Published : 12:00 am  April 17, 2012 – DailyFT

LankaClear (Private) Limited, the national clearing house jointly owned by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Licensed Commercial Banks in Sri Lanka recently entered into a contract with Just In Time Holdings, the country’s leading systems integrator for the implementation of the Common Card And Payment Switch (CCAPS).

This will facilitate rapid economic activity through faster payments and facilitate the integration of future financial services.
The switch application software for this project would be provided by Fidelity Information Systems (FIS) of USA and the hardware would be supplied by IBM.
As per the road map of the National Payment Council (NPC) and the decisions taken by the NPC, LankaClear has been requested to establish the Common Card and Payment Switch (CCAPS) in Sri Lanka. The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has approved the CCAPS as the National Payment Switch.
The switch would be implemented in three phases: Phase I: Common ATM Switch; Phase II: Mobile Payment and EFT Switch and Phase III: POS Switch
As part of the implementation of the above phases of the switch, a National Payment Framework would be developed which will include the operational procedures, certification process for the participating banks, dispute management procedures, reconciliation/clearing/settlement process, messaging standards and security standards.
The CCAPS would create the backbone infrastructure for all future electronic payments in the country and would avoid the duplication of infrastructure and provide the best benefit for the participating banks and well as end users through economies of scale.
LankaClear is one of the most successful public-private partnerships in the country.  Since its inception in 2002 following the divestment of the Sri Lanka Automated Clearing House (SLACH), the company has consistently brought economies of scale to the banking industry by combining the efficiency and dynamism of the private sector with the stability and security characterised by the public sector.
Administering a product portfolio centred around services to the banking industry, LankaClear offers a multitude of services designed to facilitate efficient payments.   These include the Cheque Imaging and Truncation System (CITS), which facilitates the realisation of a cheque the next day irrespective if where it is deposited and the Sri Lanka Interbank Payment System (SLIPS) which is an online inter-bank electronic fund transfer system enabling the same day transfer of funds in a highly secure environment.  The introduction of the US Dollar Clearing System has significantly expedited the realisation of US Dollar cheques and drafts, bringing tangible benefits to customers while significantly improving banking efficiency.
Furthermore, the company addressed the paramount need for utmost security in online transactions by incorporating a Certification Authority, shouldering the responsibility to provide digital security certificates for the finance sector.

Australia is a growing market for IT-BPO services and the one to one business networking and Diaspora linkage events are aimed at exploring business opportunities for the visiting Sri Lankan IT-BPO companies as well as promoting Sri Lanka as an attractive destination for technology opportunities.

Just In Time Group (JIT) a foremost systems integrator in Sri Lanka with over a decade of experience, provides timely delivery of ICT solutions and service support to a niche market in Sri Lanka and has delivered some of the largest, mission critical ICT systems and projects in Sri Lanka. JIT Group provides integrated solutions for vital sectors such as Telecommunications, Government, Health, Defense and Financial Services and is proud of its achievements in bringing cutting edge technology to the country.

Just In Time Group has within its umbrella, companies that specialize in Software development, Technical resource outsourcing, Global outsourcing and Consultancy, BPO/KPO services, Security, identity and hosted solutions and e learning and knowledge management solutions. JIT Group has truly evolved into a fully fledged entity offering a comprehensive combination of products, skills and IT enabled services, with a commitment to delivering innovative technology and meeting customer satisfaction.

The delegation will comprise of a broad spectrum of companies including ISV’s, STI’s, BPO etc. This will facilitate networking opportunities and one on one business meetings for Australian SME’s and ISV’s who are looking for technology companies who can add value to their businesses.

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Quote & Print Software of Australia and their local partners Just in Time Holdings Pvt Ltd.,(JIT) launched their specialized MIS software for the printing industry at an event held on 24th November 2008 at Cinnamon Grand. With the facilitation of the Sri Lanka Association of Printers, the event was well attended and generated a great interest amongst the gathering.

Quote & Print has developed and supplied Management Information Systems (MIS) to the printing industry for the past 25 years and is the leading supplier of MIS systems in Australia and New Zealand with over 500 printers using Quote & Print to profitably manage their businesses.

