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Affno's state-of-the-art online Ship Registry Portal for the Department of Ports and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications in the Kingdom of Bahrain is a groundbreaking initiative for the Middle East. It provides a single point of access for ship owners to make use of all Ship Registry services – online, anywhere, anytime.
The portal has been nominated among hundreds of entries from across the Middle East to be showcased at the Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition (DIGAE) in UAE, which recognises public sector excellence in the Gulf Region.
Under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the sixth edition of Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition (DIGAE) will take place from April 9-11, 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, organised by the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai, along with one of its key programmes, Dubai Government Excellence Programme. DIGAE is considered the benchmark for showcasing public sector excellence in the Gulf Region, where nominated authorities, institutions, departments and agencies are chosen from among the hundreds of government institutions across the Middle East to showcase the Region's most effective programmes and innovative solutions. By demonstrating the most cutting-edge initiatives, the DIGAE aims to foster the next generation of high performing public services.
The Ship Registry Portal empowers ship owners to execute e-services such as registering vessels, securing licenses, obtaining endorsements for vessel officers and for all seamen on board, renewing expired certificates, transferring vessel ownership and more. The solution fully integrates with the Department's other core applications, external payment gateways and bulk messaging operators. Comprehensive reports and statistics are provided on Ship Registry activities, and management now has a bird's eye view of business process efficiency.
With the introduction of the portal, turnaround time has dramatically reduced from weeks to days, paper consumption is virtually nil, payments are processed instantly and queries answered immediately. Ship owners are empowered and Registry management have instant insight into Registry operations. New vessel registrations and license issuance have increased, and Affno's solution continues to support the Department's growth.
Internationally award-winning technology company, Affno, in partnership with Al Zayani Commercial Services (AZCS), conducted a workshop on Correspondence Management to guide Bahrain's Directors and CEOs in protecting and enhancing the now legally-binding digital correspondence their organisations use to interact and transact on a daily basis. The workshop was conducted alongside a presentation by AZCS on their Printer Fleet Management product.
The Correspondence Management Workshop provided insight into retention of correspondence for knowledge transfer and legal protection, and management for effective client servicing. It demonstrated how a digital solution for managing correspondence provides advantages of transparency, security, immediate retrieval, reporting, and more.
The programme took place at The Gulf Hotel in Manama (Falcon 5 & 6) on 30th September 2014. It was well received by all participants, including several senior managers of Bahrain's leading corporations.
With a history of 14 years and business across nine countries, Affno specialises in a unique combination of areas that have given the company unmatched technical and aesthetic expertise - Workplace Automation, Mobile Innovation and Web Development. Affno has earned a reputation as an eGovernment specialist and won several international awards. Its vision is to establish the Middle East as a global icon for innovation.
Established in 1980, Al Zayani Commercial Services W.L.L. today represents technology products and services from internationally reputed companies all over the world through a network of business associates, joint ventures and contacts. Al Zayani Commercial Services' customer base covers ministries, banks, multinational organisations, institutes, and the business sector of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The e-Tender Workshop conducted by Affno in partnership with Al Zayani Commercial Services (AZCS) was a resounding success.
The Workshop was kicked off with an introduction by President of Al Zayani Commercial Services, Afnan Al Zayani. Country Manager for Bahrain, Kevin Kumarasinghe then conducted the workshop, educating attendees on the need for and the value of online procurement.
Well attended by business leaders across several industries, the Workshop was accompanied by demos of the e-Tender system and provided a solid understanding of the best practices in online tendering.
With a history of 14 years and business across nine countries, Affno specialises in a unique combination of areas that have given the company unmatched technical and aesthetic expertise - Workplace Automation, Mobile Innovation and Web Development. Affno has earned a reputation as an eGovernment specialist and won several international awards. Its vision is to establish the Middle East as a global icon for innovation.
Established in 1980, Al Zayani Commercial Services W.L.L. today represents technology products and services from internationally reputed companies all over the world through a network of business associates, joint ventures and contacts. Al Zayani Commercial Services' customer base covers ministries, banks, multinational organisations, institutes, and the business sector of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Internationally award-winning technology company, Affno, in partnership with Al Zayani Commercial Services,
is conducting an e-Tender Workshop to guide Bahrain's Directors and CEOs in making the switch from the
inefficient manual means of procurement to leveraging on the reach, cost-efficiency and productivity of
online tendering.
The e-Tender Workshop is a power-packed lecture on the value of introducing online tendering to your organisation, and what to expect from a top class e-Tender system. Together with demos and case studies, the Workshop will provide a solid understanding of the best practices in online tendering.
Free to attend, the programme will take place at The Gulf Hotel in Manama (Falcon 5 & 6) on 17th June 2014 from 11 am to 1 pm. Call 17297676 ext. 101 now to reserve your place. With a history of 14 years and business across nine countries, Affno specialises in a unique combination of areas that have given the company unmatched technical and aesthetic expertise - Workplace Automation, Mobile Innovation and Web Development. Affno has earned a reputation as an eGovernment specialist and won several international awards. Its vision is to establish the Middle East as a global icon for innovation.
Established in 1980, Al Zayani Commercial Services W.L.L. today represents technology products and services from internationally reputed companies all over the world through a network of business associates, joint ventures and contacts. Al Zayani Commercial Services' customer base covers ministries, banks, multinational organisations, institutes, and the business sector of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
CEO of Affno, Suren Kannangara addresses the gathering at the Workshop.
Internationally award-winning technology company Affno Middle East WLL conducted a workshop on 30th October to guide Bahrain's corporate leaders on developing an effective web and mobile presence and seamlessly integrating it into corporate strategy.
Organised by ST Consultants, the 90-minute power-packed programme entitled 'The Year of Digital Business' took place at the Crowne Plaza in Manama. It shared valuable jewels Affno has learnt over the years, including how to develop a strategy-driven website that is able to drive conversions rather than performing as an online brochure. Chris Carston, the Marketing and Communications Manager of the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) also delivered a case study highlighting BIBF's vision and how its web strategy is helping the institution achieve it.
The workshop divulged industry secrets for making social media and online advertising deliver an incredible ROI, and covered practical concerns such as how many people to hire for social media, how much to invest in online advertising and how to continuously produce great online content.
The programme also addressed how to use the Internet to create organisational efficiency via both web and mobile, and included comprehensive coverage of the mobile domain. Participants learnt how to develop an effective mobile strategy and how to make best use of the vast array of mobile technologies available for engaging audiences. They also gained an in-depth understanding of the Windows 8 interface from Eduardo Ortega, Microsoft's Regional Technical Evangelist for Windows Platforms, who shared valuable insights on the possibilities offered by this new platform.
"The impact of technology is only going to get bigger. No business will remain untouched by its influence
on customers' lives. Organisations must understand and make use of the web and mobile mediums to create a
positive disruption - before it's too late." - Suren Kannangara, Affno CEO
Affno, an internationally award-winning technology company, has joined hands with the world-renowned Microsoft to guide Bahrain's Directors and CEOs in leveraging web and mobile to make an impact, see real conversions and achieve competitive edge internationally.
'The Year of Digital Business' is a 90-minute power-packed lecture on developing an effective web and mobile presence and seamlessly integrating it into corporate strategy. It is aimed at the Boardroom. Free to attend, the programme will take place at the Crowne Plaza in Manama, on 30th October from 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm.
The lecture, organised by ST Consultants, will share valuable jewels Affno and Microsoft have learnt over the years, from ideating tools for brand building to creating organisational efficiency through web and mobile applications. It offers a comprehensive guide to capturing valuable space in 2013's digital marketplace.
With a history of over 13 years and business across 9 countries, Affno specialises in a unique combination of areas that have given the company unmatched technical and aesthetic expertise - Mobile Innovation, Workplace Automation and Web Development. Affno has earned a reputation as an eGovernment specialist and won numerous international awards. Its vision is to establish the Middle East as a global icon for innovation.
Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational software corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of technology products and services. Microsoft is the world's largest software maker measured by revenues, and one of the world's most valuable companies.
Award-winning company Affno Middle East WLL has been selected to introduce its revolutionary software
solutions at the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR-AAA).
The BCDR-AAA is the key arbitration authority within the Kingdom of Bahrain, designed to provide alternative dispute resolution solutions that are more time and cost effective than traditional court procedures.
Affno's solution will reengineer and automate procedures, maximising efficiency, creating transparency and ensuring all activities occur according to protocol. The system will store case documents digitally, electronically schedule meetings and even manage access rights to deny or allow visitors access to the building.
