The equivalent salaries paid to civil servants are given below for purposes of comparison. They are taken from the "1988 N e w Consolidated Salaries - Public Administration Circular 387." The Sri Lanka Administrative Service, the Sri Lanka Engineering Service and the Sri Lanka Scientific Service all share the same salary grades as follows:
Class I R-7-1 72,000 - 108,000
Class II, Grade I R-6-1 48,000- 72,000
Class II, Grade II R-5-1 36,000- 54,000
25. Salary levels in the private sector, however, are said to be double those paid to equivalent staff in the Centre, with some sources claiming that the salaries are three to four times higher. One Centre engineer reported that he could earn Rs20,000 a month without difficulty in the private sector and be given a car and petrol allocation as well. Furthermore, employees in the private sector avail themselves of other benefits such as the services of a chauffeur, private medical treatment for hemselves and their families and representation fees, depending on status and seniority. However, salaries in the private sector are Hable to income tax deducations, whereas government salaries, including those in the Centre and in universities, are not currently being taxed. Themost recent budget (November 1990) did not alter the status quo in this respect.
26. Wha t is being missed in the local private sector, however, is the opportunity to work abroad, either on fixed term contract or by emigrating. The salaries offered by the Centre thus are still higher (in the range of Rs60,000 - 100,000 a month) than can be obtained in the private sector of Sri Lanka. The opportunity to gain valuable experience is thus an additional incentive.
27 . In order to augment their insufficient income, research staff at the Centre say that they are constrained to do additional work in private, in the evenings and weekends. They confide that they earn up to Rs30,000 a month by doing so. If this is true, their activities are bringing in three to four times as much as their regular jobs do.
28 . About half of the available positions are vacant. The proportion of vacancies to filled posts is greater for professional and technical positions. The present situation is as follows:
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Posts filled Posts vacant
Professional/technical posts 11 17
Administration/support posts 19 11
29. During the Centre's earlier years, the need to carry out an intensified recruitment of staff was negated by the prevailing circumstances. Laboratory space was not ready until the second building was built in early 1987 and the computers were not installed until early 1990. Until these conditions were satisfied, here would have been little purpose in recruiting personnel. However, the arrival and installation of equipment at the beginning of 1990 coincided with a change in government recruitment policy, which applied also to statutory bodies such as the Centre. The new arrangements made future recruitment subject to central government control. This was further complicated in February by an embargo placed on recruitment pending a sorting out of the new system.
30. Around September 1990, the Cabinet gave authority to departments and organizations concerned to recruit for senior posts, subject to the permission of the M P P I . The Centre then received permission to fill five senior posts, including that of Deputy Director. The posts for trainee engineers were advertised and final selections are pending. A candidate was selected to be the Deputy Director but he later declined the appointment
31. There has never been a full-time Director, the post having always been held on a part-time basis. There have been four different incumbents since the start of operations in 1985: the chairman of the IFS, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa, the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Moratuwa who holds the post at present. All except the first were Acting Directors.
32. The post of Deputy Director has also proved difficult to fill. There have been three such Deputy Directors since the Centre opened. Between appointments, the post would be vacant for over a year. The most recent incumbent resigned in order to take up a post abroad. The latest appointee declined the offer for the same reason. It would appear then that the type of person required for this post and for that of the Director is precisely the sort that can find work abroad fairly easily.
33. Finally, none of the five professorial posts has ever been filled.
F I N A N C E
34. The Centre is subject to annual inspection by the government auditors. The Centre has three sources of funding:
A . Direct government subvention, covering salaries and all other running expenditures and capital expenditures;
B . Grants or gifts from organizations like U N E S C O or individuals like the patron, which may be used to cover expenditures or for other purposes like training, books, journals, etc. In practice, these are usually gifts rather than grants, in which items of equipment are donated books. They are subject to subsequent government audit.
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C . Income earned by running courses, providing consultancy services and other services such as Cable News Network (CNN) and interest earned from money on deposit. This income is disposed of as follows:
- 57 per cent is paid to the Fund of the Centre;
- 43 per cent is distributed between the staff (technical, administrative, accounting and support) and 1 per cent paid into a welfare fund. Proposals have been made to increase the proportion paid to professional and technical staff.
35. The Centre prepares an annual budget proposal and submits it through the Board to the Treasury which gives the final approval. In general, the amounts approved are less than those requested. The approved funds are then paid to the Centre, normally in monthly instalments. This is said to be a long-winded process, during which the Centre has to provide monthly flow charts to justify continued expenditure. The procedures are time-consuming and are exacerbated by slow processing. Numerous phone calls and several car trips must be made to follow up the request for the release of the next instalment
36. The Centre has the authority to juggle funds within running expenditures but must obtain Treasury authority to re-allocate them from running to capital expenditures. Transfers of funds from capital to recurrent allocations are not permitted.
