In the Service of Diversity: Internet Publishing for Papua New Guinea

Nathan Andibah KWASAM <kwasam@upng.ac.pg>
University of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea

Abstract

The Internet is a late arrival in Papua New Guinea - a country of extreme lingusitic, cultural and bio diversity. The lack of relevant content on the Internet, from and about the country, is deemed to be an issue that may well affect the development of Internet usage and its acceptance within country.

The paper desribes a project linking a group of 6 major institutions in Papua New Guinea that have been significant in the teaching, research and print publishing fields nationally. The goal of the project is increasing PNG and Information content on the Internet as well as to improve access to international networking and information technologies by the Papua New Guinea research and development community. The project began in mid 1997 and is funded by the International Development Research Centre Canada. It is hosted at the University of Papua New Guinea's Waigani Campus.

The significance of the project will be use and enhancement of capacities in several disperate (and previously generally non-coperating)organisations - and their staff - that have significant non-Internet resources to create a new dimension to information and publishing activities in PNG via the Internet.

The paper describes work in progress on group formation: development of a training and access facility and program; assistance to institutions for equipment and connectivity; building Internet accessible data and linkages. In addition it will summarise the issues and concerns to date that face the Internet and its development in this "land of the unexpected."