President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration has prioritized digitizing government services to improve efficiency and accessibility. However, several key government websites have recently gone offline, raising questions about the effectiveness of the digitization drive.
One of the most critical sites affected is the Government Press’s www.documents.lk, which provides access to government gazettes, bills, and important announcements. For over a week, visitors to the site have been greeted with a message stating, “We are currently undergoing some maintenance. We will be back online soon!”
Similarly, the Right to Information (RTI) portal on the President’s Office website has been inaccessible for over a month. Its homepage simply displays a “Coming soon” message, frustrating users who rely on the portal for transparency and accountability.
Critics argue that a government serious about digitization cannot afford to have essential websites down for weeks under the guise of maintenance. The situation has led to suspicions that these outages are not merely technical but may be part of a deliberate plan to disrupt access to information.
The prolonged inaccessibility of these websites has sparked public concern, with many questioning the government’s commitment to its digitization goals. Whether this is due to poor management or a deliberate attempt to control information, it underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability in the digitization process.
