Caribbean News
Government Fortifying Jamaica’s Cybersecurity Resilience
Kingston, Jamaica – The Government is enhancing Jamaica’s cybersecurity resilience through a comprehensive strategy that strengthens prevention, detection, and response capabilities against threats.
Addressing the opening of Guardsman Group of Companies’ Cyber Intelligence Security Operations Centre (SOC) at 14-16 Balmoral Avenue in Kingston on Wednesday (May 14), Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said the Government has made cybersecurity a key initiative in efforts to promote digitalisation and build out digital public infrastructure.
To this end, he said the Government is reviewing and strengthening legislation, including the Cybercrimes Act and the Data Protection Act, to create a legal environment that protects the public and promotes responsible digital innovation.
Additionally, Dr. Holness said investments are being made to train cybersecurity professionals, “because we recognise that technology without talent is ineffective”.
“We understand that digital resilience is national resilience. We are, therefore, very happy to see the opening of the Guardsman Cyber
Intelligence Security Operations Centre; it will complement and strengthen the Government’s own framework. Through our National Cybersecurity Strategy and the national Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT), we are building national capacity to prevent, detect and respond to cyberthreats,” he said.
Dr. Holness emphasised that the Centre’s opening signals a transformative shift in the security landscape, strengthening Jamaica’s and the wider region’s resilience against cyberthreats.
“It is a nerve centre that allows for 24/7 monitoring of systems and networks, real-time detection of malicious activity, rapid response to incidents and proactive threat intelligence gathering from across the globe.
“This is about defending ourselves from known risks and also anticipating and neutralising unknown ones. As society becomes more digitalised, we must also develop the culture of digital vigilance where protection is not only reactive, but also strategic,” he stated.
Consequently, Dr. Holness welcomed Guardsman’s focus on cybersecurity awareness training for employees and executives, pointing out that the organisation’s “commitment to education, awareness and workforce development in this field is not only commendable, it’s essential”.
The Prime Minister also highlighted how digital transformation is reshaping every sector, bringing both unparalleled opportunities and significant risks that must be carefully navigated.
“Cyberthreats are growing in scale, frequency and sophistication, targeting everything, from critical infrastructure to privacy. No country is immune, and no sector is untouched. Latin America and the Caribbean has seen the fastest regional growth in reported cyberincidents; about 25 per cent annually since 2013. More than 200 billion attacks or attempts across the region in 2023,” he indicated.
Dr. Holness said Jamaica, like many other countries, has witnessed a rising tide of cyberincidents.
“We recorded 43 million attempted attacks in 2023. We have seen ransomware attacks on businesses, phishing schemes targeting citizens as well as attempted breaches of Government systems,” he informed.
Against this background, Dr. Holness said Guardsman’s Cyber Intelligence Security Operations Centre positions Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, not just as participants in the global digital economy but as front runners in digital security.
“What is particularly impressive is that the SOC is not a replica of a foreign model; it is regionally grounded. Guardsman Cyber Intelligence
understands the unique technological, cultural and regulatory conditions of the Caribbean, and it has built a system tailored for those realities,” he stated.
“That localisation, paired with global best practices and enterprise grade tools, makes this facility both exceptional and indispensable. The SOC’s capabilities in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, data protection compliance, forensic analysis and dark web monitoring are world-class,” the Prime Minister added.
Dr. Holness encouraged other private-sector stakeholders to contribute to the continued development of Jamaica’s robust cybersecurity framework, emphasising that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will play a key role in Guardsman’s cybersecurity operations.
Guardsman Group’s Executive Chairman, Kenneth Benjamin, said the Centre is the first facility of its kind in Jamaica, “and probably the first in the Caribbean”.
“This milestone reflects our commitment to innovative security solutions. As we evolve to address the growing threats of cyberattacks, this SOC will provide real-time monitoring and rapid response to safeguard Jamaica’s digital landscape. We believe in strong partnerships between private sector and the State [security] forces for a safer Jamaica, and we will remain dedicated to anticipating change and embracing innovations,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Executive Chairman, Nick Benjamin, announced that the company will roll out a series of islandwide initiatives, including drone surveillance, drug-detecting dogs at airports, artificial intelligence integration, and advanced camera overlays.
“This Centre… is a symbol of our commitment to keeping Jamaica safe and secure, not just on the ground but in cyberspace as well,” he said.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
RELEASE: JIS
PHOTO CAPTIONS
CAPTIONS:
Header: Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (second left), along with Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte (fifth right), and Executive Chairman, Guardsman Group of Companies, Kenneth Benjamin (fourth left), cuts the ribbon to officially open the Guardsman Cyber Intelligence Security Operations Centre (SOC) at 14-16 Balmoral Avenue in Kingston on Wednesday (May 14). They are joined by Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge (left), employees of Guardsman Group of Companies, and other guests.
1st insert: Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right), greets Executive Chairman, Guardsman Group of Companies, Kenneth Benjamin, on arrival for the official opening of Guardsman Cyber Intelligence Security Operations Centre (SOC) at 14-16 Balmoral Avenue in Kingston on Wednesday (May 14).
2nd insert: Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (second left), in discussion with Cybersecurity Analyst, Guardsman Group of Companies, Jacqueline Comrie (seated), during a tour of the company’s security operations centre at 14-16 Balmoral Avenue in Kingston, following the official opening on Wednesday (May 14). Listening (from left) are Executive Chairman, Guardsman Group, Kenneth Benjamin, and Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Marlene Malahoo Forte.
Photographer: Yhomo Hutchinson
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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