Youth and women will be engaged by Government when it rolls out its Universal Service Scheme (USS) to improve connectivity in rural and remote Fiji
This was revealed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Communication Manoa Kamikamica in his recent speech in Parliament on the initiative.
In the $3million Phase One of the USS, 126 sites in Fiji’s rural areas will be the first to get connected to the Starlink-based, managed Wi-Fi solution, where each site will feature a minimum of two Wi-Fi access points, solar-powered systems for off-grid sites, emergency Satellite phones for disaster response and a voucher-based access model to manage usage and encourage responsible digital behaviour.
Through its “Smart Hands” model, Government, according to Mr Kamikamica, will be “training young Fijians in these communities to serve as first responders for system troubleshooting and maintenance”.
“Women’s groups and cooperatives will be empowered to manage access voucher systems, enhancing both financial inclusion and local accountability,” he said.
“This is how we ensure community ownership, which is key to long-term success and sustainability.”
To ensure communities can receive early warnings, coordinate evacuations and remain connected during times of crisis, emergency satellite phones at each site will be linked to national disaster coordination systems, Mr Kamikamica said.
“In a country as vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters as Fiji, connectivity is not optional—it is a life-saving infrastructure.”
While the provision of reliable connectivity to these areas is a big step forward, enabling real and sustained digital inclusion for all Fijians was the critical element in narrowing the digital divide.
To this end, Mr Kamikamica said collaboration was already happening within Government, for example with:
n The Ministry of Health to support telemedicine integration;
n The Ministry of Education to support remote learning platforms;
n The Department of Women to lead community awareness and digital inclusion;
n The Department of Cooperatives to support cooperative ownership and entrepreneurship models, and
n The Ministry of iTaukei Affairs to ensure traditional structures are respected and empowered
“I also encourage our partner organisations and countries, private sector, and civil society groups to roll out initiatives and solutions for these communities that are being connected,” he said.
“This is a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach—one that is designed for sustainability.”