37. Purchases of equipment are subject to government regulations. Orders that cost up to Rs20,000 may be made directly by the Centre, after having obtained only three quotations. Orders costing Rs20,000 or more must go through the government Tender Board procedures.
38. The Centre obtains capital subventions from the Treasury although recently it has had difficulties spending these. In 1989, for example, the Treasury approved Rs 12 million for the Centre to spend on new buildings (Rs9 million) and equipment (Rs3 million) in 1990. This was subsequently complicated by the change of government at the end of 1989 when a ruling was handed down that all expenditures on projects in excess of Rs500,000 must go through another approval process by the new ministers. The additional step caused further delay. As a result, the Centre was unable to carry out its planned construction programme for 1990, and the authority to spend the funds has lapsed by the end of 1990. However, Rsl4 million has now been approved for 1991, of which Rs9 - 10 million is for the building programme. The Centre is optimistic that ministerial authority will be forthcoming in a relatively short time and that construction will start during the year.
EQUIPMENT
39. The Centre has two T V R O (television-read-only) dishes, both of which were donated in 1983 by a group of U S satellite antennae manufacturers. Both operate in the C -band, have 30°K L N B (low noise block) and are capable of 180° or horizon-to-horizon tracking. The larger is a 25-foot dish manufactured by Hero and the smaller is a 16-foot Paraclipse. The former was given directly to the Centre while the latter was originally a gift to its Patron. There is a 100-foot mast which carried V H F antennae for amateur radio station communication and U H F and microwave equipment for the Celltell operations.
40. Power generation equipment consists of a Cummings diesel motor driving a Newage Stamford 100 K V A alternator. The system is equipped with automatic mains failure change-
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over and is capable of giving power to the entire Centre under full use (including air conditioners) with 30 - 40 per cent reserve capacity.
4 1 . All Centre vehicles are government property and can be driven only by government drivers. S o m e exceptions, however, are authorized for a few of the senior staff. There are currently four vehicles, one of which is assigned to the Chairman of the Board and another to the Acting Director. There are also 11 other personal computers all over the Centre for general office use.
42. Centre staff were proud to point out that the Centre's laboratory is one of the best of its kind in Sri Lanka. The Centre also has a well-stocked library which is being used by the staff and the students attending its training courses. It has some 1,400 volumes and subscribes to 35 relevant journals and other publications. In addition, the library also receives complimentary copies of several publications. The patron, for example, passes on to the Centre several periodicals. A s confirmed by Martin E . Allard, Unesco consultant in Electronics Engineering in November 1990, the laboratory is well equipped and the library contains a comprehensive collection of references and scientific periodicals.
AcnvrriES A N D SPECIAL PROJECTS
43. Several projects and technical activities have either been completed or are in progress at the Centre. The Centre has also been receiving numerous requests for consultancy work and repair services, some of which it has had to turn d o w n . See Annex VII for the list of completed and ongoing projects.
44. A special project, the development of a high-technology park, is also being lined up by the Centre. First proposed by the Centre in 1989, the park is envisaged to be built near the Centre and the University of Moratuwa. The park would be similar in concept to the Silicon Valley set up by Stanford University, California. The plan was drawn up primarily to stanch the brain drain from academic institutions to industry by offering industrial companies easier access to skilled researchers and providing researchers with enhanced opportunities for consultancy work. Since then, similar parks have been established elsewhere in the U S A and in the United Kingdom.
4 5 . The location of the park near the two research institutions should provide ideal opportunities for facilitating technology transfer from centres of research and development to industry. The project would provide land and accommodation for the administrative component of the park, library facilities, office and laboratory space for lease to companies w h o occupy the park and other relevant infrastructures.
46. The planned venture would be set up as a company under the management of a consortium, of which the Centre and the University of Moratuwa would be members. All members would be equity holders except the university, which would be a goodwill partner. Other members of the consortium might include the following:
Greater Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC) Sri Lanka Export Development Board Employees Trust Fund Foreign Investment Advisory Committee Development Finance Corporation of Sri Lanka Capital Development and Investment Co., Ltd.
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47 . Conceptual design sketches have been completed and the task of preparing actual design drawings has been passed on to the government Buildings Department. W h e n completed, these buildings would, in effect, serve as an extension of the Centre for which capital funds have already been approved.
48. Proposals for the high-technology industrial park were initiated by M r . P.P. Dias, an American national of Sri Lankan origin w h o works as a consultant in the electronics sector of the aerospace and defense industry. The objectives of the park are to induce foreign investment in the development of high value added products for export and to generate employment. T o begin with, manufacture would be limited to assembly work using imported components. Later, this could be expanded to include the manufacture of some components, for example, printed circuit boards. The proposals have secured the support of the Centre patron and it has been suggested that the park be named the Clarke Technology Park.
49. The proposed industries would be knowledge- and skill-intensive, hence the reasons for the efforts to build the park close to the Centre and the university. Coincidentally, both the Centre and the university are within two kilometres of the National Apprentice Board.
