The Pacific faces numerous challenges including lack of economy of scale, poor infrastructure, widely dispersed population, lack of capacity and weak policy and legislative frameworks.
It is therefore important to have strong and effective policy and regulatory frameworks to create an enabling environment for ICT development and to promote fair competition. Unfortunately, only 50% of Pacific Islands countries and territories (PICTs) have an open telecommunication market. Thus only a few countries are benefitting from competition where prices for calls, short messaging service (SMS), and internet access have been dramatically reduced and quality of services have improved markedly.
With greater access to ICT, users are exposed to a higher risk of cybercrime which can have an adverse effect on user confidence. It is crucial for governments to enact and enforce legislation addressing cybercrime to protect users, especially children.
PICTs are spread over a wide area and distance is a major obstacle in providing domestic connectivity due to the capital costs involved. Therefore, it is essential to look at accessible and affordable ICT such as telecentres and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) solutions, particularly for rural and remote areas as they tend to be the most vulnerable.
The expense of international connectivity also continues to be a major issue. There is heavy reliance on satellite services for smaller PICTs but submarine fibre optic cables are now increasingly deployed in larger PICTs.
Most PICTs do not have the technical expertise and capacity to deal with the opportunities and challenges that ICT brings. This becomes an impediment to the adoption of new technologies such as e-government services to improve accessibility and increase the efficiency of government services. There is a strong need to strengthen ICT human capacity and develop the ability to retain a skilled and professional workforce.
Although data on ICT use in the region are not robust and often out of date, the following points provide some indication of the challenges facing the region:
- Most PICTs have less than 10 percent teledensity (subscribers per 100 people) with a far lower percentage for rural areas and remote islands;
- Only 30 percent of PICTs have national ICT policies even though this has been a priority in the past few years;
- Despite the growing reliance on ICT and the crucial role it plays in our society, only one PICT has specific legislation that addresses to some extent the use of ICT for criminal purposes;
- None of the PICTs have legislation for data protection and electronic commerce;
- e-Government in most PICTs is still in its infancy with only two having comprehensive e-Government plans;
- Broadband penetration in most PICTs is less than 1 percent; and
- Monthly fees for basic broadband (256 kbps) in PICTs range from US$20 to US$500.
In recent years, considerable effort has been directed to promoting the benefits of ICT and how it can contribute to development at international, regional, and more importantly national levels.
As there are many partners working in the ICT sector it is essential to enhance coordination of ICT activities to reduce duplication and maximize the impact of the limited resources in the sector. Mechanisms need to be established to facilitate regular dialogue between stakeholders and encourage sharing of information.
Recognising the challenges we face in the Pacific and the huge potential of ICT for sustainable development , Pacific Leaders at the 40th Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns (August 2009) called for the Pacific Plan Digital Strategy to be reviewed and updated. Following the review, the Framework for Action on ICT for Development in the Pacific was developed.
The framework, which was endorsed by Pacific ICT ministers at their meeting in June 2010 in Tonga, outlines a new approach to developing and improving ICT services to support development, strengthen governance and improve the livelihoods of communities in the Pacific region.
It provides guidance to PICTs on enhancing their national efforts to achieve affordable access to ICT and, in line with the principles of the Pacific Plan, describes how regional services through ICT can assist countries in sustainable development, socio-economic growth, governance and security, and in particular in implementing their national plans.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) is coordinating the implementation of the framework in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific and other regional agencies and development partners.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Pacific Community
Quelle/Source: Island Business, 12.08.2011
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