E. Legal Environment for ICT
98.
The importance of legal certainty for business investment is confirmed both by
formal studies and by recent Solomon Islands experience. Moreover, a sound
system of laws for the use of ICT is essential for the protection of users
ICT Objective 2
Enact or amend laws, and establish or reform administrative and enforcement
bodies, to create an environment that supports the secure, cost-effective and
productive deployment and use of ICT in Solomon Islands.
Enakt or amend loas an mekem or rifom administretif an enfosment bodis fo hemi
krietim enfaeronment wea sapotim sef, kost effektif an prodaktif diploement and ius
lo ict insaed Solomon aelens.
Issues
99.
Since 2009 it has been the policy of the Government, expressed in the
Telecommunications
Act
2009,
to
remove
barriers
to
entry
to
the
telecommunications market and create an enabling legal environment in which
operators compete to win customers’ business. Telecommunications operators
report that certainty, predictability and stability in the regulatory regime under
which they operate has been a significant and positive factor in their decisions for
investment in Solomon Islands.
100. The legal framework will also have relevance for revitalization of national culture.
The Policy Framework recognizes this, and includes as a policy goal: “The cultural
and legal rights of customary owners and producers of cultural products are
protected within and outside Solomon Islands.”36 The best means of protecting the
rights of customary cultural owners and producers must be investigated with open
minds regarding the possible approaches, as orthodox intellectual property rights
36
Ministry of Culture and Tourism Nasinol Policy Framework blong Kalsa(2012), policy goal 12.1,
p 10.
Page | 36
Solomon Islands National ICT Policy