50. The proposals have been met with a mixed reception, even within the Centre. S o m e view it as an excellent means of generating employment, increasing foreign exchange earnings and stimulating further development of the Centre itself. Others view the venture with apprehension and fear, alarmed that the park might overshadow the Centre and eventually render it redundant
51. A meeting was held at the Presidential Secretariat on 14 November 1990, which the consultant attended as observer, to discuss these plans. During this meeting, M r . Dias explained that his proposals were for an entirely private sector venture. H e suggested that the Government's role be limited to assistance in identifying suitable land and reserving it for the park and to providing standard fiscal and other incentives normally applied to ventures of this kind. It was eventually decided that M r . Dias should hold discussions with the G C E C on the subject of setting up a licensed enterprise. Concurrently, the government would examine the proposals further and evaluate their feasibility and decide on appropriate action. This is as far as the proposed project has gone at the time of the consultant's visit.
52. Other special projects of the Centre is a S C O L A (satellite communications for learning) programme which is being carried out in collaboration with Creighton University, in O m a h a , Nebraska, U S A . The Centre records news broadcasts in Chinese (relayed from Chinasat) on three-hour video cassettes and sent once a week to S C O L A , from where they are broadcast to subscribers. The Centre earns income from this programme.
53. The Centre is also the sole agent for C N N in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, thus providing the Centre with another source of income.
54. The Centre is also cooperating with Celltell Lanka Ltd. in running the cellular mobile telephone system. The Centre rents out space to the Celltel, which provides this telephone service for the Colombo area using a mast erected beside its offices. The existing equipment is sufficient for 1,000 subscribers and is running almost at capacity. This can be increased to 16,000, if demand increases. The Centre earns income from this programme.
55. The Centre also has monitoring satellites in the region. The two active dishes receive C-band satellites and monitor reception from several regional satellites including Arabsat, Intelsat, Intersputnik, Insat, Palapa, Chinasat and others.
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56 . The Centre station has been running an amateur radio station since 1988, using V H F equipment to communicate with amateur satellites in polar orbit. Information is up-linked and down-linked. The Centre is a m e m b e r of the American Radio Relay League, Inc. and it also has links with A M S A T and the University of Surrey Satellite Engineering Division.
Planned or proposed projects
57. In addition to the programmes described above, there are at least five projects on the drawing board. These include a collaborative research project with the Macquarie Communications Research Group in Australia to be called Strategic Cooperation in Regional Information Technology - Research and Development (SCIRITAD); a programme to develop a reliable, dedicated and interactive data communications network to link computer users ( A C C N E T ) ; educational distance learning and the broadcasts via satellite of current affairs and news programmes; advanced training programmes in electronics, communications and computer engineering for professionals; and the establishment of an industry assistance centre to support and sustain projects in high-technology areas.
Project constraints
58 . D e m a n d for services exceeds the capacity of the Centre to provide them. Each year, up to 10 requests for services are turned away. It is reported that at any one time, each engineer is working on at least four projects. At present, there are six engineers, including a systems engineer and three more are needed immediately. It was stressed that the three must be keen and competent, practical engineers and not just have the appropriate academic qualifications.
59 . Fields in which the Centre lacks adequate expertise because of staff shortages are power conditioning equipment, telecommunications products and computer graphics. In the case of computer graphics, the Centre has the requisite hardware but lacks the software and expertise. The software can be easily acquired but not the expertise. A good potential market exists for computer graphics in the local advertising industry.
60 . Nevertheless, it must be noted that the Centre's engineers and researchers have displayed impressive resourcefulness. For example, when they found defects or faults in equipment still under warranty, they succeeded in securing clearance from the manufacturers or suppliers to carry out the required repairs themselves without affecting the warranty, thus preventing considerable loss of time and die costs which would have been incurred in sending the equipment back to the manufacturers.
IV. PERCEIVED PROBLEMS
61 . The Centre m a y appear to have gotten off to a slow start over the first six years of its life but this has to be judged within the national context. The recent years have been extremely difficult and have not been a climate conducive to any development. The resulting problems, however, have not been confined to the Centre and in spite of the nationwide troubles, a Unesco report dated 26 July 1990 reported that,
'the Centre has done fine work. It has well-equipped electronics and computer workshops, the pride of any Asian institution, and a number of ongoing experiments and training courses.'
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62 . Out of the five departments into which the Centre's Professional Division is subdivided, only two are operational. This is due partly to a shortage of staff. But concentration of" efforts on two specific subjects has also been dictated by the range of equipment so far acquired by the Centre. Hence, research and development has so far focused on communications and computers.
63. The Board has opted for the time being to keep out of the field of energy, a subject already being researched by several other Sri Lankan institutions such as the C E B , the Ministry of Power and Energy, N E R D and the Natural Resources, Energy and Science Authority.
64. Robotics is also not being researched by the Centre. This is a very high-technology subject, for which there is little immediate practical demand in Sri Lanka. There is currently an abundance of local skilled and unskilled manpower.