James MacPherson, CEO of the BCDR-AAA said: "We are constantly looking for ways to develop the service we provide our clients. The efficiency of processes and software is key to ensure that arbitration and mediation cases administered by and held at the Chamber are resolved in a timely and cost effective manner. Affno will help us to enhance our offerings and we are delighted to welcome them on board."
Affno's experience in the legal sector, transforming both private and public enterprises, will serve the company well as it converts the BCDR-AAA into a hi-tech entity with streamlined, digitised operations.
Affno has already made an impact on Bahrain's governmental, corporate and social environment through its e-initiatives with the Bahrain eGovernment Authority, the Ports and Maritime division of the Ministry of Transportation, the Bahrain Institute of Business and Finance (BIBF), and many more reputed entities.
Internationally award-winning software company Affno is changing the face of reporting
across Bahrain's higher education sector.
Affno has developed a reporting system which will supply the Higher Education Council (HEC) of the Ministry of Education with up-to-date student, faculty and programme information. This system, which will be implemented across all tertiary education institutions in Bahrain, will provide valuable insights into the health of the sector. It will furnish the HEC with comprehensive data on the popularity of different programmes, trends in students' academic choices, and even deficiencies in the educational system. The software also allows the HEC to publish reports instantly, enabling the Council to submit all the necessary information to UNESCO and other authorities in a timely manner.
In order to educate higher education institutions on how to use the system, Affno conducted a training session on 13th June 2013 at the Gulf Hotel in Manama. Two members of each institution were present and given a walk through of the information entry process, which will soon become a part of their daily operations.
Affno presents a unique advantage by virtue of its three complementary offerings - Workplace Automation, Mobile Innovation and Web Development. The combination of these three areas is unique both regionally and globally and has equipped Affno with an exceptional level of aesthetic and functional expertise, enabling the company to emerge as a leader in e-government and m-government.
Training session held for ship owners to demonstrate new system's streamlined ship registry process.
The General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP) is undergoing preparations ahead of the expected launch of its new online ship registry portal. As part of these steps, the GOP held a training session for all shipowners registered in the Kingdom of Bahrain in order to introduce them to the GOP's new Ship Registry Portal (SRP). The training session was designed to prepare shipowners for the launch of the new Portal, introducing them to the system and explaining how it will simplify and streamline the ship registry and associated services process. The training programme was held at the GOP headquarters and was conducted by Affno Middle East.
The new Ship Registry Portal (SRP) will be available around the clock providing all Ship Registry eServices online, creating a more simple and convenient interactive platform for shipowners to complete necessary procedures. A simple application form is available through the GOP, and all shipowners are urged to become registered users of the new system prior to its launch in order to become familiar with the portal and ease the transition period.
Registered customers will be able to submit eService applications online, as well as track the status of applications and make online payments through a secure transaction channel using their credit cards. It will also include an exclusive auto notification system which will send notices and updates to the GOP's customers using a simple easy-to-use SMS interface or by emails. Ship owners will also benefit from quicker responses and tracking services as all their eService requests will be processed through a digital workflow within the Ship Registry.
Commenting on the importance of the training session in educating shipowners about the system's benefits, GOP Director General, Mr. Hassan Ali Al Majed said: "We are continuously striving to demonstrate professional excellence within the shipping industry in addition to providing high quality services to meet the growing needs of our customers. The launch of the new Ship Registry Portal will mark the achievement of one of our main strategic objectives for 2011-2016.. With the new SRP, we will be able to provide our customers with an easy-to-use and convenient system for interacting with the Ship Registry, reaffirming the Kingdom of Bahrain's position as a leader in the shipping industry."
Chief Executive officer of Affno Middle East, Mr. Suren Kannangara said: "The new Ship Registry Portal for the General Organisation of Sea Ports is unique in the Gulf region, and we believe it will be extremely beneficial to ship owners as it will allow them to conduct their business online through the portal. The training for the ship owners was a resounding success, and was readily welcomed by all who attended as a well executed initiative. This ground breaking new Portal, once launched, will position the GOP- and for that matter, Bahrain - as a pioneer in the region, and will highlight their commitment to streamlining operations and simplifying processes for the maritime industry."
Solicitor General, Additional Solicitors General, State Attorney, Deputy Solicitors General, Senior State Counsel,
Senior Assistant State Attorneys, Ms. Sharmalie Gunawardene of the Legal and Judicial Reform Project, Dr. Vijith
Kannangara and Mr. Suren Kannangara from Affno, Mr. Ajith Abeywardene, Project Manager, E-wis, Ladies and Gentlemen.
The words I speak are couched in a profound sense of accomplishment amalgamated appropriately with a sense of satisfaction. The Attorney General's Department Computerization Project represents a significant and daring leap into the futuristic sphere of information technology. We may now claim that this Department has assumed a futuristic disposition whilst retaining its traditional and orthodox ways which is tantamount to an almost utopian blend indeed. This Department has accomplished greatness despite the absence of the lap of technological luxury. Its presence, I trust, will serve to take us to greater heights. In the words of an individual who has been a vital strand to this venture, Mr. Suren Kannangara, CEO of Affno, "the software system implemented by Affno will create a tangible and significant difference in the work of the Attorney General's Department". I trust that this system will only serve to compliment the hallowed portals of this Department and its ethos of perseverance and determination.
I believe, we have a reason to be content and delighted, for the technology we have absorbed into the threshold of this Department has been the subject of critique of exalted and prestigious institutions in the league of the British Computer Society which have held this system in high esteem. Therefore, to utter the declaring that we have before us a solution to meet our administrative needs.
I must specifically thank the host of individuals whose assistance without which, a project of this magnitude would have been but a mere figment of our imagination. I must therefore acknowledge the contribution made by all the individuals who made this project a reality especially Suren Kannangara and Roshan Jayawardhana who were responsible to ensure the receipt of a gold award for their system. I must also thank E-wis for the role played in the automation project. I am particularly delighted to acknowledge the contribution of the Officers of this Department for having cast every individual lump of clay and thus creating this monument. All know that we alone cannot achieve this without the concurrence of the Judicial system. My grateful thanks to the Legal and Judicial Reforms Project for not only making this system a reality but also for the many important projects that you have implemented in the entire Legal and Judicial system.
We must take cognizance of the fact that we happen to be one of the very few Government Departments to have such modern technological assistance. It is inevitable that we would find ourselves consequently basking in an aura of conspicuousness. Although, such a disposition does not take us by surprise, we must keep in mind that the status quo represents a healthy exposition, for we may henceforth serve as role-models of quintessential Government administration.
The proof of the pudding is of course in the eating. I believe, it now only remains for us to begin employing this system. In order to facilitate this, the preliminary step is to ensure that all active case files are scanned in. I believe this process has been augmented now and I trust all material would be scanned and merged into the system by the 14th of December. Thereafter, I am told that Affno would be conducting a series of refresher training programmes from the 17th to the 20th of December. Come 1st January 2008, we would all be carrying out our work digitally by employing digital case files, and resorting to the use of tangible files only in relation to court attendance.
I have no doubt that this software system would introduce considerable ease, efficiency and a heightened sense of security towards the work of every officer. Inevitably it would entail a considerable degree of acclimatization for most of us perhaps more so for some of us in particular! Regardless, this represents the future and the preliminary step of the great journey that lies in the path of this Department, and we would tread forth in a bold and perseverant fashion.
All this should translate to greater efficiencies in our Department. As we go along, workloads will increase and backlogs may swell. However, with this system, I trust we may claim that backlogs are now a thing of the past.
The technological achievements of our Department should arguably be felt by every other Government Department, the Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislature. Speedy conclusion of cases would serve as a medium to improve public confidence that justice prevails.
I expect officers to take full advantage of this technological facility. When we work for an institution it is important for us to sail with the wind. Therefore, even if there are a few of you who might be threatened by the change it is essential that you adapt to such change. We will no doubt encounter a few impediments in the process, but we should strive to solve such issues and make this a system that will truly assist us to simplify our work.
Officers also make use of this system to share your knowledge by sharing pleadings, judgments and written submissions. Let's work together, to be a role model for the country.
In conclusion, I congratulate Affno and wish them well in their future endeavours.
Affno won the Gold Award in the E-Government Category at the National Best Quality Software Awards held recently.
This was the third consecutive year in which Affno won Gold in this prestigious and important category.
Here are excerpts of an interview CEO of Affno Suren Kannangara had with Surekha Galagoda - Business Editor
of the 'Sunday Observer'.
Question: What is Affno's experience with E-Government projects?
Answer: Affno has won several E-Government projects in Sri Lanka as well as in the region in countries such as Tanzania and Mauritius.
The World Bank has funded most of these projects. The Information, Communication and Technology Agency (ICTA) has managed the majority of the projects in Sri Lanka.
