State entity gives hope to ICT sector

Letters, Normal
Source:

The National, Friday February 19th, 2016

 THE announcement by Prime Minister Peter O’ Neill at the Leaders’ Summit of the government’s support of the roll out of DataCo’ s broadband network around the country is welcome news for everyone.

The ICT sector drives the economy, delivers vital government functions and countless other services throughout the country. Yet we continue to pay some of the highest costs around the world to access and use internet and other ICT services.

Once the high speed broadband network is fully installed and operational we should enjoy comparably cheaper costs.

What DataCo has achieved in less than three years is quite admirable. It is one state agency that is moving in the right direction in leaps and bounds. This is the kind of state agency that makes government plans and aspirations become a reality and achievable.

However, the same cannot be said about the government’s number one regulatory body for the ICT sector – NICTA. This state agency seems to be in slumber and has become oblivious to what is happening around it.

Not so long ago, NICTA boss Charles Punaha and his Communications and Information Technology Minister Jimmy Miringtoro proclaimed that the much talked about cybercrime law and the compulsory mobile phone SIM card registration rule will be in force around this time. 

It seems they have failed to walk their talk. 

PNG needs to have in place appropriate laws, rules and regulations to not only safeguard major infrastructure like the broadband network but to also ensure the protection and safety of users of such ICT systems against malware, hacking, identity theft and a whole heap of other cyber threats that come with these services.

 

Keen observer, Via email