65. Space technology studies are currently limited to those applications associated with communications. The Centre once employed a scientist w h o was skilled in remote sensing applications. But when he left, there was no one to take his place.
66. The chief problem, however, as pointed out by the same report cited above, is that of recruiting and retaining staff. In particular, the absence of full-time leadership, i.e. Director, Deputy Director and Professors, slows d o w n the pace of the development of the Centre. Moreover, only 11 out of 28 available professional/technical posts are filled.
67. However, the problem is not peculiar to the Centre alone. Other Sri Lankan organizations have been experiencing the same difficulties. It certainly is not limited to the government sector as skilled professional workers in the private sector also leave their employers. It is a national dilemma in which the chief loss is through emigration to the overseas market.
68 . Nevertheless, the need to recruit and retain good talent must be addressed. A c o m m o n grievance was that salaries were inadequate and it was pointed out that this m a y be the major cause of the current shortfall in staff. Concerned that the low salaries may indeed be the reason for the difficulty in filling up the most senior posts for the Director, the Deputy Director and the Professors, the Board has made efforts to raise the Director's salary to attract applications from suitable Sri Lankan candidates working overseas. But the Board has failed to obtain this concession from the government.
69. The discussions so far have focused on salaries and conditions of service for engineering and scientific personnel, simply because they perform the core of the Centre's professional work. However, salaries m a y also adversely affect the recruitment of support staff. For example, confidential secretaries can secure m u c h higher salaries in the private sector and only three out of seven secretarial posts in the Centre are filled up at present. This almost certainly applies not only to the Centre but also to government salary scales in general. Like government departments, the Centre is not in a position to compete in the market for secretarial support skills.
70 . Furthermore, professional workers at the Centre said that they do not get sabbatical leaves which university academic staff enjoy at seven-year intervals. Other differences reported were that university staff are given more opportunities to attend seminars abroad and for postgraduate training and that they enjoy more flexible time schedules. However, local universities themselves have not fared m u c h better when it comes to recruiting personnel. Moratuwa and Colombo have been frustrated trying to fill up academic posts.
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71 . S o m e organizations have made attempts to counteract dissatisfaction over working in the government sector. For example, the C E B has helped house-purchasers on its payroll by paying the interest components of their house loans, a major financial inducement during the early years of paying off a loan. A scheme like this would, of course, be beyond the present financial capacity of the Centre to implement
72. It m a y be tempting to attribute problems in recruiting personnel simply to insufficient wages. But the pay is not the sole criterion people consider when deciding where to work. Opportunities for children's education and to secure housing, among others, are also important factors. Furthermore, Centre salary scales are more generous in comparison with the standard ones in the civil service.
73 . It was also pointed out by the Centre staff themselves that working in industry would involve much more time spent on tasks that are of little interest to the more research-minded or academic scientist or engineer, tasks that are primarily directed at achieving business targets. In addition, a much higher level of productivity is expected in industry and workers must function within a high competitive hire-and-fire regime. In contrast, the Centre provides a more relaxed, less stressful environment in which to work on more interesting subjects, without the continuous pressure to meet deadlines. W o r k at the Centre is, therefore, likely to appeal more to the more academic- and research-oriented types of persons.
74. Contract overseas work may also involve separation from one's family, which may be relatively traumatic for a married m a n . Culture shock m a y also be experienced to a greater or lesser degree, depending upon individual tolerances and the nature of the host country. O n the other hand, a family which emigrates m a y suffer less trauma, especially if they are adaptable people.
V. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTION
75. The Centre is a well-run institution, which is developing steadily and is carrying out some interesting research and development work. This, the final section, contains some ideas that might be considered in the light of helping the Centre to continue its development. S o m e of these ideas can be pursued without recourse to changes in legislation but some would entail amendments to the Act
76 . It is often said that the Centre is too firmly embedded in the government structure and too entangled in its bureaucracy to the extent that its operational efficiency is stifled. The champions of this view argue that the greater the degree of independence the Centre can secure from the central government, the more efficiently it can perform in the future. Based upon experience of other scientific or technological ventures, there is a lot to be said for this view. However, it is also reported that the current government administration has tightened its grip upon institutions such as the Centre so that the likelihood of securing greater independence is low.
7 7 . Furthermore, the Centre m a y actually fare betterunder the government umbrella, at least for the next few years. After all, it is from the Treasury that the Centre obtains its recurrent and capital subventions. Were it to operate outside government, it is unlikely that these would be forthcoming.
78 . Nevertheless, there are three ways in which the Board of Governors might seek some measure of greater autonomy short of full independence from the government. The first is to have greater freedom to establish its o w n salary structure and terms of service. The
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second is to secure greater freedom to recruit personnel. The third is to secure increased autonomy in using the financial resources of the Centre Fund.
