Revision of Cybercrimes Act to Get Under Way Shortly

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, says the revision of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 is to get under way in another two to three months.

He noted that the revisions will address, among other things, concerns that the current legislation inhibits freedom of expression.

He said the Ministry will be inviting the input of all stakeholders in the revision process, including members of the legal fraternity, the security forces, players in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry, and the general public.

Minister Wheatley, who was addressing the Girls in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Day seminar and exhibition at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on April 27, said that the revision will ensure that the Act is in line with current realities.

He noted that because technology is constantly evolving, legislation relating to the industry has to be updated regularly.

In the meantime, the Minister lauded the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) for staging the Girls in ICT Day event.

He said he was pleased to see that the targeted age group has been widened from 14 to 19 in 2016, to 11 to 19 this year.

“We need to inculcate in the minds of our young ladies, from an early age, the importance of ICT, so that they can start to plan ahead,” he pointed out.

The Minister noted that “the ICT sector has not yet been fully mined by the female cohorts in the global labour force, as it is still male-dominated”.

However, he said that the Ministry is leading by example, with females in ICT management positions such as the Permanent Secretary; the Chief Technical Director of ICT; the Principal Director of ICT; and the Head of the Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT).

The Minister pointed out that ICT is a critical pillar for economic growth and development. “Any economy that is serious about prosperity must ensure that we have the platform that incorporates ICT at all levels,” he said.

International Girls in ICT Day was observed under the theme ‘Expand Horizons, Change Attitudes’.

An annual observance of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the day seeks to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider careers in the growing field of ICT, enabling technology companies to reap the benefits of greater female participation in the sector.