Published on - 3/15/2004
The Sri Lanka Army, the single largest organization in the country in terms of its manpower mobilization is to strengthen its Information Technology (IT) infrastructure to keep abreast of fast developing computer technology in the world. The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology in its efforts to assist the Army's proposal to this effect is to conduct fifteen IT courses for the benefit of its clerical staff of the Army during 2004-2005.
\"Today we all live in the information age. This is an inescapable fact of life. IT plays a vital role in all spheres of activity be it private, public, professional or social. IT can and does play a major role in improving an organization's efficiency, productivity and effectiveness. Advanced Information technologies can greatly increase the amount of useful knowledge available to the Army and improve our ability to put that knowledge into constructive use,\" so said, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army Lt. Gen L. P Balagalle at the inauguration ceremony of the IT Training Programme for the Army held at Sri Lanka Institute of IT on Monday (15).
Gracing the occasion as Chief Guest, Lt. Gen Blagalle further told the gathering that Army IT committee has identified the Army\'s short-term, medium-term and long-term objectives which will ultimately provide for the use of IT in all its spheres of activity including administrative functions, logistic handling and the much-needed C41 plus EW; Command, Control Communication, Computers, Intelligence and Electronic warfare.
\"A system for high speed, reliable communications is perhaps the key to realizing the full potential of our Army as well. The very positive response from the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology within a very short period of time to assist the Army is indeed strength and an encouragement for the infrastructure development of the Army\", he added.
Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Lt. Gen Balagalle extending a profuse thank for the initiative taken by the Institute of Information Technology to help the Army, he went on to add that it was with long-term goals that the Army entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Institute through which training of personnel ranging from clerical cadre to IT system administrators, development of customized military software applications, research and development of consultancy services, etc are made possible. A large gathering of distinguished guests including Governor of the Southern Province Kingsley T. Wickramaratne, Chairman, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology Prof. S. Karunaratne, Chief Executive Officer of the IT Institute Dr. Lalith Gamage, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, Major Gen. A. M.C. W. B Seneviratne, Members of the Management Council of the IT Institute, Senior Army Officers and invitees graced the inaugural sessions.
