The SIGNIS-Pacific Assembly was held from May 2 to 5 in Noumea, New Caledonia. At the end of the meeting, the association of Catholic communicators issued a Declaration calling for broadband access to the Internet for Pacific countries.
The Declaration begins"We, the members of SIGNIS Pacific (World Catholic Association for Communications) call upon the leaders of the Church in the Pacific to encourage governments and other authorities to foster growth of communications infrastructure that will assist with the development of our region. Specifically we ask our Church leadership to see the value of new communications services, e.g. high-speed broadband and wireless applications as ‘tools’ of ministry to assist our people in the areas of health, education, social welfare and a myriad of pastoral outreach applications, e.g. relationship counseling, religious education etc. Increased capacity, particularly for remote outer islands and isolated villages, is vital if our people are to share in the considerable benefits these technologies bring to human development. More at http://tinyurl.com/66d7std