Salaries and Terms of Service
79. The salaries of the Director, Deputy Director and Professors ought to be reviewed with the aim of making them more competitive in the international market. The goal would be to attract Sri Lankan candidates, some of w h o m m a y be staying overseas at present but w h o would welcome the chance of returning to their homeland.
80. It m a y also be worthwhile reviewing the total package of terms of service for other personnel, with the object of enhancing recruitment and retention of staff. This is not just a matter of raising salaries but of looking at the whole range of rewards and motivations (salaries, fringe benefits, sabbatical leaves and access to national and international seminars, conferences, workshops, etc.) as had been discussed in the previous section.
Recruiting and Retaining Personnel
81. The ideas discussed above are aimed at enhancing recruitment and retention of personnel across the board. However, it must be recognized that there is a pressing need to fill up the most senior posts as soon as possible. And of these, that of the Deputy Director is presently the most pressing although one of the next priorities would be to employ a full-time Director.
82. At present, the Act places certain constraints upon the recruitment of the Director and the Deputy Director, mandating that if one has an academic research background, the other must be a practicing professional engineer. The constraint appears to be of questionable utility. If constraints have to be specified in the Act, would it not be more germaine to prescribe that, while both senior posts must be held by technically qualified m e n or w o m e n , it is also important that the incumbents be capable managers?
83. It was reported that one of the original intentions of the Centre was to have distinguished persons in their respective fields of expertise w h o m a y or m a y not be Sri Lankan nationals as the Professors heading the five departments. Foreign nationals representing industry or coming from learning institutions could fill these posts on a temporary basis of up to, say, a year at a time. The presence of distinguished professionals, local or foreign, should help to boost morale and attract national engineers and scientists.
84. The Centre should also consider looking for multi-lateral and bilateral aid and for sponsorships from government and private sector organizations to assist in filling up posts or in gaining the services of specialized skills outside of its cadre. In some cases, the donor agencies m a y bear the full costs of employing specialists and getting them on site. In others, for example, professionals on sabbatical leave, the Centre might be expected to provide transport to and from Sri Lanka and local living expenses although not the salaries.
85. The introduction of foreign workers m a y require that accommodations be built on-site, making the Centre in effect a minor campus. These accommodations could also be used as temporary housing for newly recruited local personnel.
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Financial Autonomy
86. At present, the Act specifies that all revenues, government subventions, Centre earnings and grants or donations, are to be paid into the Fund of the Centre. The Centre must then go through what were reported to be laborious procedures in order to secure authority to spend the Fund.
87 . The Centre would enjoy greater flexibility and efficiency if it had more freedom to use its financial resources. Even if this freedom could be extended to apply only to revenue other than government subventions, it would be of considerable help. B y amending the Act, the Centre could be allowed to pay revenue that it earns or secures from non-government sources into an account or fund over which the Board and Director have direct and absolute control.
The Board and the TAC
88. Judging from the minutes of recent Board meetings, m u c h time has been spent discussing routine administrative matters such as staff recruitment Perhaps this sort of day-to-day business could be left to the Director and his colleagues. The Board would then be able to devote more time to considering policy issues, industrial and technology transfer matters, fund raising projects and the overall management of the Centre and its research and development programmes. Furtheremore, the T A C rarely meets and its function as a technical support group has virtually withered away. It is recommended therefore that the T A C be revitalized.
A Management Plan
89. Tnere is a need for a management plan that prescribes strategies and targets and against which progress can be measured. This plan would contain a general statement of long-term aims, followed by details of specific shorter term targets covering, say, a five-year period. The prescriptions of such a plan should embrace construction, staffing, purchase of equipment, anticipated revenue, fund raising and schedules for work programmes in each of the technical departments of the Professional Division. The prescriptions should be realistic, measurable, target-oriented and provide yardsticks against which progress or lack of progress can be evaluated.
Suggestions for an Endowment Fund for Professorial Chairs
90. The possibility of establishing professorial chairs was also raised, but the primary hindrances were, as described above for the regular work of the Centre, long-term financing and the need to identify multilateral and bilateral sources. It m a y be useful to recapitulate some of the ideas proposed, in the hopes that some steps m a y be taken in this direction.
91 . The basic principle is to establish an endowment fund, representing donations of international or national commercial companies directly contributing to or benefiting from technology development, of concerned private foundations or individual donors. This endowment fund itself would not be spent, but the interest earned could be applied to fund specific professorial chairs at the Centre.
92. A Board of Directors of this fund would meet regularly to determine the priority in which the chairs are to be funded and to select candidates for these professorial or research positions in the Centre, including the posts of Deputy Director and Director, if these should
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be deemed suitable for inclusion. A related suggestion was to n a m e the chairs after k n o w n scientists or close associates of the Centre.
93. For staff members of the Centre, the actual amount to be provided would be in the form of an additonal honorarium of an amount proportional to the Centre salary, thus giving a substantial incentive for the person to m a k e a specific contribution to the Centre's objectives and programmes. It m a y also be considered whether the attribution of a chair should bear with it the obligation to carry out a specific programme or research or to publish a paper or papers, or hold seminars on innovative areas of technology development. But in any case, there should be some visible product.
