Encourage inventions that strengthens GDP

Thilanga Sumathipala, State Minister of Technology and Innovation gave instructions to the officials of the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission to encourage inventions which would  support Gross Domestic Product, one of the major indicators of a country's development.

The Minister gave these instructions while on an observation visit to the Commission.  Further expressing his views, he remarked,

“ As the Inventors Commission, we have to focus on products which are marketable. We have to identify their potentials for earning. If we are to earn, we have to sell. In order to
sell, there should be a product. This is what we have to focus on. A novel product should be modern and efficient in order to compete with similar products in the market. It is
important to identify priority requirements and to focus on creating inventions to address the said requirements. In order to do so, it is important SLIC works in close collaboration
with Universities and Research Institutions. The government has focused on gradually restricting foreign imports and thereby elevating the local manufacturers. A national
framework will be drawn up in future with a view to achieving the said objective.â€

The Minister emphasized that the role of the Commission should be one which could strengthen the inventor, while avoiding any mental negativity on the part of the inventor, in
case his product failed. He said that all this could lead to a successful invention being created in future.

This event was attended by Mrs. Deepa Liyanage, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation. Mrs. Nimali Kulathunga, acting
Chairperson of SLIC and N.C.Dolawatta, Director of SLIC.