The latest Gold Award that Affno won for E-Government was for the Legal Case Files Management project implemented at the Attorney General's Department. This particular project was managed by the Legal and Judicial Reforms Project.
Digital repository
Question: Can you explain about the E-Government project which Affno did for the Attorney General's Department?
Answer: The Attorney General's Department functions as the Legal Advisor to the Government and upper guardian of the Law.
They advise the Government including all its departments and institutions as well as represent them in criminal prosecutions and civil matters.
The Attorney General's Department would examine draft legislation for constitutionality and assist in matters pertaining to negotiation of international treaties, bilateral treaties and trade agreements. There are over 200 Attorneys attached to the AG's Department and some 25,000 new case files are opened each year.
Their wide range of work involves the collaboration of Attorneys in different teams on different jobs at the same time.
Affno's solution enables all case files to be accommodated in a digital repository and access made easier, faster, on a need basis and more secure.
The existing processes were adopted into a digital workflow. Some of the processes were also greatly simplified with minimum or no impact to the established way in which the department was functioning. In fact, the department was given a full digital workflow that integrated perfectly with their way of working and their culture rather than necessitating them to change their ways radically.
Hitherto impossible levels of management have also been enabled through the system. For instance, the Attorney General or the Solicitor General can personally check the macro status of all jobs at any given time and drill down to the grass roots level of any particular job if needed.
Similarly, the different levels of management can do the same at their respective levels.
Increasing demands
Question: What has been your experience of introducing this sort of latest technology to Government Departments?
Answer: Very positive. What we have consistently found is that some of the best brains in most fields are in the Government Departments. The quality of the individuals at top level is, I would say, even better than the quality that one would encounter in the private sector.
However, most of these Departments are bursting at their seams because their systems and infrastructure have in most cases not kept up with the increasing demands placed on these departments. This and perhaps political interference are what largely makes Government Departments not as effective as they should be.
There is of course always the problem of mixed computer literacy. Moreover, even though we may see computers on every table in the private sector, this is a common problem in our part of the world.
We are mindful of this situation and take steps so that this problem does not become an issue in making our E-Government solutions work. The design of our solutions takes this in to account and we also employ a wide range of comprehensive training for the users.
Better business
Question: How would E-Government projects in Departments such as the AG's Department help ordinary citizens?
Answer: Certain E-Government projects enable citizens to interact with the Government Department through the Internet for instance. There is no question about how citizens derive value in such instances.
Even in instances such as the AG's Department where the E-Government Solution is not for enabling citizens to interact with the Department via the Internet but for making the Department more efficient internally, citizens derive value indirectly.
Not only citizens; when pivotal Government Departments such as the AG's Department is made more efficient with technology, value is delivered across the board.
The improvements in the AG's Department has a direct bearing on the efficiency of the President and Parliament as draft legislation can be executed faster. Even the Judiciary can become more efficient when its biggest client is better organised. The police would be able to conclude criminal, drug related, terrorism related cases faster.
This in turn would give ordinary citizens more confidence that justice would prevail. All Ministries, Local Bodies and Government Departments would be able to get their legal advice, contracts and cases executed faster and they in turn would become more efficient in what they do for the citizens and the country.
So the impact would be felt by every one of the 20 million citizens in all 22 districts. The medium to long-term impact on the citizens would be a feeling that the rule of law and justice prevails in the country. The Government would not only improve its ability to do business better with the rest of the world but more importantly, the country would be able to improve its image in the eyes of the world.
Comprehensive study
Question: What are the critical success factors for E-Government projects?
Answer: A comprehensive study is paramount. One has to not only understand the business and the processes of the organisation thoroughly but also understand the culture of the organisation very well.
The software design has to be tailored to cater to the subtle nuances that are peculiar to each organisation. In our part of the world, giving local language capabilities is also an important factor for success. Finally, painstaking and patient training over a long period of time is most important.
Question: What is the cost of E-Government projects?
Answer: Affno's solution for the AG's Department as well as for all other E-Government projects has been completely web based needing only ordinary PC's for the users. In Government organisations that are widely dispersed across the country, regional branches are connected with little or no additional cost, except for the cost of PCs and internet access.
The software is deployed on a central server. This makes the maintenance very cost effective as opposed to a system where the software has to be deployed at the client's end as well. The product is built on open standards. Therefore, it can run on any hardware and operating system.
Affno, Sri Lanka's leading software engineering Company with a suite of Knowledge Management software products
were recognised in an unprecedented manner by being decorated with the overall Gold in addition to two category
Golds plus a special award from CIMA at the National Best Quality Software Awards ceremony held last week.
The gala dinner function is the premier annual event that recognises excellence in the IT Industry. A large distinguished gathering consisting of the crème de la crème of the IT Industry graced the occasion. The Guest of Honour was Cliff Lineker, BCS – UK Head of Professional Products.
Affno's groundbreaking XMAN product won the overall Gold in addition to the Gold in the General Applications category and the special CIMA Award for the best Financial Application. Affno's e-Government solution for the Attorney General's Department of the Government of Sri Lanka won the Gold in the prestigious E-Government category. Affno carried away three of the five Golds given to the Industry that night and became the most awarded software company in the history of the National Best Quality Software Awards. Over the years, Affno has won 11 metals including seven Golds at this prestigious event.
Suren Kannangara Affno's CEO, commenting on the awards won by his company said, 'I am proud to lead such a talented and dedicated team. These awards are the result of many person-years of investment and we are all very proud of this glorious endorsement by the Industry. These awards will also help us in our international marketing. We are in the process of stepping up our foray overseas as we now have a solid suite of innovative, proven and stable products that have a great potential in many other markets.
Dr. Gihan Wickramanayake – Chairman, BCS Sri Lanka Section and member of the Senior Faculty of the University of Colombo commented that he had been involved in this awards scheme since its inception in 1998. He was happy to note the key role these awards have played in gaining well-deserved recognition both in Sri Lanka and internationally for the best Sri Lankan software products.
Suresh Hettiarachchi, Chairman NBQSA 2007 said that these awards while providing market opportunities also set rigorous standards of excellence for Software Products from Sri Lanka. "This annual event hailed as a model, is increasingly drawing interest from software product development companies in the region as well", he added.
Affno, Sri Lanka's leading software engineering company with a suite of Knowledge Management software products,
has become the most awarded software company in the history of the National Best Quality Software Awards
(NBQSA) after its achievements at the latest awards ceremony.
Held for the 9th year, these awards are organised by the British Computer Society (BCS), with the support of the Sri Lanka Association for Software Industry (SLASI), the Software Exporters Association (SEA), the Infotel Society and the Universities of Colombo and Moratuwa.
Affno said in a statement it first entered this keenly contested competition five years ago and since then have won 11 medals of which seven have been golds. In addition, Affno have been the recipient of the special award given at this event by organisations such as MTV, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
The NBQSA recognizes and honours significant technological developments and innovation within Sri Lanka's software industry. Affno set this record at the gala dinner last week where the 2007 awards were presented amidst a large and distinguished gathering representing the cream of Sri Lanka's software industry. There Affno won the Overall Gold in addition to winning the Gold in the E-Government category for the third consecutive year as well as the Gold in the General Applications category, which was the second most keenly contested category this year. The special award presented by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) was also made to Affno this year. Commenting on his company's success, Affno's CEO, Suren Kannangara said, "We are yet a relatively young company. We just completed seven years of existence and are now a team of nearly 80 professionals.
"Our products that are winning awards now are the result of many person-years of intense research and development."
Affno Ltd was the overall Gold Champions at the National Best Quality Software Awards for 2007 and grabbed two
more Gold Awards in the E-Government and Services Applications and General Applications categories.
Second place went to Sampath Bank Ltd for its product; Sampath Mobile Cash and third place went to Epic Lanka Ltd for its product; the POS Banking System.
The ICT Personality of the year was awarded to the late Prof. V. K. Samaranayake who was the Chairman of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and the Lifetime Achiever's Award was presented to R. B. Ekanayake. The winners for the Tertiary Student Project were SLIIT for their Trip Wire project while Silver also went to SLIIT and bronze went to the University of Moratuwa. For In-House Application the Gold Award went to Sri Lanka Insurance, Silver to HNB E-Leasing and bronze went again to Sri Lanka Insurance. For Education and Training there was only a Certificate of Participation which went to Gateway Services, while in the Communication Applications category the Silver went to Wavenet International Ltd, Bronze went to Lanka Bell for SMS Gateway and the Merit award went to E-Ticket. In the Media and Entertainment Applications there was only a Certificate of Participants that was given to E Future Ltd for Round Table.
