Denis Opudo
Fiji made another milestone in its internet connectivity on 21st July 2018 by launching a free public Wi-Fi hotspot. The launch took place at the famous Ratu Sukuna Park in Suva, the capital city of Fiji. The project was under the efforts of the government to have available internet services to more ordinary Fijians. According to the acting prime minister of Fiji, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, the move was the effort by the government to empower its citizens.
According to Sayed-Khaiyum, youths in Fiji will be able to communicate with each other through online chats, upload and download materials through the use of the free Wi-Fi connections. Therefore, they will use the information for the benefit of their country, cities, towns, and schools. He added that the main goal is to ensure that Fijian youths, and all the citizens in the country, easily access the internet.
The move will help to create a society that is full of knowledge. Sayed-Khaiyum added that that is the first amongst many Wifi hot sports that the government will put up across the country. The government targeted the 70% of the country’s population who are below the 40 years of age. Citizens will be able to get free Wi-Fi of high speed for 60 minutes daily in some areas that have a population such as over 880,000 dwellers. The project will soon be initiated in other main parks in Fiji. Around $18.9 million has been set aside for the ICT sector. This is with the aim of setting up public Wi-Fi hotspots in this island country.
Such projects will help the young population in Fiji to share development notes with their counterparts from the rest of the world. Moreover, it will be a great step in the improvement of the country’s economy given that technology plays a vital role in the growth of the modern day economy.
