16 April 2012

‘We live in a world of change; change is unfamiliar, we ignore it, we avoid it; often we try to resist it. Today we are talking more about it.’ 

So said a Facebook user recently in response to the political turmoil in Papua New Guinea. Internet use is on the rise throughout the Pacific. From Fiji’s warring blogs, to new online businesses in Vanuatu, to Tonga’s inflows of cash and cultural influences from nationals living abroad. Across the Pacific the internet is ending the tyranny of distance and strengthening social bonds. 

With increasing access to the internet, the latest discussion paper from the Pacific Institute of Public Policy (PiPP) examines this shifting technology landscape. 

The number of Pacific people using social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to access and spread information is growing rapidly. With the rise of citizen journalism, Pacific voices are becoming a recognisable force, and frustrated citizens are speaking out.

Some may see this as a threat, but it’s manageable, especially as online social networks have a lot in common with traditional society. This gives Pacific islanders a distinct edge balancing the challenge of protecting traditional virtues while stepping into a landscape that is being fundamentally transformed. 

Dan McGarry, the institute’s chief technologist, notes that ‘while the region’s leaders are notably absent, the online conversation goes on without them’. The internet is here to stay, and leaders who accept it and engage with an increasingly connected citizenry will benefit.

On the policy front, open competition and a strong independent regulatory environment generate the most benefit for everyone. Healthy competition also allows government to maintain balance in an economic sector whose value will only increase. 

The full discussion paper can be downloaded here.

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