In the Industrial Applications the Bronze went to XL Lanka Ltd and the Certificate of Participation to Epic Lanka Ltd. while Healthcare Applications award was given to E-Futures Ltd. The award for the Research and Development Application was presented to Wavenet International Ltd while Affno bagged the Gold Award for E-Government and Services Application and Bronze went to hSenid Software International. The Merit certificate went to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) while the Certificate of Participation went to DMS Software Technology Ltd. Epic Lanka won the bronze award in the Security Applications.
Sampath Bank grabbed the Gold in the Financial Applications category, while Epic Lanka grabbed silver and HNB Cash Express took the Bronze. In the General Applications the Gold once again went to Affno while ESPI Solutions went with Silver and E-Future took the bronze. The Dialog Award went to Wavenet International Ltd for their OMNI STV and the Microsoft Award went to SLIIT.
"This event gives opportunities for individuals and companies to showcase their products and obtain well deserved recognition", BCS Sri Lanka Section Chairman Dr. Gihan Wikramanayake stated. Through this annual event many individuals and companies have already obtained well deserved recognition locally as well as internationally.
In the meantime 10 companies were also nominated for the Asia Pacific ICT Awards 2007 (APICTA) which will be held in Singapore from November 26 - 29. The event was initiated to increase ICT awareness in the international community and assist in bridging the digital divide. The nominees include Wavenet International Ltd, Lanka Bell, Affno Ltd, hSenid Software International, Sampath Bank, Epic Lanka Ltd, HNB, EP Solutions Ltd and E-Future.
"ICT has the quality to improve livelihoods", USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn said. USAID uses the ICT sector as an important sector and as a tool for so many purposes and the government of Sri Lanka should put on place the policies that will help the firm grow.
Affno, Sri Lanka's most admired web based software products company; Com Bank, widely hailed as Sri Lanka's
Best Bank and Sasianet, one of Sri Lanka's leading developers of software solutions for the financial
services industry reigned in the Financial Applications category at The National Best Quality Software Awards (NBQSA) 2006.
This year's awards attracted a record 36 products developed by 28 companies. These competed in 11 categories. All contenders received either certificates of merit or certificates of participation. However, Awards were restricted this year, reflecting more stringent judging, as NBQSA firmly establishes it self as the premier awards scheme that recognizes quality and development in Sri Lanka's software industry.
The winners were announced at the Gala National Best Quality Software Awards Dinner recently where Prof Tissa Vitarana, Minister for Science and Technology presided. Several other dignitaries including Prof V. K. Samaranayake, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Information and Communications Technology Agency also graced the occasion.
Of the categories, Financial Applications was the most keenly contested category with almost a third of all entries being in it. This was also one of the few categories where all three awards were presented. Viz. Gold, Silver and Bronze. Only six Golds were awarded across all categories this year whilst the Silver and Bronze awards were also restricted. A cross section of companies ranging from some of the giants of Sri Lanka's software industry to medium size and smaller software companies as well as Banks competed in the financial applications category. The Award winners and recipients of certificates in this category were as follows:
|AWARD WINNERS - Financial Applications Category
|Retail Stock Market Booster
|Gold Award
|Commercial Bank
|Com e-Load
|Silver Award
|Deal Net
|Bronze Award
|RECEPIENTS OF CERTIFICATES - Financial Applications Category
|Commercial Bank
|Com On Line
|Merit Certificate
|Merit Certificate
|Open Arc Systems
|Open ARC Pro Lease
|Merit Certificate
|Colombo Direct Access Exchange (CDAX)
|Merit Certificate
|DMS Software Engineering
|Certificate of Participation
|Berkley Consulting
|Certificate of Participation
|Hatton National Bank
|HNB Virtual Branch
|Certificate of Participation
|AG Soft
|Channel Finance
|Certificate of Participation
Affno, Sri Lanka's leading software engineering company for web based software products won 2 Gold Awards and
the Silver for the Best Overall Product, vindicating the Company's excellent growth over the year.
The blue riband National Awards for Best Quality Software in Sri Lanka was held on the 20th October,
against a glittering backdrop of entertainment and a stellar turnout of Sri Lanka's elite ICT fraternity.
Held for the 9th year, these awards are organised by the British Computer Society (BCS), with the support of the Sri Lanka Association for Software Industry (SLASI), the Software Exporters Association (SEA), the Infotel Society and the Universities of Colombo and Moratuwa.
Affno said in a statement it first entered this keenly contested competition five years ago and since then have won 11 medals of which seven have been golds. In addition, Affno have been the recipient of the special award given at this event by organisations such as MTV, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
The NBQSA recognizes and honours significant technological developments and innovation within Sri Lanka's software industry. Affno set this record at the gala dinner last week where the 2007 awards were presented amidst a large and distinguished gathering representing the cream of Sri Lanka's software industry. There Affno won the Overall Gold in addition to winning the Gold in the E-Government category for the third consecutive year as well as the Gold in the General Applications category, which was the second most keenly contested category this year. The special award presented by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) was also made to Affno this year. Commenting on his company's success, Affno's CEO, Suren Kannangara said, "We are yet a relatively young company. We just completed seven years of existence and are now a team of nearly 80 professionals Our products that are winning awards now are the result of many person-years of intense research and development.".
Affno, Sri Lanka's leading web based software engineering company renowned for its knowledge management product,
was awarded the top government tender to automate the Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs.
Affno teamed up with Hsenid, celebrated for its Human Resource Management Software and eWIS, a top hardware provide in the country on this bid, Affno said in a statement.
An agreement to this effect between the ministry and Affno was signed last week.
The solution will be used to speed up and simplify the day-to-day work of the ministry, managing internal and external communications, processing documents, expediting operational tasks and automating the flow of work through the ministry. It will also provide a human resources database for the nation's sprawling civil service. Once operative, the database will expedite personnel management and simplify procedures relating to recruitment, assignment, remuneration, transfers, leave and so on.
The Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs will soon become the first government ministry to computerize its operations and procedures. This is being done, a spokesman said, in order to 'better ensure an efficient and effective public service and a sound regional administrative system' in keeping with the mission of the Ministry.
The initiative for this project comes from the government's Information & Communications Technology Agency (ICTA), which managed a keenly contested tender before awarding the contract to Affno and its partners.
According to ICTA officials, the Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs project is viewed as being especially important since, if successful, it will provide a blueprint for the computerization and automation of other government ministries. "We are setting the standard for everything that will come after us," noted Ravi Kannangara, Affno's Vice President. 'But of course, it also puts us on the inside track when it comes to future e-government initiatives in Sri Lanka.'
Affno, Sri Lanka 's leading software engineering company for web based software products, won a Gold Award
for their eTender product at the National Best Quality Software Awards 2005. Of the eight categories,
Affno's product competed in the category with the highest number of contenders. The winners were announced
at the Gala National Best Quality Software Awards Dinner held in Colombo recently.
Prof. V.K. Samaranayake, Chairman of ICTA presented the trophy to Suren Kannangara, Affno's CEO amidst a large gathering consisting of the most prominent personalities of Sri Lanka 's ICT industry and academia. Adding an element of surprise to the show, Affno was also presented the special MTV Channel-1 Award by Director of MTV, Mano Wickramanayake. Affno was also selected to participate in the Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA) to be held in Australia later this year.
The National Best Quality Software Awards recognizes and honours significant technological developments and innovation in Sri Lanka 's software industry. Five-year old Affno is renowned for their innovative suit of software products focused on knowledge management. They were the winners of the Gold Award for eGovernment last year, and won this year's Gold Award for their eTender product. Senior officials of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), Affno's first customer for this product also graced the occasion. Among the criteria for judging was the market potential for the product. Experts believe that the Affno eTender system will become a standard requirement in almost every public sector organisation in Sri Lanka very soon.
Affno's eTender product has completely revolutionized the tender procedure at SLT. Now SLT has the choice of calling for 'sealed' tenders or opening up a tender for on-line bidding similar to an on-line auction. Within just a few months of going live with Affno's eTender product, SLT has already successfully published some 40 tenders through the system of which 10 were for on-line bidding. Being completely web based, the system enables tenders published to reach a worldwide audience. SLT has made policy decision to conduct 100% of their tenders exclusively through the eTender system. This will make the tender process more transparent. It would also make it more effective as suppliers from anywhere in the world can participate in tenders giving SLT a much better choice. Efficiency of the tender process is also greatly enhanced as it will eliminate time consuming linear processes and replace them with paperless and concurrent processes. SLT estimates that the tender publishing cycle which took days previously has now been reduced to a few hours. Added to all this, the Affno eTender system brings enormous cost effectiveness as well. SLT estimates that the cost savings are so much that its investment on the system would be recouped within a few months. Contrary to the norm of resisting change to established ways of doing things, users of the eTender product at SLT have embraced it wholeheartedly as a much better and easier way of conducting their 3,500 odd tenders per year.
