05th December, 2017 Tonga hosted a five-day meeting of the Pacific Network Operators Group (PacNOG) started yesterday morning at Fa’onelua Convention Centre.
The five-day workshop (December 04th – 08th) aims to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills on ICT issues in the Pacific Islands including internet security and on Cloud.
The Minister for Public Enterprises Hon. Poasi Tei said this workshop is timely for Tonga, where they are currently finalizing a bill to combat cybercrime, while reviewing a bill to replace the Computer Act 2003, mainly to update computer offences and increase relevant penalties, and enhance the investigation powers relating to the search and seizure of electronically stored data, of any evidence in electronic form.
“Despite the importance of the Internet, Cloud Computing at this Information Age; one of the major key issues is Security. That is why it is very important that before we adopt any of these technologies, we should be concerned with the safety and privacy of these important data that are stored in our computer; our network; or anywhere in the cloud.”
Hon. Tei also stated the main reason why the Government of Tonga established the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).
“CERT provides advice and support on Cyber threats and vulnerabilities to the owners and operators of Tonga’s critical infrastructures; and other systems of National interest. A compromise of these systems could result in significant impacts on Tonga’s economic prosperity, and social wellbeing.”
PacNOG is a real testimony of the best approach with the collaborations of four to five different organizations with common interests – to address needs in isolated areas like the Pacific Islands.
Participating members include: Solomon Islands Our Telekom, Telecom Fiji, Telecommunications Authority of Fiji, FSM Telecom, Kiribati Ministry of Line Island Development, Tuvalu Telecom, Solomon Islands Telecommunications Commission, PNG National ICT Authority, Marshall Island National Telecommunication Authority, Tokelau’s Teletok Tokelau, Telikom PNG Ltd with local participants.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change & Communications.