Quote & Print addresses all areas of a print company and is a fully integrated windows based multi-user system with over 20 modules, covering Estimation, Job tracking, Work-Flow, Production Control, Scheduling, Invoicing, Accounts, Inventory, Forms Management and Sales Management. With key features of the system being its ease of use, modular design and low cost of ownership with a guaranteed return on investment, often achieved within 24 months of use, it is an attractive proposition to the Sri Lankan printing Industry

Speaking on the theme “ Managing a Profitable Business in Today’s competitive Climate” , Mr David Bell, chief architect and founder of Quote & Print software provided the audience an interesting insight into the printing industry in Australia, whilst highlighting the pitfalls and future road map for the industry, which was well received by the audience. This was followed by a demonstration of the main modules of the software and key functions which have been designed to cater to the exacting requirements of the printing industry and developed with his deep insight and domain understanding of the industry, personally gained through his experiences as a 3rd generation printer.

Mr. Shanti Kumar, Managing Director of Q&P spoke of the history of Q&P, its market dominance in Australia and New Zealand and their association with Just in Time Holdings as their local partner. He also stressed that the software was economical and designed for small and medium businesses which can be deployed easily, at sites ranging from 1 -50 users. Kumar, a Sri Lankan born Australian, also took the opportunity to announce his intention to offer the INGRIN Institute of Printing and Graphics, and other academic institutions in Sri Lanka, the Q&P software as a learning tool, to be utilized for training of future printers, as his personal contribution to his country of birth.

Ms. Dharani Karunarathne 1st Vice President of the SL Association of Printers, also spoke at the event and stressed on the importance of using technology in increasing performance and productivity in today’s economic climate.

Manori Unambuwe, AGM Marketing at JIT, a well known systems integrator in Sri Lanka, outlined their role in deploying the Q&P software as well as their support and maintenance services which are well structured to provide post implementation support. JIT being a foremost integrator in Sri Lanka, has implemented some of the largest IT projects in the country including the latest IPTV project at Sri Lanka Telecom.
Quote and Print Software will be available to the industry through JIT as the local representatives and could be contacted through the Sri Lanka Association of Printers.

CommScope, Inc., a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks is all positive eyed about the future of Sri Lanka and is targeting aggressive participation in the local market.

Regional Sales Director India and SAARC for CommScope V. Natarajan who recently came down to Sri Lanka asserted that the company is now actively interviewing people in the country and is looking for investment in the country on a large scale. Natarajan who has been a constant visitor to Sri Lanka and has travelled to the country for the 42nd time says that the transformation of the country from a war torn one to a sustainable one is evident with tourism and infrastructure industry at its helm.

“The best years for Sri Lanka are ahead of us. The growth marks a clear pattern across all industries and we are looking at major economic drives in the future,” Natarajan said. Business for CommScope is also looking good, he said. “Tourism industry is picking up and they cannot do with the hotels they have now. Infrastructure is a necessity and we are looking at increasing the business. Also new free trade zones, airports and stadiums are being built and these are priorities of the government. All this would mean better business opportunities for us.”

However on a global context Sri Lanka is not one of the major markets for CommScope. The biggest market is India, he said. The change that will happen in Bangladesh will soon happen in Sri Lanka, he perceives. “Bangladesh did not have any infrastructure for a long time but this year it all happened and the benefits were beyond our expectations. The same thing will happen in Sri Lanka.” The development of the country depends on how fast you want to run the race, he reminded.

“Today everything is about how well the people are connected. The greater the connectivity the greater the economic benefit,” Natarajan said. The advantages for Sri Lanka start with its geographical location and are followed by man power. “Sri Lanka has excellent man power” and Natarajan says “Sri Lanka has not taken the advantage of it, yet.”

CommScope which has been investing in Sri Lanka for the past 10 years is already in for good times since they have years of experience and presence in Sri Lanka. “I like to call it ‘jumping generations. We already have our sights set on certain fields and are now looking at widening the presence in the areas,” said Natarajan.