The National Best Quality Software Awards was organized by British Computer Society (BCS) with the support of Sri Lanka Association for Software Industry (SLASI), Software Exporters Association (SEA), Infotel Society (INFOTEL), University of Colombo and University of Moratuwa.
Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), for the first time in Sri Lanka , launched a web based e-procurement system facilitating
complete automation of the processes enabling paperless transactions relating to procurement of material and services.
This latest initiative is aimed at increasing transparency, reducing cost of doing business, reducing duplicity, bringing out more efficient purchasing process and increasing the ability to capture strategic information on procurement including purchasing patterns.
SLTs web site provides suppliers with up-to-date information they need to provide quality goods at competitive bidding practices. The eTENDER initiative provides a vehicle to deliver more focused governance over the procurement system, thereby leading to improved quality of service. Implementation will also benefit both SLT and the suppliers.
SLTs eTENDER system will increase the exposure in open tenders to the whole world and the system will enhance the competitive bidding practices adopted by SLT which at present have limited access by local suppliers for most of the goods.
Prospective tenderers can download the tender document free of charge within a few minutes after publishing in the web site, thereby reducing the actual process to minutes. In global tenders, the tender document can be downloaded by the foreign principle within few minutes after notification.
Affno, Sri Lanka's leading software engineering companies for web based software, has won the contract to
build Colombo Stock Exchange's (CSE) Web Trading Software system (WTS) beating 17 other contenders from around
the world including leading US, European, Indian and Sri Lanka companies.
CSE employed a rigorous evaluation process spanning over six months to select the software partner to build what would become Sri Lanka's largest software system in terms of concurrent users.
The system will initially have to cater to an estimated 10,000 concurrent users and have the capacity to scale up to cater to an exponential growth in this number.
It appointed an evaluation committee comprising senior members of the Exchange, senior faculty members of ICT faculty of the University of Moratuwa and heads of CSE's IT and Marketing Departments. Given the mission critical nature of the proposed software system, key among the evaluation criteria was the quality of design and engineering standards.
The next important criterion was a demonstration of an in-depth understanding of the workings of a Stock Exchange from every angle from technological to customer to broker, market scenarios and market development.
Affno's selection also marks an important milestone in Sri Lanka's software industry. The entire product will be designed, developed, tested and maintained by Affno making it a 100% Sri Lankan product.
Suren Kannangara, the head of Affno, one of the leading software engineering companies in Sri Lanka, in an
interview with the Daily Financial Times shares key insights on quality software solutions, the pitfalls and
the cost of low quality work and how the Company has differentiated itself from the rest in offering reliable
and quality solutions. Following are excerpts,
Q:Today everyone is conscious of costs. Do you find that clients shop around for the best bargain when it comes to software?
A:When clients outsource components of their software development this may be partly true. But when it comes to commissioning a total bespoke software development or to buying a highly customised software product, very rarely would a client go for the lowest price. And the fact is that there's no cheap way of delivering quality in such cases. There is a price for quality and there's a price for the lack of it. In the case of the former, one might end up spending a little extra money. But in the case of the latter, one might pay the price of losing everything because the software is not capable of doing what it was meant to do.
Q:What does one mean by quality of software?
A:In a very basic sense it means that the software works and is bug free. But that's not all. Quality is really about meeting client requirements. It is also about enabling users to learn and start using the software quickly. Quality would also mean easy modification and adaptability of the software to changing needs as the client organization grows and evolves.
Q:How do you ensure that you deliver quality?
A:: If I take Affno as an example, we have an Affno process of software design and development that we follow for all our projects. It starts with a detailed study with the client. Here we get totally immersed in the client's problem or opportunity. We study their existing systems and hardware to ensure that prior investments made by the client are maximised. We also ascertain the skill levels of the people, who will use the software. We then go through a process to ensure that the client also understands how the new system will fit in to their organization, how it will be used and how it will benefit them. We also follow internationally accepted coding standards and quality assurance systems. However coding is only one aspect of the process. Being involved in the full spectrum from conceptualisation to design, development, testing and deployment we require a combination of both left brain and right brain work… thus delivering quality in our type of Software Company is both a Science and an Art. The relationship with the client does not end on successful deployment of the software. In fact we encourage clients to look in their software development as ongoing continuously improving projects and encourage a long term partnership. The nuances of a client's problem or opportunity can be appreciated only if you let them unfurl over a period of time. To build such relationships you have to earn a reputation of being reliable and dependable.
Q:What are the reasons for failures?
A:: It could be primarily for one of two reasons. The first is a lack of an in-depth understanding of the client organization and the users. For instance this happens with some software sourced from overseas because software doesn't always cross geographical boundaries very well. Sri Lanka may be a victim of a relatively high percentage of failures of this type. And in these instances, chances are that the client may have also paid an exorbitant price. The second reason is the lack of proper development and quality assurance standards. In these instances chances are that clients would have gone for one of the lowest bidders, although it may not always be so.
Q:Is Sri Lanka Competitive in terms of its cost structure?
A:: Not really. Also our productivity is not known to be the best. For instance the large number of holidays doesn't help. We cannot as a country sustain a positioning that is based on price because there will always be another country that could do it cheaper. Also if we say that we want to build a position based on price, we are indirectly telling ourselves that we choose to remain a poor country. We need to compete on delivering end-to-end solutions, with a significant design component and top class quality. We at Affno have found time and again that people are willing to pay a premium for quality.
Sri Lanka's pioneering e-market place, www.srilankabusiness.com, the web portal of the Export Development Board
(EDB), which was opened in September, has made good progress in channelling orders for a range of products for
the small and medium sector. The site has also facilitated land sales for the establishment of a tourist complex
deep south.
Orders on the basis of online transactions from September have netted $ 1000 (Rs.1 million) while the orders on the website based promotions for 2003 have netted a total of $ 117,000 (Rs. 11.7 million). The EDB believes that there are further prospects for growth.
Advisor to TradenetSL and Managing Director of Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology Dr. Lalith Gamage told the Daily Mirror FT yesterday that the aim of the portal was to develop the SME sector where it would yield a monthly income of $ 1 million. He said that the portal has been listed in all the major internet search engines and that it was listed within the first ten of all the trade sites in the world which, would enable the Sri Lankan exporters to gain access to international markets without much expenditure on promotions or participating at trade fairs.
The EDB which is at the forefront of developing and promoting the country's products and services for export has played a lead role in leveraging the Internet for delivering a range e-based services to the business community. These services which have been a big boon to the Small and Medium Enterprises sector in particular have yielded a multitude of trade opportunities.
Web advertisements designed by the TradenetSL Division and hosted on the EDB site have brought in regular orders for coco peat & coir twine from Germany and Pakistan to a small scale manufacturer of coir products where the monthly orders are valued at $ 2000 each and there are around three orders per month, EDB's Deputy Director Chitrangani Mubarak said.
The service has also led to successful land deals. Sea side properties in Hambantota and Tangalle were successfully sold to investors in the UK and HongKong. These sites are soon to be developed as holiday resorts brining in further foreign exchange earnings to the country and providing employment opportunities to the villagers in the area, The value of the transactions range between $ 25,000 to $ 50,000.
The portal also enabled a novel export item, audio musical files - "midi files" to find its niche in the world market. Midi files are exported as file attachments by e-mail or, as diskettes and CDs. This is done at a personal and individual level where the exporter receives the equivalent of Rs. 100 per melody where the exporters earnings are over Rs. 60,000 per month.
Some of the more unusual and unique items seeking export markets through www.srilankabusiness.com are midi files from Paranamana Midi Creations, recorded Bana from Ashoka Record Bar and health stones from Ran Lanka Gems and Jewellery.
Paranamana Midi Creation is a micro enterprise from Sri Lanka who has successfully developed a niche market for a unique export item - midi files. Midi files are music files, which the company exports as attachments to standard e-mail messages. The EDB is now seeking to further expand the opportunities for this type of venture by providing a facility for customers to make purchase online by keying in their credit card details and down load the midi file of their choice.
There is a promising market among Sri Lankans living abroad for religious sermons while the use of gemstones for curing various ailments is becoming popular not only amongst Sri Lankans but also in some overseas markets. www.srilankabusiness.com provides an ideal platform to capture this small but exclusive market.
Today the site enjoys an average hit rate of 1000 hits per day and the total volume of transactions taken place so far is about US $ 1000. Some of the products that have been successfully traded are Samahan and Sudhantha toothpaste from Link Natural products and porcelain tableware from Dankotuwa Porcelain. The portal is being aggressively promoted in foreign markets through Sri Lanka's missions overseas, at international trade events and through strategic linkages with other e-market places of international repute.
