 Cyber-security laws. 115. The Consumer Protection Act (Cap. 63) has been in force in Solomon Islands since the mid-1990s. It would be timely to review this Act to ascertain whether and how effectively it applies in the context of online transactions using ICT. The legislation should be reviewed to determine how appropriate it is in relation to e-commerce; enforcement resources should be examined to consider whether the Act can be effectively enforced to protect online transactions; and attention should be directed to consumers’ awareness and understanding of their rights under the Act. 116. For Solomon Islands, consumer online transactions (“B2C”) mainly involve online purchases of goods or services from overseas vendors; and online offers and sales of services (e.g. hotel reservations) to overseas purchasers. Legislating for strenuous consumer protection obligations in this setting is unlikely materially to assist Solomon Islands consumers to enforce their rights. A light-handed approach might nevertheless be warranted which ensures:  Existing Consumer Protection Act safeguards are applicable to online transactions; and  Suppliers in Solomon Islands who invite consumers to enter into transactions online must disclose certain minimum required information. 117. Additionally, online vendors in Solomon Islands might be encouraged to adopt their own Code of Practice in respect of online sales to encourage consumers’ confidence, for example in the tourism sector. 118. For ICT investors, laws must be certain, stable, and not subject to discretionary interpretation or application. The merit of a legal framework that is certain and stable has been amply demonstrated in Solomon Islands in the telecommunications sector since 2009. A light-handed, pro-competitive Telecommunications Act has been administered by the Telecommunications Commission without recourse to the courts or heavy-handed intervention in the market. This approach has seen impressive levels of investment in mobile telecommunications infrastructure, accompanied by rapid adoption of services by the public. This provides an important example for the ICT sector generally, and for other sectors. 119. The independence of the Telecommunications Commission in Solomon Islands provides another valuable precedent. Operators’ decisions regarding investment must necessarily contemplate a long time-frame: infrastructure cannot be uplifted Page | 40 Solomon Islands National ICT Policy