94. Neither this honorarium nor the attribution of a chair is intended to replace the Centre salary system, nor to upset in any w a y the standard civil service salary scales. But this would provide an increment outside and in addition to the usual Government budget, and thereby a positive incentive for additional, dedicated and innovative work should show in concrete results.
9 5 . The same principle m a y be applied to international guest lecturers or researchers. This can be further enhanced by making use of sabbaticals offered by a number of universities. Since normal salary is continued during a sabbatical (at most universities), the endowment fund need cover only travelling and staying expenses, though an adequate sum for research and publication ensuing from these sabbaticals should bear the patronage of both the Arthur C . Clarke Centre and the partner institution.
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ANNEX I
LEGISLATION CREATING THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE CENTRE FOR MODERN TECHNOLOGIES
The Arthur C . Clarke Centre for M o d e m Technologies Act N o . 30 of 1984 contains the following provisions:
a. The Centre exists to further and foster the development and use of m o d e m technologies, especially in the fields of communication, computer sciences, energy, space technologies and robotics, through the provision of training and research and development activities. Within this context, it is also authorized to offer supporting or advisory services to industry.
b . The affairs of the Centre are administered by a board of governors, consisting of four ex-officio and eight appointed members.
c. The Board is empowered to appoint a Technical Advisory Committee ( T A C ) which m a y assist the Board in exercising its functions. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the committee are to be the Director and Deputy Director of the Centre.
d. The Board has overall powers of appointing staff to the Centre. Specific constraints, however, are laid d o w n with regard to the two most senior posts. Where the person appointed Director has primarily an academic and research background, the Deputy Director must be a practising professional engineer and vice versa.
e. The Centre is to consist of an unspecified number of departments, each employing a cadre of professional staff. These professionals are categorized as professors, research fellows and other categories of workers as m a y be decided by the Board. The Act specifies that professors m a y also serve as Director or Deputy Director.
f. The Centre is authorized to negotiate for and receive grants from any source, and the government m a y make annual grants to the Centre. Revenue from all sources is paid to the Fund of the Centre and used subsequently to further the statutory aims of the Centre. Provision is made to ensure that funds granted for specific purposes are reserved for those purposes.
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ANNEXn
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
The present membership of the Board of Governors is as follows:
Ex-officio appointees (four):
M r . M . D . D . Peiris (in his capacity as Secretary to the Minister in Charge of Higher Education);
Prof. G . T . F . de Silva (Vice-Chancellor, University of Moratuwa);
Prof. V . K . Samaranayake (in his capacity as Chairman of the Computer and Information Technology Council of Sri Lanka);
Prof. S. Karunaratne (in his capacity as acting Director of the Centre).
Presidential appointees (six):
Prof. K . K . Y . W . Perera, Professor of Electronic Engineering, University of Moratuwa, and Chairman of the Board;
M r . D . H . S . Athulathmudali, Director, Airport and Aviation Services, (Sri Lanka) Ltd.;
J . M . Gundasa, Professor of Geography and Dean of Arts, University of Peradeniya;
M r . I .M. Ismail, retired Supreme Court Judge;
Dr. J. McLucas, recipient of the first Arthur C . Clarke Award;
M r . S .T. Herath, Surveyor-General, Department of Surveys.
Appointees selected by the TAC (two):
M r . P . A . M . Deraniyagala, Director of Colombo Commercial C o . ;
Prof. S. Karunaratne (also an ex-officio member) .
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ANNEX in
ARTHUR C. CLARKE CENTRE STAFF 1990 - 1991
DIRECTOR'S OFFICE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
1 Deputy Director 1 Deputy Director 1 Confidential secretary/PA 1 Confidential secretary 1 Labourer
F I N A N C E DIVISION
1 Executive Secretary 1 Works superintendent 1 Confidential Secretary 1 Secretary 1 Clerk 1 Receptionist/Telephone
Operator 3 Drivers 4 Sanitation Labourers
1 Accountant 1 Bookkeeper 2 Clerks 1 Clerk typist 1 Labourer
P R O F E S S I O N A L DIVISIONS:
Communications department
1 Professor 1 Principal research engineer 1 Senior research engineer 3 Research engineer/fellow 1 Technician 1 Secretary 1 Laboratory attendant
Computer department
1 Professor 1 Principal research engineer 1 Senior research engineer 1 Research engineer/fellow 1 Systems engineer 1 Systems/analyst/programmer 1 Workshop engineer 1 Trainee engineer 1 Secretary 1 Data entry operator/Secretary
Energy department
1 Professor 1 Senior research fellow
Robotics department
1 Professor 1 Senior research fellow/engineer
Space Technology Department
1 Professor 1 Senior research fellow 1 Research fellow
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Industrial Relations Division
1 Manager Industrial Relations
1 Technician/Technical Officer 1 Secretary 1 Labourer
Media Division
1 Media/Information officer
Information and Documentation Division
1 Librarian 1 Library assistant
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ANNEX IV
SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
Based on the recruitment schemes approved by the Board on 14 November 1990, the current annual salaries in rupees (Rs) of the professional scientific and engineering personnel of the Centre are as cited below. Where two figures are shown, these represent the lowest and the highest figures of a range of salary. These salaries are based largely upon university scales. Current exchange rates are approximately $1 = Rs38.