The portal also brought in joint venture with a Belgian company for fruit juice processing.Trade inquiries via e mails have yielded rich dividends with weekly orders totaling US$4500 for a small scale exporter of sea food and where a US$ 20,000 monthly order for seafood to Lebanon is also under negotiation. Regular orders to Canada, USA and Russia for a garment manufacturing company have also been clinched.
www.srilankabusiness.com is the EDB's latest initiative in showcasing the country's products and services in the world market. The site is developed by Sri Lanka's leading software engineering company - Affno. This pioneering trading platform has brought together in one-place suppliers, buyers, shippers, logistic and finance together with market and product information. The system is empowered with highly secured software that enables online purchase and is open to buyers from anywhere in the world who can connect a computer to the Internet.
Suren Kannangara, CEO of Affno, explains how the Internet has transformed personal and professional lives.
Brian Tissera reports.
Q: In what ways do you feel that the Internet has affected people's living and working conditions?
A: I would say that the Internet has been a major factor in widening horizons. Today, people can acquire new knowledge – fast and without expense. Even formal distance-education is a reality now. And it gets better by the day with the use of a broader bandwidth with products such as Asynchronised Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), where the current speed of 56 kilobytes per second could be increased to 512 kilobytes soon – even eventually going up to two megabytes. This will serve as a cost-effective alternative to the present system of using lease lines and satellite connections, which is expensive. The Internet has also enabled people separated by great distances to keep in touch.
Q: How has the Internet affected business transactions?
A: The Internet has helped businesses reach consumers directly without having to go through a series of middlemen. This has caused a drastic change in trading patterns. Manufacturing organisations that use this method of direct selling have been found to be successful, and to possess a marked advantage over those who use traditional means of trading through agents and trading houses. The larger the number of parties between the producer and the consumer, the higher the cost.
Together with concepts such as supply chain management, the Internet has also enabled businesses to reduce costs of inventories drastically and also offer a much greater degree of customisation in a cost effective manner. This is possible because the Internet enables businesses to concurrently interact with a vast number of suppliers and customers. The Internet is at the heart of many new revolutionary business models hitherto unimaginable.
Q: Does trading via the Net entail certain dangers?
A: It must be clearly understood that the Internet is only a channel of communication. As a buyer or a seller, one must establish safeguards such as checking on the creditworthiness and reputation of the supplier. Similarly, prospective clients part with their money only if they know their supplier, and if an element of trust has been built up between the two parties. The Internet is not a foolproof method of trading – it is a new and speedy means of communication.
Q: How could the Internet be used to improve trade, and consequently boost economic growth?
A: : In Sri Lanka, we have many industries that have no relationship whatsoever with the end consumer. This is because the manufacturers do not enjoy economies of scale to market their produce and build brands internationally. To increase our national wealth, we must aspire to obtaining the maximum price for our produce. This can only be done by developing a relationship directly with the end customer.
The Internet is ideal for acquiring and building relationships with Business-to-Business (B2B) customers. Even in the case of mass consumers, Sri Lankan companies have the opportunity to build international brands in a cost-effective manner today.
However, this is easier said than done. First and foremost, our products must be exceptional and offer a genuine differentiation. We also need to keep to delivery dates and make names for ourselves as reliable suppliers. It is no doubt a laborious and expensive exercise, but it is more practicable at a national level.
Whether one trades via the Internet or not, one has to compete on cost to survive in the global marketplace. Moreover, one has to be able to streamline processes to bring in greater efficiencies. Today, there are cost-effective solutions for businesses to manage all their document and data in a foolproof and efficient manner.
Likewise, there are cost-effective solutions to enable people to collaborate and work together. There are also solutions that can enable the monitoring of progress – from the grass-roots level, without upsetting the hierarchy – by simply getting the relevant information on time and being able to respond instantly. Such measures will help our businesses to get their houses in order, so as to face global competition effectively.
Q: With instant information being available on the Internet, will the print media be affected negatively?
A: : Just as much as TV didn't kill radio and video didn't kill cinema, I don't think that the Internet will kill the print media. The only thing that will happen is that the print media will become more focused. Perhaps it may not enjoy the same circulation figures, but it remains unmatched as a relaxing read. This means that the quality of writing and presentation of the print medium will improve, whilst the Internet's main focus will be on speed.
Q: How do you respond to the abuse of the Internet, especially in the case on online pornography?
A: : : Real dangers of the Internet exist and cannot be eliminated completely. The danger of pornography is very real, and I believe it is the duty of parents to explain to their children the danger of logging onto certain channels. It is better to prevent such problems by explaining the dangers involved, rather than try to block it by means of filtering or other technical devices – because it cannot be done with total success.
In a bid to boost exports, the Export Development Board (EDB) last night unveiled a secure and comprehensive
electronic platform through which Lankan firms could market and sell goods online.
The eMarket place or Sri Lanka's official gateway to the business world is through a trade portal hosted on the www.srilankabusiness.com
Among the many benefits afforded to Sri Lankan enterprises are the facilities to sell online through an Internet Payment Gateway provided by HSBC, a bank of international repute, and deliver worldwide via a cost effective delivery mechanism through Capitol Air Express International (Danzas), a market leader in global logistics. The site is developed by Sri Lanka's leading software engineering company - Affno.
EDB said this official trade portal could in time become the switchboard for all trades done with Sri Lanka.
It was ceremonially unveiled by the Minister of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion, Prof. G.L. Peiris, last night. EDB Chairman R. Sivaratnam, top exporters and business leaders were present.
The objective of the portal is to enable large and small enterprises to vie for international exposure and find new markets and buyers in a very cost effective manner. They are further assisted by the credibility accruing from State patronage. EDB was of the view that even the largest enterprises in the Country could hardly afford the costs of international marketing and this Trade Portal would prove useful to over 95% of Sri Lankan enterprises seeking overseas markets.
E.M. Donald originally an aquarium fish exporter, told the launch how he had got a breakthrough in sea food exports by having his details on the EDB's web portal. Today he is shipping export orders worth US $4,500 weekly to the US, Japan and Netherlands.
With an estimated world population of 500mn. accessing the Internet the business potential of this type of venture could be quite significant. EDB plans to promote the Portal extensively using online and offline advertising, public relations and through leveraging Sri Lankan missions overseas. The portal has been launched with all the requisite country and sector information. Popular Sri Lankan products and services have been grouped into 18 sectors from Apparel to Wood and Wooden Products. Several enterprises have already signed up and carry their basic contact information. Signing up of new enterprises and expanding the breath and depth of information carried by each enterprise will be an ongoing exercise. With time EDB hopes that every enterprise will be profiled in the portal. Enterprises have the freedom to use the Portal to whatever extent they feel fitting. From using it as a simple channel for generating enquiries or traffic to their own web sites through to the actual selling and collecting of payments.
With a view to promoting the use of ICT in international trade the EDB is offering this facility to the business community at very special introductory price. Enterprises can set them selves up for on-line trading for as little as Rs. 15,000/-. All the requisite security software and management tools of a sophisticated online trading portal have been built in for this purpose. The EDB has played a lead role in leveraging the Internet for delivering a range of e-based services to the business community since 1999 when it launched the Cyber Trader. www.srilankabusiness.com represents a major leap from this pioneering effort. The development of this Trade Portal will be on-going and will constitute a major part of EDB's focus for the future. This portal will also provide the gateway for the launch of many other e-services to Sri Lankan enterprises. The EDB also expects this initiative to open up avenues for new types of businesses paving the way for improved employment opportunities. This could be very significant in the light of the Government's target of creating two million new jobs over the next few years.
In keeping with the Government's vision of an e-Sri Lanka where "the dividends of ICT are taken to every village, to every citizen and to every business" the EDB has even provided for the rural entrepreneur through the establishment of regional e-commerce centres.
SMEs in rural areas that are unable to access the Internet due to the lack of a personal computer or a telephone line will now be able to do so through these regional centres. Five centres are presently in operation in Galle, Hambantota, Matara, Kandy and Kurunegala while three more - in Kalutara, Matale and Ratnapura are in the pipeline.
EDB said that Sri Lanka is on the threshold of a new wave of social and economic development with the Government targeting a sustained economic growth of 8 to 10 percent over the next few years. SMEs who contribute significantly to the economic development of the Country will have a major role to play in this endeavour and www.srilankabusiness.com will play an important role in assisting them to find export markets.
Prof. G.L. Peiris, the walking encyclopedia, the man with the photographic memory, the highly articulate off the cuff speech maker, the quintessential master of knowledge...Little wonder then that he called on Affno to learn about the Affno Knowledge Suite showcased at the IMEXPRO 2003 international import and export fair at the Exhibition and Convention Centre early this week. 'Affno' incidentally means 'to bring knowledge' coined by combining the Latin word 'afferre' which means 'to bring' and the Greek word 'gignoskein' from which the word 'knowledge' has originated.
