General

Throughout the Pacific, debate on public policy issues has been somewhat limited.

We know there is a wealth of knowledge, ideas and experience already out there. We believe connecting these to the live policy debate through better communication can advance the search for practical, relevant solutions to development challenges.

The Pacific Institute of Public Policy was established under the Vanuatu Charitable Associations (Incorporation) Act [CAP.140] on 21 November, 2007 as a vehicle to stimulate and support policy making in Pacific island countries by connecting academic and technical observations with the live policy debate. The model is simple: provide an inclusive forum for debate and ensure informed participation through access to quality information in user relevant language and formats.

There is (and has been) an enormous investment by aid donors and Pacific island governments in research that is grounded in empirical evidence. However key messages from academic and technical observations often fail to reach national decision-makers. In establishing PiPP we recognised the scope to build research capacities within governments and civil society organisations and ensure that conversation on pressing policy issues engage local communities.

Since setting up the PiPP office in Port Vila in January 2008, and travelling and meeting a range of government, donor, NGO, academic and private sector stakeholders from across the Pacific we have received overwhelming support for and willingness to participate in activities to address these gaps. The level of support for the PiPP approach is most evident with the broad representation on the PiPP Advisory Council.

The Advisory Council has been central to our early success and provides advice to the Board and management on issues of strategic and policy importance, including setting research and policy priorities. Members of the Advisory Council are called upon to provide peer review and support and academic members provide support to our Pacific research intern/fellowship program. Members of the Advisory Council are also invited to contribute opinion or research pieces for distribution through the PiPP network.

It is both necessary and desirable for PiPP to work in partnership. Again, the simplicity of our model ensures we don’t try to replicate the work of others. For example, by working with the media, community based organisations, churches and different levels of government we can engage with wider audiences. By working in partnership with established research bodies we do not seek to re-invent the wheel. While we are well placed to conduct relevant research, we see our role as primarily communicating research outcomes. Effective communication comes from active involvement in the research process and not as a stand alone event that is contracted out, and often as an after thought.

Just released:

The Pacific Institute of Public Policy inaugural annual report.

It is over one year since PiPP was registered under the Vanuatu Charitable Associations Act but as a concept it was born a long time ago. The ideas that led to the establishment of PiPP are not those of one or two people, and the reality of the organisation is the result of collective thinking and collaborative effort. Much of the former having been done over a shell or two of kava! 

We were not alone in recognising a considerable gap between academic and technical observations, and the realities on the ground.the beauty of our model is its simplicity … provide an inclusive forum for discussion Nor are we the only ones recognising the enormous investment in research and development programs. So why are such initiatives not shaping policy? Why are key messages not reaching national decision-makers? Why is it that throughout the Pacific, debate on pressing policy issues is limited? Why do policy debates fail to engage local communities? We know there is a wealth of knowledge, ideas and experience out there. The thinking behind PiPP is to connect these with the live policy debate. Adapting information and the latest thinking to advance the search for home grown solutions to national development challenges.

The beauty of our model is its simplicity. We don’t profess to have the answers. We don’t want to steer the debate. What we do want to do is provide an inclusive forum for discussion and ensure participants (be they policy makers, civil servants, community leaders, young people, older people, men and women) have access to quality information in user relevant language and formats. It is both necessary and desirable for us to work in partnership. And again, the simplicity of our model ensures we don’t try to replicate the work of others. For example, by working with the media, community based organisations, churches and different levels of government we can engage with wider audiences. By working in partnership with established research bodies we do not go about re-inventing the wheel.

Central to our success is our Advisory Council of eminent leaders, elder statesmen, academics, and policy practitioners. When we set about establishing PiPP, the idea was to keep the administrative arm quite small and to work through a network of people. In a short space of time this network spans most of the Pacific island countries and is forever growing deeper.

The organisation has also benefited greatly from the dedication and hard work of its staff, both temporary and permanent. In addition to the small core team in Port Vila we have had over 30 research assistants and contractors work with us over the last year and greatly appreciate their input.

As we grow, we hope that so too does the opportunity for people to share ideas and experiences because it is central to our success is our Advisory Council of eminent leaders, elder statesmen, academics, and policy practitioners through such sharing that creative solutions to problems are found. Creative solutions that are steeped in cultural and political relevance. Creative ideas that respond not just to problems, but also that seek to steer policy in new directions based on visionary thought and empirical evidence.

We are indebted to the people and organisations that have supported us through our infancy, and look forward to continuing these relationships as PiPP matures. On behalf of the board, management and staff – thank you!

Nikunj Soni

Chair of the Board and Executive Director

Blank Canvas:
What should a Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations entail?

It is over one year since PiPP was registered under the Vanuatu Charitable Associations Act but as a concept it was born a long time ago. The ideas that led to the establishment of PiPP are not those of one or two people, and the reality of the organisation is the result of collective thinking and collaborative effort. Much of the former having been done over a shell or two of kava! 

