Positive values of GIC-1919 could have a catalyst effect on public institutions

The positive values of the Government Information Centre – 1919 could have a catalyst effect on all Government institutions, said Chairman GIC-1919 Project Steering Committee and Additional Presidential Secretary Dr. I. H. K. Mahanama. The Additional Secretary said so while participating at the Annual National GIC – 1919 Conference held at Hotel Galadari, Colombo last Tuesday (31).

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga , Dr. Mahanama said that he would like to pass on the message of the Secretary to the representatives of Government institutions participating at the conference. That message, briefly stated, is that with the cooperation of Government institutions, including speedy submission of updated service manuals, GIC could do wonders towards making Sri Lanka the wonder of Asia as envisaged in the “Mahinda Chintana Vision for the Future”, Dr. Mahanama emphasised.

Placing the GIC in its perspective Dr. Mahanama said that the “Mahinda Chintana Vision for the Future” with the foresight on the fivefold hub had covered the whole spectrum of Sri Lanka’s economy. The policy statement manifests a thorough study of Sri Lanka’s economy. Backed by a thorough study of the past it points out what should now be done in the whole economy of the country including the naval, aviation, commercial, energy and knowledge sectors for a better future, the Additional Secretary added.The GIC acclaimed for its promptitude, courtesy, accuracy, personal interest, tenacity and on-going improvement through advanced technology could percolate into the Government institutions and play a pivotal role in making Sri Lanka the Knowledge hub of Asia. “We might not be able to reduce the number of letters received daily to five as in Singapore, but substantial time could be put in for productive work with greater public service efficiency”, Dr. Mahanama said. The additional secretary explained that due to the culture of Sri Lanka people were prone to address even matters that could be thrashed out at levels nearer home to the Head of State. However there is an in-built facility in the GIC project to put forward grievances and complaints. Each complaint is considered carefully, brought to the attention of the relevant office and the caller is sent a reply with regard to his complaint with confidentiality maintained at all times.

ICTA Chairman Professor P. W. Epasinghe welcomed the audience and whetted their interest in a fruitful participation. Referring to the GIC that over the past four years spelled out into 1420 days comprising 17,040 hours that had promptly, accurately and courteously responded to over 2,350,00 public calls the Professor said: “GIC now operates seven days a week, 365 days a year for 12 hours each day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and provides information in all three languages Sinhala, Tamil and English in a very courteous manner through multiple channels. This service obtained simply by dialing 1919 makes it easier for people and organizations to obtain information relating to Government Departments and State Banks. It commenced with 15 Government organizations, but now represents over 134 organisations. Its first call resolution rate is 94%. This is most important in improving customer satisfaction. The average speed of answer is 11 seconds of being in the queue.”

ICTA Re-engineering Government Programme Director Wasanta Deshapriya presented, in addition to the GIC annual report (May 2009 – April 2010), an overview of the GIC from its launch in 2006 up to date under the direct supervision of Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Pointing out that a large percent of people were still going through much discomfort by limiting the service they get from the GIC only as an informant of telephone numbers of relevant Government institutions, Mr. Deshapriya said: “People should not have to first call the GIC for the telephone number of the relevant Government institution and then call the institution concerned; instead in one call they could ask the GIC for the required information. For example they could ask the GIC what documents should be taken for submitting the application for a driving licence”, Mr. Wasantha Deshapriya explained. Mr. Wasantha said that “1919 – you can ask for more than a Government telephone number” was an apt slogan that disseminated the true service GIC offered currently.

The audience of about 350 officers representing about 134 Government institutions including 14 Ministries, 47 Departments and 15 Government Banks and 58 Statutory Bodies that are currently covered by GIC was also avid listeners to a talk on “Role of GIC in Knowledge Society”. Addressing the participants who play an important though perhaps ‘behind the scene’ role as resource persons of the handling of about 3500-4000 calls pertaining to about 1500 services that the GIC carries out daily ICTA Chief Operating Officer Reshan Dewapura said that the GIC which had won world awards (WSA 2008, GTA runner up 2007) and was known even among people in the remotest villages had contributed to creating a knowledge society . “In Knowledge Society, information is a key factor which decides the level of life of standards of individual’s services. In such a society people use their brains more than their hands in their work and personal lives. There the people create, share and use knowledge for the prosperity and well-being of its people. In knowledge society people build their lives around information which can be processed into knowledge soon afterwards” , the ICTA COO said. Attesting that these principles were applied in the GIC project Mr. Dewapura pointed out that under the e-Sri Lanka initiative which ICTA was mandated to implement people’s lives had become more comfortable by the use of ICT. People who travelled for hours and stayed overnight at makeshift shelters just to know how to get a document were now able to get not merely the knowledge but the very document to their home by post. GIC is at the root of the transformation of the society that uses their brains more than their hands, Mr. Dewapura said.

At this conference five institutions won awards for their high contribution to the GIC. A 10-criteria scale was strictly adhered to in selecting these winners. The winning institutions, given in alphabetical order, were Central Environment Authority, Police Department, Registrar General’s Department, Registrar of Persons’ Department and the Railway Department. Certificates of Appreciation were also presented on this occasion to three GIC personnel. The down-to-earth questions that were asked and the vivacious discussion that followed during the time set apart for questions added to the formal feedback given in writing that will go a long way in further improvement of the service provided by the GIC. A case in point in this regard was the question on what could be done with regard to services done by institutions like some of those under the Provincial Councils that are currently not covered by the GIC. Plausible options were proposed during the discussion. The Presidential Secretariat and ICTA are looking into this in a methodical manner trying at the same time to keep the GIC ‘s characteristic as a One Stop Shop for information on all Government Services.