The Employment and Labour Ministry on Wednesday launched a new web portal to formulate a national productivity
policy with the objective of seeking the people's participation in the country's future national productivity.
The web portal was ceremonially opened by Employment and Labour Minster Mahinda Samarasinghe at a ceremony held at Hotel Hilton in Colombo amidst a large gathering of parliamentarians, Government and private sector officials and businessmen. The website was developed by Affno (Pvt) Ltd.
Minister Samarasinghe also paid a glowing tribute to US Ambassador Ashley Wills and USAID Mission Director Ms. Vicki Moore for their painstaking effort focussed towards the establishment of a website which the public can send in their suggestions and comments on a range of topics pertaining to the future development activities in the country.
"The newly launched website is a major initiative in terms of transparency and people participation in the preparation of a national policy and is a clear indication of democracy in practice", Minister Samarasinghe said.
"The site is in all three languages, therefore people from all communities at all levels living here or abroad can access to the website and share their opinions".
"At present our productivity levels are considered to be lower than those of other Asian nations such as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and many East Asian national attained their high productivity levels through systematic planning at a micro level, therefore we also have identified the need for a new productivity policy", Minister Samarasinghe added.
US Ambassador Ashley Wills said that he was impressed by the effort that has gone into developing the website and also reiterated that the portal would not only encourage people to participate with their ideas but also keep people informed throughout the policy formation process enabling people's participation at even this stage.
The Ministry of Employment and Labour launched a web portal this evening at a ceremony presided by minister
Mahinda Samarasinghe and attended by a cross section of diplomats, government officials and leaders of the
private sector and the trade union movement. www.slnep.org is a portal for capturing ideas, views and opinions
from the public for the purpose of creating a consensus based national employment policy (NEP) for Sri Lanka.
The ministry has recognized the need to capture a wide range of views on the contents of the policy, as the policy will be directly relevant to the country's citizenry. In order to do so the ministry has taken a bold step towards the establishment of this web portal, through which the public can send in their suggestion and comments on a range of topics. The web portal is a major initiative in terms of transparency and people participation in the preparation of a national policy, and is a clear indication of democracy in practice. The site is in all three languages thereby ensuring that people from all communities and at all levels can share their opinions.
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe speaking on the occasion urged the audience to give the country the benefit of their thoughts and ideas by logging onto the web portal. The minister added that this might probably be the first time that such a step has been taken to collect views from the public though a web portal for formulation of a national policy. "We put together a tri-partite advisory committee devoid of any political affiliations for the formulation of the NEP. The Committee comprises of representation of trade unions from various political parties, a cross section of employers, academics and young people." Asite Talwatte, senior partner Ernst and Young said that "by obtaining a larger number of viewpoints it will be possible to develop a comprehensive employment policy that meets the needs of both employers and employees." The minister thanked the Norwegian Government for sponsoring all the costs related to the formulation of the NEP.
Charitha Ratwatte - Secretary to the Treasury speaking on the occasion said that "We cannot underestimate the popularity of the Internet in Sri Lanka and this initiative will prove to be a definite winner. Efforts such as this will play an important role in the exponential growth of this medium". Ratwatte added that information and communication technology was the last chance for Sri Lanka and that the treasury was committed to providing incentives to entrepreneurs who have ideas to narrow the digital divide.
John Westborg - Norwegian ambassador speaking on the occasion congratulated the ministry on its initiative. He said that politicians and governments cannot provide employment and can only facilitate this process. "The need of the hour is to provide gainful employment", he added.
The Sri Lanka government is actively pursuing rapid economic growth and in this context it is essential that the country's employment policy be aligned to its development goals. The policy will reflect modern thinking in order to maintain Sri Lanka's competitiveness in the global economy. The ministry has actively sought out the opinions and participation of a cross section of the public for the development of this policy, and members of the private sector are also represented on the policy formulation committee. In addition and Young - Sri Lanka, were commissioned to coordinate an initial study to obtain a cross section of employer and employee views to aid in the development of the NEP.
Mr. Bradmon Weerakoon, Secretary to the Prime Minister also graced the occasion. The website was developed by Affno, a leading software engineering company, which focuses on building e-business solutions.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has commissioned Affno to build Sri Lanka's official trade portal.
This will represent a step change in EDB's previous pioneering initiative - Trade Net. The new trade portal will
be more than a showcase for Sri Lankan companies with the government's endorsement and patronage, but also a place
to sell their products on-line.
Dr. Lalith Gamage, Executive Director of EDB and Managing Director/CEO of the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), explaining the rationale for a government endorsed trade portal said, "Small and medium scale enterprises (SME's) will play a vital role as the Sri Lankan economy moves forward. Even in the United States the economy is not dependent on the General Electrics and Microsofts but rather on the enormous number of SME's. Our objective is not just to provide another channel for Sri Lankan companies to market their products but also to get them engaged in the idea of e-business and demonstrate to them the power of the Internet. We plan to set up and manage the portal in a manner that will provide synergies to the vast and diverse number of Sri Lankan manufacturers from producers of food products to clothing to commodities, components, electrical and electronic products and a whole host of others".
Affno's CEO Suren Kannangara said his company was happy to be entrusted with the prestigious task of building Sri Lanka's official country gateway for business.
The trade portal will enable each participating company (referred to as member companies) to advertise their products on the portal. Visitors would find these companies or their products in one of several ways. To enable this Affno will be building advanced search features and also grouping the companies into logical groupings depending on the complimentary nature of their products.
Dimo's passenger car division made history again when it launched its customer support website by Affno.
www.dimoauto.com is an on-line interface between the vehicle
owners and the company. Owners can book a service, order spares, check the status of a job and make payments online.
Dimo, one of the longest standing Mercedes Benz agents in the world, have been trailblazers in Sri Lanka's automobile industry. Meeting and exceeding customer expectations has not been just a fancy cliché at Dimo, it said.
"Over the years it has consistently invested to hold true to its guiding principle. Dimo has always maintained up-to-date repair and service facilities from fully automated engine testing equipment to environment controlled paint booths," it said.
Dimo even has a state of the art automobile training school to train apprentices.
"From these major investments to 24-hour roadside assistance and 24-hour spare part delivery we have been relentless in their efforts in exceeding customer expectations," the company added.
"Providing an online interface for our vehicle owners was an obvious step for Dimo," the company's CEO Ranjith Pandithage said.
Explaining the situation of their customer needs, he added, "Most of our vehicle owners send their vehicles for service or repairs through their drivers. Although the owners are quite concerned about their vehicles, their busy schedules do not permit them the time to personally be available to monitor the progress. This is the overall rationale for this Internet investment. This facility will enable them to have access to the status of the service or repairs carried out on their vehicles without them having to spend much time".
Dimo Director Gahanath Pandithage explaining the functionalities of the system said: "Many of our customers own multiple vehicles. They can come online and register their vehicles as the first step. Thereafter every time they visit the site, they will find that the site is customized for them. At a glance they would be able to find out everything about the service and repair history of all their vehicles." He said that this information is invaluable especially for the corporate customers who manage fleets.
Not only can a customer book a service online, the system will now send him a SMS (Short Message Service) alert when the job is done. The customer will have the billing details too on the SMS and will be able to pay online as well, so that the driver can simply come and drive back the vehicle.
Web portal development specialist Affno's CEO Suren Kannangara said: "We have also built back-end manager tools to enable the Dimo staff to easily integrate with the Internet system."
"The key to our solution was to provide a cost effective and scalable system enabling Dimo to make full use of their existing back office systems and add functionalities and automation in stages," he added.


text:
Contact: Let's talk
Email: info at vivmcwaters dot com dot au
Skype: vivmcwaters
Call: +614 17135406
Or if you'd like to write to me my address is PO Box 665, Torquay 3228 Australia| Comment (1)
1 Comment so far
Alvaro Andoin on
May 13, 2012
4:26 am
Hi Viv,
The Uncertaintity Conference program looks terrific. I saw it on Twitter http://thrivinginuncertainty.wordpress.com/ Pity I live so far away (Bilbao, Spain).
My name is Álvaro Andoin and I run Filmatu (www.filmatu.com) a communication service to do digital storytelling of events on social media. I also use improv in my work because I interview a lot of people on events and it helps me to stay calm, let it go, you know…
I have helped to form and improv group here in Bilbao after having read about improv "classics" (Johnston and some more modern authors) and having the chance to meet both Gary Hirsch and Robert Poynton, the founders of On Your Feet (you might know them). Actually Robert is mentoring me with my business and I also help him a little bit with his digital projection.
