Solomon Islands television programme Tavuli News has interviewed Mr Crispin Laka, recipient of a ‘highly commended’ mention in the 2025 Pacific Dataviz Challenge.
The Pacific Dataviz Challenge is a flagship regional initiative that empowers young people, students, designers and data professionals to transform open data into powerful visualisations that inform, inspire and drive change.
Now in its fourth year, the Challenge has grown from niche competition into an international showcase of data-driven storytelling. This year’s theme, ‘Blue Pacific 2050’, invited participants to engage with the shared 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, using the Pacific Data Hub and other open data to explore the region’s development journey and trajectory through graphical narratives.
In his interview, Mr Laka talks about his prize-winning project, the importance of digital inclusion across the region, data literacy and youth engagement.
Mr Laka’s dataviz, ‘Visualising Digital Access Across the Blue Pacific’, highlights digital connectivity across 16 Pacific countries and territories. Mapping internet usage, 4G coverage, broadband subscriptions and e-government readiness, it uncovers urban–rural divides and remaining gaps. Interactive country cards provide local insights, transforming complex data into a compelling narrative for equity, resilience, and inclusive digital access.
Watch the interview
For more information on this story, contact Mr Ben Campion, Communications Adviser, Statistics for Development Division, Pacific Community (SPC).