We were not alone in recognising a considerable gap between academic and technical observations, and the realities on the ground. the beauty of our model is its simplicity … provide an inclusive forum for discussion Nor are we the only ones recognising the enormous investment in research and development programs. So why are such initiatives not shaping policy? Why are key messages not reaching national decision-makers? Why is it that throughout the Pacific, debate on pressing policy issues is limited? Why do policy debates fail to engage local communities? We know there is a wealth of knowledge, ideas and experience out there. The thinking behind PiPP is to connect these with the live policy debate. Adapting information and the latest thinking to advance the search for home grown solutions to national development challenges.

The beauty of our model is its simplicity. We don’t profess to have the answers. We don’t want to steer the debate. What we do want to do is provide an inclusive forum for discussion and ensure participants (be they policy makers, civil servants, community leaders, young people, older people, men and women) have access to quality information in user relevant language and formats. It is both necessary and desirable for us to work in partnership. And again, the simplicity of our model ensures we don’t try to replicate the work of others. For example, by working with the media, community based organisations, churches and different levels of government we can engage with wider audiences. By working in partnership with established research bodies we do not go about re-inventing the wheel.
Central to our success is our Advisory Council of eminent leaders, elder statesmen, academics, and policy practitioners. When we set about establishing PiPP, the idea was to keep the administrative arm quite small and to work through a network of people. In a short space of time this network spans most of the Pacific island countries and is forever growing deeper.

The organisation has also benefited greatly from the dedication and hard work of its staff, both temporary and permanent. In addition to the small core team in Port Vila we have had over 30 research assistants and contractors work with us over the last year and greatly appreciate their input.

As we grow, we hope that so too does the opportunity for people to share ideas and experiences because it is central to our success is our Advisory Council of eminent leaders, elder statesmen, academics, and policy practitioners through such sharing that creative solutions to problems are found. Creative solutions that are steeped in cultural and political relevance. Creative ideas that respond not just to problems, but also that seek to steer policy in new directions based on visionary thought and empirical evidence.

We are indebted to the people and organisations that have supported us through our infancy, and look forward to continuing these relationships as PiPP matures. On behalf of the board, management and staff – thank you!

Nikunj Soni

Chair of the Board and Executive Director

telco case study

literature review

woen in politics part of voter behaviour study

cross cutting – gender consideration to all research activities

gender inclusive score card

inform communications strategies by understandignt he gender dynamics and how information flows within and between groups

The Pacific Institute of Public Policy has completed the first two stages of its research into the social and economic impact of telecommunications liberalisation in Vanuatu.This is a multi-year research project carried out in partnership the Vanuatu Government and funded by the Australian Government.The research explores how people exploit access to telecommunications, and how the use of mobile phones impacts livelihoods. The study was first undertaken in 2008 at a time when the telecommunication sector had just opened up for competition and a second mobile service provider had commenced operation.

Increased Productivity

The 2009 study demonstrates a clear link between economic productivity and access to mobile phones. 81% of the women in the Port Vila market are using mobiles for pre-arranging transport, contacting suppliers, communicating with clients, confirming payment and more.This is a sharp contrast with the 2008 study where the vast majority of women had just acquired a mobile phone, which they were still learning to use or wereusing merely to contact friends and families.

Approximately 60% of those surveyed in rural and urban areas in the 2009 study said they will find it difficult to continue their economic activity if they no longer had access to mobile phones. From a situation where the vast majority of the individualsliving in Vanuatu rarely had access to a phone, mobile telephony is being perceived as indispensable to economic wellbeing. The PiPP study showcases awide range of examples of how mobile phones are expanding business opportunities and reducing costs of doing business in four archetypical small and medium enterprises – kava, handicrafts, agriculture & fishery, andretail stores.

Explosion of mobile use

There is close to universal access to mobile telephony in all the research areas, including in areas that are currently outside of networkcoverage. “We have to walk up to three hours to catch network signal. But it isstill better than using tele-radio” says Anna Abel in Port Narvin, Erromango. Accessto mobile telephony has increased from 81% in 2008 to 92% in 2009. 80% of ruralrespondents first acquired a mobile phone in 2008. Furthermore, the average numberof mobile phone is 1.6 per household in rural areas and 2.8 in urban areas. Inother words, Ni-Vanuatu citizens are opting to own a mobile phone rather thanto share one.

Competition between the serviceproviders

The findings suggest that thereare significantly more people using Digicel than TVL.Exclusive use of TVL has decreased from 57% in 2008 to 7% in 2009. Exclusiveuse of Digicel has increased by 29% since 2008 (to 72%).This is likely to be because Digicel has wider network coverage throughout the countryand is the only option for the vast majority of users in Vanuatu who reside inrural areas.Urban users also prefer to use Digicel to contact their friends and families in rural areas.

