A satellite, which will provide the PNG Judiciary with the connectivity it needs to implement its e-Judiciary program, has been successfully launched into the earth’s orbit.
Chief Justice, Sir Gibbs Salika, announced that on Monday evening (US EST).
The Kacific1 communications satellite, built by Boeing, was launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket to geostationary orbit from SpaceX facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. The Judiciary will be utilising the satellite for free on net voice calling, video conferencing and high speed internet data.
This next-generation high-throughput Ka-band satellite will stream broadband to Papua New Guinea and 24 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region via 56 spot beams. Kacific1 is based on Boeing’s reliable 702MP-satellite platform and will provide the most powerful signal level ever achieved in a commercial satellite in the region. It has been designed to deliver high-speed broadband services, particularly where there is rugged terrain and widely dispersed population or vulnerability to cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis.
The Kacific system is particularly appealing to the needs of the Judiciary and the Law and Justice Sector in PNG as it strives to provide easier access to justice in all parts of the country. It will complement e-based systems now being implemented for document lodgement, case management, criminal case processing as well as finance and human resource management, e-learning and AI-supported sentencing.
“We need a reliable and dependable solution that is able to provide full coverage over PNG, that will enable us to have control over our data and that will give us the ability to introduce multiple layers of security management,” said Secretary National Judicial Staff Service, Jack Kariko, who was in Cape Canaveral to witness this historic launch.
Senior Supreme and National Court Judge Nicholas Kirriwom, who was also present at the launch in Cape Canaveral, said: “This is a very proud moment for the PNG Judiciary and the people of PNG, for this pilot project is hopefully the first of many that will contribute to the restoration of welfare in our country.
“For the Judiciary, we will extend a successful satellite pilot to provide online Judicial Education training in PNG and across the Pacific to keep our Pacific judges up to date and to reduce the carbon footprint associated with travel to attend classroom-based courses.
“We will introduce new digital services and open up our network for specific community initiatives outside our registry hours.”
On congratulating Kacific for the successful launch, Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika said: “We will be using this satellite with the full support of our Prime Minister, Mr James Marape, who shares my vision for the e-Judiciary and who considers our bold move as a pilot for all of Government connectivity.
“Because if we are successful, our colleagues in Health and Education and other government agencies will follow behind us, and we will see social services delivered consistently across Papua New Guinea and reaching even our remotest citizens.”
Over the next few months, 25 remote sites across PNG in 2020 will be equipped with a 2.4 metre satellite dish and modem to be able to connect to the satellite. Depending upon availability, the Judiciary may invite Health, Education and other rural and community service providers to link into the broadband for scheduled periods during evening hours.