CommScope provides essential infrastructure that makes communication possible. The company empowers people to connect and communicate seamlessly where, when, and how they choose. The solutions and services for wired and wireless networks enable high-bandwidth data, video, and voice applications everywhere, at home, at work, and on the go. Backed by numerous respected brands such as Andrew, SYSTIMAX and Uniprise, CommScope supports customers in more than 100 countries around the world through its focus on integrity, ethics, quality and technical innovation.
So what does he see happening in Sri Lanka within the next five years? Sri Lanka would, within the given time frame would move to bridge the gap from the Category 5 cables, referred to as Cat 5 and would embrace the newer and faster Cat 6A. He stated that while the rest of the world is now using Cat 6, Sri Lanka is still lagging behind with Cat 5.

Cat 6A is a higher speed cable that can meet the customer demands and challenges for the next 20 years. It is the latest product and with development being a key area of focus Cat 6 would soon come to stay in Sri Lanka.

Just In Time Group, CommScope’s principal Business Partner in Sri Lanka stated that the first ever project CommScope did in Sri Lanka was for SriLankan Airlines. Together the companies is said to have successful completed a number of projects at the Colombo Hilton, Airport and Aviation, and Union Assurance among other projects, Senior Marketing Manager of Just In Time Group Damitha Jayawardana said.

Group CEO Dr. Chandika Wickramatillake stated that even though within the last two years the industry slowed down in 2010 the market started picking up and that the future seems much brighter. The demand or focus from both government and private sector to uplift the construction and telecom industries will benefit the company’s business further within the next few years. What must be done to further enhance this is to provide education and awareness of IT and create a more experienced generation, Wickramatillake said.

Sri Lanka must go up to the Singaporean level in development and Colombo is “almost there,” he said. “The country on the whole is developing with major projects being initiated all over the island especially the North and East and Hambantota; tourism industry is fast picking up and so is the IT/BPO industry. As such, development is but an arm’s reach away. Technological advancement of university students is important and the government should pave the way for it,” he said.

Investors are knocking at the door, and it’s a matter of time before we could piggyback on their projects to provide the necessary software and hardware solutions that will have to complement their infrastructure development works,” Dr. Chandika Wickramatillake (35), Group CEO Designate, Just In Time Group (JIT) told this newspaper on Tuesday. JIT, a multi million rupee software and hardware solutions company involved in the telecoms and banking sectors, mainly catering to the private sector, is now looking for openings in the health, aviation, construction and education sectors as well, in the area of ICT expansion, that goes along with such projects. “The cream is in impending public sector led development projects, that’s where the money is,” said Wickramatillake, an engineer by profession, who had previously worked in the UK and in the USA in projects involving the Heathrow Airport expansion works and with UPS, a global logistics company in their operations in Kentucky, before returning to the island after the war end. “Things are slow to pick-up and start moving because of the global recession,” he said,

when questioned as to why the economy was not taking off despite the war end, in contrast to post 1977, where changes to the landscape of Colombo was visible virtually overnight. Wickramatillake however deflected the proposition made by this reporter that the reason for the slowness of things was because Sri Lanka had upset its traditional friends, mainly the West and Japan, as a result of which aid from that sector was not easily forthcoming as it would otherwise have had, to give that much needed thrust to the economy. He further said that another theatre of operations that his Group is exploring is the BPO sector, in the Legal and Medical areas, with possible openings in Australia. A lawyer, or for that matter a medical student employed in such services may command a starting salary of between Rs. 30-40,000 a month; Wickramatillake said. The company has booked office space for this operation, for which purpose not only the necessary skills and knowledge are required in the respective disciplines, but also a command of the English language. “The island has available talent in those areas,” said Wickramatillake. “We went through a bad patch during the last three years due to the fact that the economy was not doing well, with the war being one of the chief contributory reasons, but we survived because we were diversified, as such we didn’t have to retrench a single one of our 200 employees. We have the capacity and the patience, may be to wait for another three months, or even a year, till the economy takes off, then we shall ride on the crest of a wave,” said Wickramatillake. “The opening of the North-East and the possible expansion of the airport to take in the increased number of tourists and even locals, are vistas of opportunity to our company,” he said.