The number of individuals usingboth TVL and Digicel in combination, although only 8% of total respondents atpresent, is likely to increase. The study found that individuals in urban areasin particular are increasingly monitoring the destination of calls, cost percall, and type of promotions that are being offered by the two serviceproviders in order to minimise expenditure on mobile credit.

Spending on mobile phones

The cost of using mobile phones has decreased significantly since the advent of competition.62% of urban users and of rural users spend1000 Vatu or more per month on mobile telephony.Rural users are spending disproportionately high on mobile phones relative to their urban counterparts. For example, the study found that the majority of the rural users do not have access to electricity and must pay additional costs for charging their mobile phones, which can amount to their total expenditure on credit.The study findings suggest that rural users may choose to forgo other household basic goods (such as sugar andsoap) to pay for mobile use in the short term. But in the long term, mobile telephony is helping households increase earnings; users are experimenting withinnovative ways of paying for credit; and features such as ‘plis call me’ and‘kredit me’ are transferring the costs of using mobile telephony to urbanrelatives with steadier income.

Social concerns: modern villain or decaying ethics

The study finds that access to mobile telephony is highlighting the social anxieties triggered by Vanuatu’s exposure to modern technology. There was a variation in social concerns acrossgender and levels of access to network coverage. Individuals who were livingoutside of network coverage were concerned about ‘being left behind’ while those in areas with coverage were worried about the social costs of using mobile phones.

Women appeared to be more concerned about the impact that mobile telephony was having on the family such as on children’s health and well-being, extra-marital affairs, and teenage pregnancy. Men were worried about its effects on kastom, authority of the chief, communal harmony, self-sufficiency of the rural economy, and land disputes. A Chief from a village in Middle Bush, Tanna observed: “many seasonal workers returning from are bringing home pornographic photos stored in their mobile phones and are passing these to other villagers, including to children. This is breaking down the moral fabric of the community”.

The quantitative research drew on a detailed household level survey adapted from a study commissioned by the British Department for International Development (DFID). The qualitative research included semi- structured interviews and focus groups to better understand the use of telecommunications by small and medium enterprises in Vanuatu; the gender dimensions of telephony access and use; and the role of telecommunications on household income.

Copies of the research findings for 2008 and 2009 can be downloaded here.

In early 2011 we will again return to the field to track changes and trends.

Promoting ‘good governance’ is an overarching strategy of many government and donor agencies. To daye, the focus of most governance programmes has been on public sector reform, aiming to improve accountability and management of public resources. Development is, however, fundamentally a political process; a concept that underlies the Drivers of Change analysis undertaken in Vanuatu to assess the interaction among structural features (economic, social and cultural systems), institutions (formal and informal rules and incentives) and actors (individuals and organisations).
At PiPP we understand civic engagement to be a central component of improving governance. In doing so we seek to engage political actors in a systematic partnership. Investing in such an understanding of the nuances of the political context is a relatively new approach to development in the Pacific. It paves the way to build on existing public sector reform to foster a stronger and broader culture of democracy by supporting the functioning of robust and accountable political parties.

Pacific island nations risk being left behind in the global competition for trade

Trade is increasingly at forefront of international engagement with the region, most recently evident through negotiations with the European Union on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), and with Australia and New Zealand on the Pacific and Closer Economic Relations (PACER) agreement.

Within the Pacific, trade is the most prominent example of increasing regional cooperation, with the Pacific-wide Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) coming into effect in 2003, and a free trade agreement between the four members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) negotiated in 2005.

Despite the prominence of trade issues, informed debate within the Pacific is limited. Progress on regional and international initiatives has been slow. There is a lack of considered analysis on the opportunities and threats associated with further integration with increasingly globalised markets. Confusion reigns in terms of strategies to deal with developed country trading partners. Individual countries, and the regional as a whole, lack a broad vision for the way forward.

PiPP has released a series of trade policy discussion papers to consolidate information available to Pacific decision makers and to stimulate wider debate on these issues:

• Pacific lessons from the Economic partnership Agreement
• MSG – trading on political capital and Melanesian solidarity
• Beyond fish and coconuts: Trade agreements in the Pacific islands
• Small can be beautiful: The particular needs of micro states in trade policy
• Facilitating better trade outcomes for Pacific island countries
• PACER Plus – The art of negotiation
• Casting the net to define the PACER ‘PLUS’

The discussion papers can be downloaded HERE.

Additionally, we continue to work with Pacific island governments and other interested stakeholders to better inform the development and application of trade policy. With funding from the Australian Government, we have undertaken a number of country studies that have included extensive consultations with key national stakeholders.

A copy of the PACER Plus national study for the Cook Islands has been published on the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration website, and the report can be downloaded here.