infrastructure,  particularly  electricity.  Nevertheless,  modern  mobile  solutions  designed   specifically  for  developing  countries  present  economically  viable  ways  to  expand  services   in  Kiribati.     The  enactment  of  the  Telecommunications  Act  2004  liberalized  the  telecoms  sector  in   Kiribati  and  was  intended  to  allow  competition,  particularly  in  mobile  services.  However,   competition  has  not  eventuated  due  in  part  to  a  number  of  regulatory  and  legal   constraints  inherent  in  the  current  regime.  The  Government  continues  to  support  open   and  competitive  markets,  and  is  committed  to  further  legislative  and  regulatory  change  to   achieve  significant  improvement  in  ICT  services  in  the  near  to  medium  term.   5 Policy  objectives  for  the  ICT  Sector     This  National  ICT  policy  is  consistent  with  the  aims  and  strategies  of  the  Kiribati   Development  Plan  -­‐-­‐  namely,  the  pursuit  of  economic  growth  for  Kiribati  with  the  aim  of   improving  the  lives  of  citizens  through  further  development  of  the  economy  and  citizens’   capabilities.  Increased  availability  of  affordable  and  reliable  ICT  services  is  a  key  input  to   economic  growth,  particularly  for  presently  un-­‐served  and  underserved  remote  areas  of   Kiribati.   Access  to  the  widest  possible  range  of  ICT  services,  including  Internet  connectivity,  is  also   essential  to  improve  the  quality  of  education  in  Kiribati.  An  important  attribute  of  the   Internet  is  its  ability  to  solve  distance  learning  problems  and  to  build  bridges  between   teachers  and  students.  The  Government  is  committed  to  reducing  the  ‘digital  divide’   between  schools  which  have  access  to  the  Internet  and  those  that  do  not.     Similarly,  as  Internet  penetration  improves,  the  Government  intends  to  offer  more  and   more  e-­‐government  services.  Effective  use  of  ICT  by  government  will  increase  the  ability   of  Kiribati  people  to  access  government  services,  participate  in  government  initiatives  and   support  the  democratic  process.  The  development  of  e-­‐government  initiatives  will  be  part   of  future  Government  policies.   5.1 Five  guiding  principles   The  five  guiding  principles  which  underpin  the  objectives  of  this  National  ICT  Policy  are  –   (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) open  and  competitive  markets   modern,  independent  and  proportionate  regulation,   non-­‐discrimination  and  technology  neutrality,     universal  service  for  remote  areas  of  Kiribati,  and     optimal  use  of  scarce  resources.     The  mechanisms  for  implementing  these  principles  are  detailed  below.       3