Gov’t Remains Commited to Fostering a Digital Environment for All Jamaicans

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a secure digital environment for all Jamaicans.

“The Government’s commitment to cybersecurity is unwavering. However, this is not a battle to be fought in isolation. There is a lot for our private sector and our citizens to also do,” said Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with oversight for Skills and Digital Transformation, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon.

She was delivering the keynote address during National Cybersecurity Awareness Day 2023, held at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica in Kingston on Thursday (October 26), under the theme ‘Respond Today, Secure the Future’.

Senator Morris Dixon shared that in today’s interconnected digital age, cybersecurity is not just an information technology concern but a societal one.

She underscored that with the conveniences of online banking, telemedicine and other technological advancements comes vulnerabilities.

“A breach in cybersecurity can disrupt economies, violate individual privacy and even compromise national security. Hence, robust cybersecurity is not merely a technical necessity, it is a foundational pillar of a functioning modern society,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

The Minister commended the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT) for its continued response to government and private-sector cyber issues.

“We are putting more and more government services online. We can only do that and make it effective if people feel safe using that technology and using those systems that we have,” she said, adding that cybersecurity is the foundation of the Government’s digital transformation programme.

JaCIRT operates a National Security Operations Centre which is a centralised facility responsible for monitoring and defending Jamaica’s critical information infrastructure against cybersecurity threats.

Its primary functions, responsibilities and areas of focus include cybersecurity monitoring, threat intelligence, incident response, vulnerability management, cybersecurity policy and standards as well as research and development.

Senator Morris Dixon pointed out that it is critical for JaCIRT to be adequately resourced and thanked the US Embassy and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for their partnership.

Meanwhile, Senator Morris Dixon urged Jamaicans to begin scrutinising their digital touch points.

She added that the theme for cybersecurity month is a call to action and a reminder that the actions taken today shape tomorrow’s security.

“The future may be digital. But it’s up to us to ensure that it is safe, that it is trustworthy, that our people have confidence in it. Let us join hands and hearts to make our digital realm a fortress impregnable to threats but open to progress and prosperity,” the Minister stated.