Director Deputy Director Professor Principal research engineer Principal systems engineer Principal eletronics engineer Principal workshop engineer Principal research scientist Senior research engineer Senior systems engineer Senior electronics engineer Senior workshop engineer Senior research scientist Data processing manager Senior systems analyst Research engineer Grade I Systems engineer Grade I Electronics engineer Grade I Workshop engineer Grade I Research scientist Grade I Systems analyst Grade I Research engineer Grade II Systems engineer Grade II Electronics engineer Grade II Workshop engineer Grade II Research scientist Grade II Systems analyst Grade II Research engineer Grade m Systems engineer Grade III Electronics engineer Grade HI Workshop engineer Grade HI Research scientist Grade HI Systems analyst Grade HI Programmer Grade IE Probationary engineer Trainee engineer Trainee research scientist Programmer
Rs 150,000 120,000 - 132,00« 168,000 120,000 - 132,001
same same same same
90 ,000- 114,000 same same same same same same
75,600 - 87,600 same same same same same
66,000 - 84,000 same same same same same
52,800 - 61,800 same same same same same same
50,400 - 51,600 49,200 - 51,600
same same
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A N N E X V
Summary of estimated recurrent income and expenditure for 1990 and 1991
INCOME 1990 1991
Recurrent government grant 4,999,000 5,800,000
Other sources 800,000 1,500,000
Total income 5,799,000 7,300,000
EXPENDITURE
Personnel emoluments Travelling expenses Supplies and requisites Repairs and maintenance Depreciation Transport, communication
utility and other services Project expenses Grants and subsidies Retirement benefits
Total expenditure
EXCESS OF I N C O M E O V E R EXPENDITURE
1,570,496 81,182
759,102 225,000
1,646,000 707,266
224,714 134,242 235,000
5,583,002
215,998
1,750,000 120,000 700,000 334,000
2,596,000 785,000
500,000 150,000 265,000
7,200,000
100,000
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ANNEX VI
EQUIPMENT
The full fleet of cars at the Centre consists of:
- 1 Nissan Sunny - 1 Ford Laser - 1 Toyota Corona estate - 1 Mitsubishi Delica passenger van
Major equipment in the laboratory includes:
- Microwax 3400 minicomputer - Ethernet local area network - Graphics work station with colour image printer - 7 personal computers (EBMs and clones) - Spectrum analyser tracking generator 1.7 G H z - Logic analyzer - 3 high performance oscilloscopes - Transmission measuring equipment - 2 sets of field strength measuring equipment - Arbitrary waveform generator - 6 function/signal generators - 3 frequency counters - Miscellaneous standard electric testing equipment
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A N N E X VII
ACTIVITIES
A . INDUSTRIAL ASSISTANCE
1. Work on redesigning faulty single channel radio equipment belonging to the D O T was begun in 1990. The department had imported 50 sets, none of which worked properly. The redesigning has been completed and field trials are in progress.
2. W o r k was started in 1988 on developing a metering pulse controller to replace the existing crossbar exchange which lacks facilities to programme itself in response to changes in tariffs, etc. The Centre is designing an adaptor/modification kit. The hardware design is complete and software development is in progress.
3. W o r k was started in 1989 on designing an A C power-line monitor and harmonic analyzer to monitor electric powerline conditions and disturbances, to provide an improved service to consumers and to provide critical information in certain installations such as computers. The hardware design is complete and prototype testing is in progress.
4 . Development of a 10-channel P C M system, to provide more telephone channels on existing wiring was begun in 1987 and is 90 per cent complete. But it was halted in 1990 due to the departure of a staff member w h o emigrated.
5. Development of a cheap and efficient converter to allow existing A M radio receivers to receive the n e w island-wide F M transmissions was started in 1987 but its completion awaits parts that are on order from Belgium.
6. Design of E P B A X by C E B in collaboration with the Centre was begun in 1988. Once completed, the unit is to be used by C E B ' s powerline carrier communication branch. Hardware development is complete and software development is in progress.
7 . Design modifications for 5-channel radio equipment have been completed.
8. Development of an electronic and computerized time recorder for office or factory use, to replace mechanical timing mechanisms was begun in 1990 but later abandoned because the potential manufacturer lost interest due to the length of time taken to carry out this work.
9. Provision of diagnostic and repair services for various clients, beginning in 1987. Since then, the Centre has repaired two S A T communication terminals, two radio transceivers and a laboratory temperature control system. This is an ongoing programme, implemented as requests for services are received.
