Gov’t and Private Sector Partner to Curb ICT Infrastructure Vandalism and Theft

The Government has partnered with the private sector to curb the surging theft and vandalism of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure islandwide.

Come January 2023, Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz, will chair a taskforce that will address the issue, which is increasingly threatening national development.

He made the announcement on Thursday (December 8) during a press conference hosted by telecommunications firm FLOW, at the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in Kingston.

The group will comprise representatives of other ministries, telecommunications providers, the judiciary, police, and entities that can contribute to its mission.

“If we do not get this situation under control, the country and Vision 2030 [Jamaica] are in trouble. We will meet to find the solutions. We will use government apparatus… with private security forces and all the technologies that we can use, to stem this,” he said.

Mr. Vaz gave this undertaking in response to calls from FLOW for swifter and greater government counteraction to the ongoing issue.

FLOW’s Vice President and General Manager, Stephen Price, indicated that the company has incurred restoration costs totalling more than US$15 million, since 2016.

He pointed out that FLOW has, so far, recorded 630 incidents of theft and vandalism to its ICT infrastructure in 2022, with the latest occurring on Thursday.

Frequently stolen and vandalised items include batteries, generators, fibre cables, aerial and underground copper cables, and diesel fuel.

FLOW’s services in more than 300 communities islandwide have been disrupted by these incidents.

The business community, hospitals, schools, and police are among the stakeholders that have been negatively impacted.

“Vision 2030 [Jamaica] cannot be achieved if the critical ICT infrastructure in the country is not protected,” Mr. Price said.