The Hon. Ajith P. Perera

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, when we introduced the Right to Information Act, we appointed an Information Officer from within the public service; it was not necessarily a full-time role. Here too, I cannot understand why public corporations and companies under the Companies Act are excluded from the requirement to appoint a Data Protection Officer under Clause 13. Ultimately, attention in this Bill is directed at the private sector, but many state entities are engaged with IT and work with the private sector. Why exclude them? The DPO is responsible for ensuring implementation of standards and this Act’s provisions.

¶ 02 We all accept the need for a digital economy; this is not a partisan issue. The Data Protection Authority was expected to be fully operational by 18 March 2025. We know there were delays. Some appointments were made but full functionality was not achieved. Despite delays, these amendments are important.

¶ 03 A major revolution is necessary in the IT sector. Our future depends on it. Our human capital is valuable. Many universities now offer undergraduate and specialized programmes in IT and AI, and non-degree programmes as well. A serious issue, however, is the limited opportunities for institutional internships. Securing an internship in IT is very difficult, especially for students from remote state universities compared to elite institutions. The Government should intervene to create a structured programme and integrate mandatory internships into curricula, because IT is a practical field. The Ministry of IT can coordinate targeted schemes even if Education and Higher Education are overburdened. With that reminder, I thank you for the time.