BSJ Launches Jamaica’s First ICT Accessibility Standards

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) has launched the nation’s first suite of information and communications technology (ICT) Accessibility Standards, designed to promote inclusive and equitable access to digital information and products across the country.

The eight Standards were officially launched on Wednesday (February 25), during a ceremony at the BSJ Multipurpose Facility in Kingston, under the theme ‘Inclusive by Design: Crafting a Digital Jamaica that Leaves No One Behind’.

The standards outline requirements and provide guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving the accessibility of ICT systems across all organisations.

Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Sancia Bennett Templer, emphasised that the launch marks a pivotal policy, legislative, and developmental achievement.

She noted that it firmly positions Jamaica at the forefront of the Caribbean in advancing structured digital accessibility governance.

“It operationalises our commitment under the Disabilities Act, 2014, and signals clearly that digital inclusion should not be aspirational… that it has to become standard practice,” Mrs. Bennett Templer stated.

She affirmed that as Jamaica accelerates its digital transformation across government, education, finance, commerce, and the public service, it is essential that stakeholders embed inclusivity into the design of every initiative, ensuring that progress leaves no one behind.

“These Standards reflect a deliberate national commitment to ensuring that systems that we build are practical, usable, and aligned with our broader economic and social development objectives. This is not simply about technology…; it is about participation,” the Permanent Secretary maintained.

She noted that in today’s modern economy, digital access shapes how citizens learn, work, conduct business, access financial services, and interact with government and each other.

As such, Mrs. Bennett-Templer added, accessibility is not only a matter of development but also a fundamental rights issue and a key driver of national competitiveness.

“In an increasingly digital global economy, jurisdictions that design accessibility systems expand their labour force participation, broaden their consumer base, reduce inefficiencies, and strengthen reliance. When citizens can participate fully in economic life, productivity rises. Accessibility, therefore, supports innovation, enhances national competitiveness, and contributes directly to sustainability,” the Permanent Secretary stated.

She added that the new Standards address the practical dimensions of digital engagement, ranging from accessible interface settings that are easy to locate and operate to meaningful alternatives for images, proper captioning and subtitles, audio descriptions, and clear guidance on embedding accessibility throughout the entire ICT product and service life cycle.

In his remarks, BSJ Executive Director, Dr. Velton Gooden, underscored that the launch of the ICT Standards represents purposeful national development, directly advancing the aspirations of Vision 2030 Jamaica.

“They provide clear guidance to the developers, educators, broadcasters, regulators, and service providers on creating digital environments that are usable by persons with disabilities and beneficial to all users,” he informed.

Dr. Gooden noted that through this initiative, Jamaica aligns with international best practices while advancing a distinctly Jamaican approach – one that places accessibility at the core of quality, resilience, and national competitiveness.

Meanwhile, Chair of the BSJ’s Standards Council, Jacqueline Millington, emphasised the Bureau’s unwavering commitment to strengthening national competitiveness while advancing social progress.

“Standards quietly shape how societies function. Standards create profit, they enable innovation, and they ensure that innovation benefits all citizens, not just some. As Jamaica expands, or as we expand our digital footprint, accessibility must be embedded from the very design stage,” she affirmed.

Mrs. Millington emphasised that modern digital economies cannot thrive in the presence of digital exclusion.

“The Standards launched… move accessibility from principle to practice,” she added.