Critical for young people to access information: A-G
As future leaders of Fiji, our high school students will in a few years be making decisions for all of us.
So it is critical for them to be able to access the information and become part and parcel of what we call the technological revolution that is taking place in Fiji at this point in time.
This sentiment was raised by Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum during the launch of the Walesi WIFI Hotspot at Ratu Sukuna Park, Suva, yesterday.
Getting a very high level of internet speed is the idea behind the WIFI hotspot areas.
“We want our people the young people to come and use their mobile phones here to be able to chat with each other, to be able to download and upload materials and to create safe spaces for people to be able to access technology,” he said.
“That really is the gist of what we are trying to do and it will not only be done here at Ratu Sukuna Park, we are also looking at My Suva Park. “We will be looking at every town and city in Fiji where people can go and use these spaces 24 hours. You also can get one hour of free internet access in that 24 hours.” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said they wanted to be able to ensure that Fijians and the young people were able to access this technology.
“We will become a more knowledge base society if we adopt and use the technology,” he said.
“We have to ensure that our young people get access to technology, get access to information so they can become a lot more empowered.
“And, of course, use that information; use that technology in a responsible manner in a manner that will be useful not just to them, their towns and cities, but also to the country as a whole.”
The WIFI Hotspot is the Government’s initiative through Walesi and the various telecommunication companies.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum also highlighted that all the initiatives, including the Government platforms where you could access the Government services, were the new level of transparency that the Government wanted to create.