In its first Annual General Meeting held in Denarau Island, Fiji, Pacific ICT Regulatory Resource Centre (PIRRC) elected its new Steering Committee and Management Committee. The Steering Committee consists of representatives of Cook Island, FIJI, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Nauru, Samoa, Vanuatu and University of South Pacific (USP). Management Committee now consists of representatives of PNG, Fiji, USP and PIRRC.

The Steering Committee is the supreme body of PIRRC, while the Management Committee assumes the role of implementation agency, assisting the PIRRC Director in managing PIRRC operations.

The CEO of National Information Communication Technology Authority (NICTA), PNG Mr. Charles Punaha has been elected as chairperson of the Steering Committee. On his re-election as Chairman of the PIRRC Steering Committee for a term of two years, Mr. Punaha said: “I am honoured to have the confidence of the members of PIRRC to continue to lead the Steering Committee for another term of two years. Being a new organization, we have our work cut out for us for the next 12 months and will need to encourage more countries to join as members, and to assure them that the PIRRC is here to assist them bring about better and fairer policies and regulations on ICT that are relevant to their countries”.

The Annual General Meeting held on 26 July 2012, was collocated with APT’s 5th Policy and Regulation Forum for Pacific and ITU’s Pacific Broadband Forum 2012.

Country representatives from Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu attended the event. Other Attendees were from Asia Pacific Telecommunity, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization, World Bank, ITU Regional Office for Asia &Pacific, Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, Secretariat for Pacific Community, LIRNEasia and University of South Pacific.

In the AGM and Steering Committee meetings, several important decisions were made, including approval of PIRRC’s annual report, business plan for 2012-13, and operating budget. Statements of Practice for PIRRC working were also approved. Official logo designed by a Samoan student was selected and PIRRC year was recognized from 01 July to 30 June.

Members of the new Steering Committee are:

1. Mr. Charles Punaha, PNG

2. Ms. Tepu Hunter, Cook Island

3. Ms. Elizabeth Powell, FIJI

4. Mr. Criden Appi, Nauru

5. Mr. Donnie Defreitas, Samoa

6. Mr. Alan Horne, Vanuatu

7. Mr. Kazuyuki Tsuzuki, USP

Mr. Punaha, Mr. Defreitas and Mr. Horne are elected for a two-year term, while others will have four-year term.

New Management Committee members are:

1. Mr. Charles Punaha, PNG

2. Ms. Elizabeth Powell, FIJI

3. Mr. Kazuyuki Tsuzuki, USP

4. Mr. Muhammad Aslam Hayat, Director PIRRC

The event and activities of PIRRC got very wide coverage from print and electronic media. Reports were published in Fiji Times, Post Courier PNG and Pacific Islands News Association.

Fiji One television covered AGM and interviewed Shivanjni Anamika, Research Assistant of PIRRC. Mr. Defreitas also expressed his views about PIRRC. 

Studies released by PIRRC on Intra-Pacific Calls & Roaming Studies also got everyone attention.

Pictures of the event can be seen at Flickr.