<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>PRESS RELEASE</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>SPC launches ‘e-Pacific Island
Countries’ - an online portal for Pacific ICT information</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Secretariat of the Pacific
Community (SPC), 27 October 2010</i> – Inaccessibility to readily available
online information and communication technology (ICT) resources is not an issue
for the Pacific Islands region anymore. The launch of ‘e-Pacific Island
Countries’ (e-PIC) yesterday by SPC takes Pacific communities one step closer
to ICT development with the availability of useful ICT information on this
online portal.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The launch took place at the
SPC-organised 40<sup>th</sup> meeting of the Committee of Representatives of
Governments and Administrations (CRGA), which is being held in Noumea, New
Caledonia from 25 – 29 October 2010.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">‘This is a timely initiative as
it contributes to addressing the ICT data gaps that were identified by the
review of the Pacific Plan Digital Strategy and further highlighted by the
newly endorsed <i>Framework for Action on ICT for Development in the Pacific</i>.
The portal also provides a platform for engaging the various ICT stakeholders
to ensure ICT initiatives are relevant, sustainable and have a positive impact
on the lives of Pacific people,’ Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Director General of SPC,
said.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Mr. Siaosi Sovaleni, ICT Outreach
Coordinator at SPC’s Economic Development Division who led the development of
this important portal, gave a demonstration of its usefulness to the delegates
at the CRGA meeting.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">‘Resources uploaded to the portal
will be categorised based on the seven themes of the endorsed ICT framework
ensuring its relevance to endorsed priorities in the framework. In addition,
all the resources will be tagged, which will make it easier to find appropriate
information and resources,’ explained Mr Sovaleni.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The development of <i>e-PIC</i>
has been possible with funding assistance from the European Union (EU) through
the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) under the <i>ICT
Access for the Poor </i>project.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The portal is expected to
generate a significant increase in the dissemination and exchange of relevant
information and knowledge amongst regional and international ICT agencies and
the Pacific Island governments and communities. The portal will have country
profiles, downloadable documents, forum, register of ICT professionals and
policy makers, photo and video gallery, and ICT vacancies. The documents on the
portal will include policies, legal and regulatory documents, publications,
news items, as well as educational and research materials.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">‘e-PIC’ has extended its scope to
include resources for other projects such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Project on <i>Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) for Inclusive
Growth and Poverty Reduction</i>. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The idea is to adopt an online
‘one-stop-shop’ resource centre for PICs to minimise duplications and maximise
utilisation of resources.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The portal will be managed by
SPC’s Pacific ICT Outreach (PICTO) Programme from its Suva regional office.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">To access the portal, click on: <a href="http://www.e-pic.info/" target="_blank">http://www.e-pic.info/</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i> </i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>For more information, please
contact:</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Siaosi Sovaleni, ICT Outreach
Coordinator, EDD, SPC, Suva, Fiji (email: <a href="mailto:SiaosiS@spc.int" target="_blank">SiaosiS@spc.int</a>);
or Avnita Goundar, Information Officer, EDD, SPC, Suva, Fiji (email: <a href="mailto:AvnitaG@spc.int" target="_blank">AvnitaG@spc.int</a>)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Kind Regards</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;" lang="EN-US"> <br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Harlow Solid Italic";" lang="EN-US">Avnita
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;" lang="EN-US"><br>
<br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;" lang="EN-US">Avnita Goundar </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt;" lang="EN-US">Information Officer
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt;" lang="EN-US">Economic
Development Division<br>
Secretariat of the Pacific Community <br>
2nd Floor, Lotus Building, Nabua <br>
Private Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji <br>
PH: (679) 3379 281 or 3370 733 ext 281 <br>
Fax: (679) 3370 146 <br>
Mobile: (679) 9963 245 <br>
<span style="color: black;"> </span> <br>
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