I am considering doing some improv facilitation myself (some client has asked me since I always say how much improv has helped me 🙂 and I wanted to ask you if you could recommend any facilitation book or applied improv book (I know, it´s just a book) that could help me to "kickstart", to do it I mean (i have also asked Robert yes 🙂
Also, if you know of any other good learning applied improv course in Europe (besides Johnstone´s in Calgary, I was planning to go there and finally ended in Portland last january).
Well, really appreciate if you could help me with those 2 things.
Hope the event is a success and don´t hesitate to write me to email@example.com if you ever come to Spain. Will follow your steps on twitter.
Warm regards from Bilbao, Basque, Spain.
Álvaro Andoin

subset: commoncrawl


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$530,000 stolen. PNNL manager claims retaliation
Manager files complaint against PNNL with DOE Office of Inspector General
A Pacific Northwest National Laboratory manager is accusing the contractor operating the Richland lab of retaliation after the manager refused to change a report that blamed lab management for a $530,000 theft of government money.
The Department of Energy national lab was tricked into making the substantial payment into a fraudulent bank account.
PNNL employee Aleta Busselman declined to make changes to a report looking at how the lab was fooled and ended up removed from her position, assigned to an office with no windows and given no job duties, said her attorney, Jack Sheridan of Seattle.
She is at risk of losing her job Oct. 1.
Sheridan filed a complaint with the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General on Wednesday. The filing, under a federal whistleblower law that covers government contractors, could result in PNNL being required to reinstate her or could allow her to pursue a case in federal court after 210 days.
"Her goal is to have the DOE IG order that she be reinstated and that her team be protected from further efforts to manipulate their findings," Sheridan said.
"Ms. Busselman has invested 30 years in this company," Sheridan said. "She loves her job and her company. She filed this complaint to ensure that PNNL management lives up to her belief that Battelle is an ethical company that works in the public interest, and to ensure that integrity trumps politics at PNNL."
Battelle holds the DOE contract to manage and operate PNNL.
She filed this complaint to ensure that PNNL management lives up to her belief that Battelle is an ethical company that works in the public interest, and to ensure that integrity trumps politics at PNNL.
Jack Sheridan, attorney
Busselman, as the lab's enforcement coordinator, was responsible for a report prepared for DOE, called a root cause analysis, determining what caused PNNL to fall victim to the fraud.
She and her staff are highly trained to conduct analyses, Sheridan said.
"I just want the truth to be told so that PNNL scientists and engineers can continue to do all of the great things that they do for the world," Busselman said at a news conference. "I want to make sure we continue to provide a cost effective, honest and ethical environment.
PNNL said there was no retaliation.
"It's important not to lose sight of the fact that PNNL was a victim of a crime," said PNNL spokesman Greg Koller. "People misrepresented themselves in a highly sophisticated attempt to steal more than a half million dollars from the laboratory and those who fund it."
The fraud was related to a $9.8 million Collaboration Center being built on the PNNL campus that could open by late 2017.
The contract to build the center on PNNL's Richland campus was awarded to Fowler General Construction of Richland, which is receiving periodic payments for the work..
On Nov. 8, 2016, PNNL received an email instructing officials to change the bank account for Fowler's electronic payments. PNNL complied and issued the next Fowler payment of $530,000 to the new bank account on Dec. 16.
The next month, Fowler's controller called PNNL to say the company had not received the payment.
The perpetrator was able to maneuver through a host of established checks and balances within our system.
Greg Koller, PNNL spokesman
An investigation showed that the new bank account was not associated with Fowler, and the account had been emptied shortly after the payment was made.
"The perpetrator was able to maneuver through a host of established checks and balances within our system," Koller said. The request to change bank accounts passed verification tests both at PNNL and the banks, he said.
Battelle is responsible for implementing effective procedures to combat fraud. Since the incident additional checks have been added to verification procedures, including verbal conversations with vendors before changes are made, Koller said. About a dozen requests a week are received.
PNNL's system to verify changes was consistent with other national labs at the time it was defrauded, and information about the fraud has been shared with the other labs, Koller said.
"Taxpayers spend almost $1 billion per year to operate PNNL," Sheridan said. "In exchange, we expect operational integrity."
Busselman assigned a team of her staff members to analyze one part of the fraud, Battelle's response to the request to change the bank account.
The Office of the Inspector General and the Justice Department also are investigating to determine how the information to make the change request was obtained by the thief. The investigation is still in progress.
It is common for vigorous debate to occur as causal analyses go through reviews, and as people who have additional facts and info weigh in. That's what occurred here.
Greg Koller, PNNL spokesman
The report Busselman's staff prepared concluded that Business Systems Directorate management did not clearly set controls to detect fraud in its vendor program, instead relying on staff members to identify and respond to potential threats. It also listed shortcomings that were found.
PNNL management was not satisfied with the findings in the draft report completed in March, according to Sheridan. One high level manager told Busselman that the language in the report made management look bad and would not reflect well on PNNL.
Over several days in March, Busselman attended meetings and exchanged emails with other PNNL management, trying to protect her staff from changing the report.
In one email she wrote, "I am not going to make this team sign a product they can't stand behind."
"It is common for vigorous debate to occur as causal analyses go through reviews, and as people who have additional facts and info weigh in," Koller said. "That's what occurred here."
Busselman left on a scheduled vacation, returning on April 10 to find that she had been removed from her position, according to Sheridan.
Sheridan said the report, as released in April, was changed by management.
"It defeats the purpose of a root cause analysis to let lay persons input into root cause findings, but when management seeks to change a root cause finding that points to management's failures, it's also a conflict of interest," Sheridan said.
Koller said the lab's director of planning and performance, rather than Busselman, had the final responsibility for the root cause analysis. Busselman's rule was to facilitate reviews and approvals of the analysis, he said.
The new root cause analysis no longer included certain statements, including one about the segregation of duties and another about a training process that did not include the practice of confirming vendor changes.
It defeats the purpose of a root cause analysis to let lay persons input into root cause findings, but when management seeks to change a root cause finding that points to management's failures, it's also a conflict of interest.
Jack Sheridan, attorney
Busselman was initially told after she returned from vacation that a reorganization was underway and that there was a potential opportunity for her, according to Sheridan.
By May 1 it became evident that there was no opportunity, and she was told that she needed to find another open position at the lab by Oct. 1 or would lose employment, according to Sheridan.
"Ms. Busselman has been humiliated over and over again on a daily basis as her 30-year network of professional relationships at the laboratory ask her 'What happened with our division director role?'" according to the complaint filed by Sheridan.
Busselman has been encouraged to downgrade her manager status to specialist status to help her find new work at the lab, according to Sheridan.
On Monday, Busselman was offered another position within PNNL, but declined it because it would not resolve the issue of whether management can change root cause analyses it disagrees with or protect her team.
The offer came after Sheridan made a final request that she be reinstated to her previous job, before he filed a complaint with the DOE Office of Inspector General, Sheridan said.
Koller said that several of the assertions made by Busselman and her attorney about her work environment and employment status are inaccurate.
He declined to give examples saying the news media is not the venue to share that information.
"Retaliation was not at play here," he said. "PNNL and Battelle do not tolerate retaliation in the workplace and we take claims of this nature very seriously."
PNNL has had other problems with fraud since at least 2015, according to the legal document prepared by Sheridan.
Consumer electronics have been ordered using the name of the PNNL procurement director, and about 10 vendors have shipped consumer goods to parties not associated with PNNL, the document said.
Annette Cary: 509-582-1533, @HanfordNews


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Lawrence McNaul
Lawrence McNaul received his Masters in Public Administration at Drake University, Bachelor's Degree in Administration Management from Excelsior College and his National Public Managers Certification from Drake University. City Manager McNaul is also a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Staff and Command focusing on public finance, human resources and personnel management.
Prior to being hired as City Manager in 2014, Lawrence worked with the City of Grinnell Police Department (IA) as a Patrol Sergeant, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and General Investigations until 2001 when he was appointed as the Chief Deputy of Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office. During this time he served on the Iowa Legislative Committee, Sheriff's & Deputies Association, Board of Directors for the Mid Iowa Narcotics Enforcement and was active in community and project development for the communities he served.
In addition to his public service, City Manager McNaul also serves as the Iowa Deputy Regional Field Operations Manager and International Emergency Response Team Leader with Team Rubicon, who responds to natural and manmade disasters conducting emergency and disaster services. City Manager McNaul retired from the Army after serving 23 years active and reserves stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, numerous locations throughout Europe and Washington D.C. conducting intelligence, governance and logistics operations and programs.