NICTA CEO Charles Punaha

NICTA CEO urges responsible ICT use

This reminder was made by NICTA CEO, Charles Punaha, when discussing the Cybercrime Code Act passed in 2016.

Punaha said there’s still a lot of improper use but the onus is on the users of the service to be responsible. 

“The ICT services are there for good use but people are abusing it. When they use it not for the intended purpose, that’s when the problem comes in,” he said.

He urged all users of the social media to be responsible and accountable for what you do

NICTA faces implementation challenges

While there have been one or two arrests since this, NICTA CEO, Charles Punaha says, enforcement is still a challenge.  

“Currently, there’s still a lot of improper use, especially on social media where people are making very slanderous, defamatory and malicious statements. Unfortunately in most cases, these people don’t use their real names.

10 percent of Papua New Guineans on Internet

National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA) CEO, Charles Punaha said the internet penetration rate is very low compared to other countries in the region, and the world.

He said comparing Fiji, which has close to 100 per cent internet penetration, the biggest nation in the Pacific only has 10 per cent of its population accessing internet, but are paying much more for the service.  

Punaha said the high cost of doing business in the country and also the geography landscape dictates the cost of accessing the services.   

International satellite operator to operate ICT services

National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA) CEO, Charles Punaha today presented the individual operating licenses to Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS).

ABS has offices in the United States, UAE, South Africa, Germany, Philippines, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

According to company’s website, ABS operates a fleet of satellites serving 93 per cent of the world. 

Act will not censor social media: NICTA

Charles Punaha, the National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA) CEO, said the Act, passed by Parliament in 2016, will not be a form of censorship on mainstream and social media. 

“We respect freedom of information and speeches as provided for under the Constitution, but let me also specify that those freedom are referred to by law as qualified rights, meaning that people should not abuse those freedom to commit (crimes) against other people,” Punaha said. 

Is Cybercrime Act, a form of censorship?

The National Parliament in 2016 passed the Act making it a crime to make unproven allegations about individuals using any information technology medium.

However, the National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA) CEO Charles Punaha brush aside the censorship claims.  

Punaha said the new Cybercrime Act is not a form of censorship in Papua New Guinea. 

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Cybercrime Act not a form of censorship: NICTA

Charles Punaha, the National Information and Communication Technology Authority (NICTA) CEO, said the Act passed by Parliament in 2016, will not be a form of censorship on mainstream and social media.  

“We respect freedom of information and speeches as provided for under the Constitution, but let me also specify that those freedom are referred to by law as qualified rights, meaning that people should not abuse those freedom to commit (crimes) against other people,” Punaha said.