Rohan Samarajiva made a presentation entitled, “Improving transport and transportation policy: lessons from telecom” at the recently concluded Seminar on the Draft National Transport Policy of the Ministry of Transport. Held on 23rd of July, the seminar was organized by the Pathfinder Foundation in collaboration with The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
Drawing on the similarities between the telecom and transport sector, including opportunities for private sector participation and availability of new technologies for market structure transformation in both sectors, he stated that while telecom sector has flourished under market reforms, the transport sector may, in fact, have worsened.
As cited in The Island and Lanka Business Online, Rohan argued that “the draft policy appeared to perpetuate existing inefficiencies, poor service and waste of public funds”, as well as that “the national transport policy does not allow for adequate private participation, and where there was, such as in bus services, regulation was lacking”.
Click here to download slides.
4 Comments
Ranjith Dissanayake
A copy of Rohan Samarajeewa presentation on 23rd July on Transport and Transportation Policy Pl.
Ranjith Dissanayake 240/15 Weera Mawatha, Depanama, Pannipitiya. 10230.
e-mail: randissanayake@sltnet.lk
Mobile 0718157271.
Res 2844916
Kirigalpoththa
i like the idea of developing train stations into tourist station with multi facilities. I remember staying overnight in one of the rooms in Anuradhapura station a few years ago. I don’t know about the current status but those days it was well maintained and very good offer for the price i paid.
Any plans of linking the transport policy with the road network?
Did not see that in the slides.
Rohan Samarajiva
Thanks for the interest and comments.
I was not the main speaker. In any case, one has to pick a few things to say in 20 mts.
Pls see http://sanvada.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=1 for the full discussion, including some podcasts, I think.
Kirigalpoththa
Thanks Dr. Samarajiva!
Nepal’s digital crossroads: building a transparent data governance framework
Nepal’s evolving digital landscape highlights a growing tension between constitutional guarantees of privacy and access to information, and a fragmented, outdated data governance framework. In a recent article published in Republica on March 17, 2026, Avash Mainali, Country Researcher for Nepal for LIRNEasia’s D4D Asia project, argues that while the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Policy, 2082 (2025), marks a positive step, its impact will depend on whether it can move beyond aspirational language to enforceable rights.
LIRNEasia CEO Helani Galpaya Shares Insights on AI and Labour at ISLE Conference 2026
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming labour markets worldwide. In the Global South, however, these changes are unfolding unevenly, shaped by labour markets defined by high levels of informality, uneven social protection, and large skills gaps.
LIRNEasia CEO Helani Galpaya at the Global South Policy Dialogue: Securing Labour Justice in the Age of AI
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to transform the world of work, its impacts in the Global South present urgent and unique challenges. Unlike advanced economies with formal labour markets and stronger safety nets, many countries in the Global South face high levels of informality, limited social protection, and unequal access to skills and digital infrastructure.
Links
User Login
Themes
Social
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
Contact
9A 1/1, Balcombe Place
Colombo 08
Sri Lanka
+94 (0)11 267 1160
+94 (0)11 267 5212
info [at] lirneasia [dot] net
Copyright © 2026 LIRNEasia
a regional ICT policy and regulation think tank active across the Asia Pacific