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B. TRAINING SERVICES
1. Four T M I C training courses were held from 1987 to 1990 at which 75 participants received training. Each course lasted for two and a half weeks.
2 . A one-week course in microprocessor-based oscilloscopes was held in 1990 and was attended by about 12 participants.
3 . A youth training programme was held in Kalutara District in 1989, aimed at preparing trainees for self-employment in the field of consumer electronics.
4 . A n IEEE-488 course was held in 1990 to introduce modern instrumentation in testing techniques to professional engineers and senior technicians.
5. Three computer industry overview courses for senior managers were held from 1987 - 1989, attended by about 60 participants.
6. A science for youth training programme was conducted in 1990 to broaden the knowledge of students w h o excelled at 0 levels in preparation for their future careers.
7 . A course in C language was organized in 1990 and was attended by 10 participants.
8. A data transfer workshop sponsored by U N E S C O was organized in 1990.
C. CONSULTANCY W O R K
1. The Centre receives many requests for consultancy and repair services, to the extent that it is unable to respond to all of them. A sample of pending job orders are as follows:
- repairing a moisture balance for Glaxo - repairing a professional 350 P C for the Steel Corporation - repairing an industrial press for the Small Industries Department - repairing a printer for the National Water Supply and Draining Board - sorting out a U P S (uninterrupted power supply) problem for the Bank of Ceylon - looking into an electronic control failure on a crane for the Colombo Dockyard Ltd.
D. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
1. Development of in-house software in 1990: A n accounts package was completed but further work on a stock control package was halted when the software specialist emigrated.
2 . Installation of the Centre computer system was completed in 1990 although procurement of equipment began two and a half years previously. However , the equipment still lacks software, which cost as much as the hardware.
3 . Installation of an uninterrupted power supply system has been completed.
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E. PLANNED OR PROPOSED PROJECTS
1. S C I R I T A D or Strategic Cooperation in Regional Information Technology -Research and Development. Macquarie Communications Research Group ( M C R G ) in Australia has suggested a collaborative research project. Initially, this would link the Centre and M C R G , and extend later to links with other Australian information technology research and development institutes and with industry. The aim would be to identify, develop and establish the framework for regional marketing of information technologies relevant to rural needs, living conditions and purchasing power in Third World countries. This project is currently in the planning stage.
2 . A C C N E T . A programme to develop a reliable, dedicated and interactive data communications network to link computer users. The aim is to optimize the installed capacity of computers and facilitate computer sharing by multiple users. The immediate objectives are to set up a joint venture consortium (in which the Centre holds equity), whose function will be to establish and operate a master earth station ( H U B ) providing two-way communication and network control between a host computer and multiple very small aperture terminals (VSATs) . The network would be a satellite packet switched two-way data communications network. Satellite transponder space must be leased or hired. Potential users include banks, ports and airports, airlines, shipping agencies, hotels, government offices, parastatal bodies and the larger private companies. At present, the Centre is trying to interest potential members of the proposed consortium.
3. E I N T V (educational distance learning, international current affairs and news -television broadcast station). The proposal is to establish the 100-foot tower already on site. This would be another joint venture consortium in which the Centre would hold equity and in which the other participants might include universities, private teaching institutes and other interested public and private organizations. Distance learning programmes could be produced locally or obtained from overseas producers of educational T V material Current affairs and news programming would be delivered via satellite, using the new operational broadcasts to the region. The two available satellite T V channels are C N N and Worldnet. The project is currently in the planning stage.
4 . Advanced training programmes in electronics, communications and computer engineering for professionals. The goal of this project is to impart training to professionals w h o are already engaged in the three fields, over a period of two to three years. Examples of the fields in which training would be offered include:
- data communications: fundamentals, techniques and the state of the art - test and measuring instruments for engineers and technicians - introduction to computer systems for senior managers - microprocessor techniques, hardware and software for engineers - processor-based industrial systems and the maintenance approaches - automation of the test instruments and use of EEE-488 Bus
The objectives of the project would be:
- to conduct 20 regular courses of one to three weeks' duration, giving advanced training in high-technology areas;
- to offer at least 50 man-months of training for 10 engineers and other professionals;
- to build up the infrastructure for an advanced training capability coupled with a technology park and an industrial assistance centre for service and maintenance;
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5 . T h e establishment of an industry assistance centre to support and sustain projects in high-technology areas. The proposed objectives are:
- to support the maintenance and maintenance management of high-technology systems;
- to identify n e w and potential technologies for the creation of n e w industries and to generate increased employment opportunities;
- to undertake research and development projects with local industrialists w h o are engaged in the manufacture of high-technology products;
- to provide consultancy services in order to sustain and provide high-technology projects;
- to provide special skills for existing professionals through specialized training programmes;
- to provide a database of modern technological information to support local employment and to reduce Sri Lanka's dependency on imports of high-technology products.
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