The hype in Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) digital transformation process is the knife waiting to chop it down.
PNG’s digital transformation process has been tested time and again, with the most recent being the government’s threat to shut down social media in the aftermath of what the country described as its “Darkest Wednesday.” An extremely violent riot broke out in Port Moresby, resulting in the damage, looting, and burning of shops, costing well over a billion kina.
On the positive side, progress in the country’s digital transformation has been noticeably promising under the leadership of Timothy Masiu. He is the man tasked by the Marape-Rosso government as the Minister of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to build what the PNG Department of Information and Communications Technology describes as ‘a vibrant digital economy’
The country is known for extensive investment in the resource sector, which makes up a large component of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) earnings and is a key driver of the economy.
Despite the rapid development in the ICT sector worldwide, the PNG government has, over the years, failed to recognize and invest in ICT as a critical enabler of economic development.
Two factors become obvious instantly when talking about the lack of growth and development in PNG’s ICT sector over the years.
Firstly, there is the lack of relevant policy guidelines and the much-needed government support in terms of visionary, ethical, and innovative leadership to build the sector.
Secondly, there is the glaring threat of a risky investment climate in the country that deters foreign investment.
Whatever it may be, there is more hype in the sector now than at any other time in the country’s history, and one man who happens to be in the engine room is Minister Masiu.
The passing of the country’s Digital Government Act 2022 has propelled the country into the global spotlight, with a series of interventions introduced recently, including the deployment of PNG GovStack to improve the service delivery mechanism within government agencies.
As it is, service delivery in the country is riddled with an extremely high level of corruption and mismanagement, costing the country billions of kina.
Minister Masiu’s attractive value proposition to use technology to improve the service delivery mechanism in the country to save billions of taxpayers’ money is exciting, yet ambitious.
Improving service delivery in government agencies, among other things, also includes automating systems and processes that will ensure certain powerful people miss out on dipping fingers into taxpayers’ money.
Expectations are high. And that, in itself, is the knife waiting to chop the country down again if it fails to deliver on the promises of building a vibrant digital economy that is safe, secure, and productive for all citizens—a solution that will save the country from the evil grip of corruption and mismanagement.
