OAS Assisting To Fight Cyber Crimes
By: , March 3, 2014The Key Point:
Photo: Melroy Sterling
State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson (left), emphasizes a point in discussion with Partners in the information and communications technology (ICT) solutions and training firm, Educentres Information Services Limited, Director, Hugh Campbell (centre), and Executive Director, Richard Shaw, during a secure software development lifecycle training seminar, held at the Knutsford Court Hotel on March 3. Mr. Robinson was the guest speaker. The seminar was held under the theme: ‘Why and How to Integrate Security into the entire Software Development Lifecycle for Applications’.The Facts
- The strategy and policy are being developed by the government to establish a framework to safeguard Jamaica against cyber crimes.
- The Ministry is in the process of identifying personnel, initially from within the public sector, “with an interest” in counter cyber crime activities and providing them with the requisite training to man the entity.
The Full Story
A team from the Organization of American States (OAS) is scheduled to visit Jamaica from March 17 to 19, to conduct a series of stakeholder consultations, aimed at assisting the Government to develop a Cyber Security Strategy and Policy.
State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, says the consultations are a precursor to work that will be undertaken by the newly established Cyber Crime Task Force.
The strategy and policy are being developed by the government to establish a framework to safeguard Jamaica against cyber crimes.
Speaking at a software training seminar, hosted by Educentres Information Services Limited, at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, on March 3,
Mr. Robinson informed that the Task Force, comprising representatives of private and public sector stakeholders, will undertake work on the strategy and policy, which “has already begun,” through four subcommittees – Technical, Public Awareness, Human Resource and Capacity.
Meanwhile, Mr. Robinson advised that an assessment report on Jamaica’s readiness to establish a Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) has been completed by the International Telecoms Union (ITU), which is providing technical assistance.
The State Minister explained that the CERT will enable Jamaica to respond in an “organized way” to the occurrence of cyber crimes.
“Even more importantly, it will design guidelines which, not just public sector agencies would have to operate by, but also some of the critical private sector agencies that have a serious impact on national life,” he added.
Mr. Robinson said the Ministry, which is spearheading the project, is in the process of identifying personnel, initially from within the public sector, “with an interest” in counter cyber crime activities and providing them with the requisite training to man the entity.
“We will start with the basic services and build on that. We anticipate implementing that (CERT) later this year,” he added.