The Caribbean Camera published an article on November 1, 2017, about plans to establish a Cyber Security Strategy in Barbados. Here’s a quick summary just for you.
On Monday, the Barbados government announced plans to establish a national cybersecurity strategy to provide the island with “a robust cyber defence” as it seeks to address crime. Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite, addressing the first annual conference of the Ministry of Public Prosecutions, said that the new system would require a review and amendment of legislation to include the necessary defence.
Key points:
- Attorney General Brathwaite noted that the Telecommunications Unit is currently taking steps to ensure that Barbados has a more stable cybersecurity infrastructure.
- He told representatives at the conference under the theme “Strengthening Our Capacity to Combat Cyber Crimes and Other Organized Crimes” that the new plan will include the work on the Computer Misuse Act, the Electronic Transactions Act, the Telecommunications Act, and the Copyright Act.
- Brathwaite reported that Barbados also needed additional work in the field of transnational organized crime and made a commitment that the Civil Asset Forfeiture legislation would appear before Parliament by the end of November.
- However, he emphasized that there was a need for greater cooperation between stakeholders, a deficiency that has already been addressed.
- Meanwhile, Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson explained that crime in Barbados has become organized, and today’s criminals now had not only weapons but also money deposited in the bank.
- Acting Police Commissioner Oral Williams informed the conference that it is now time to consider the legislation on the protection of witnesses in Barbados and the provision of safe houses with relevant rules and regulations in place.
- The Commissioner stated that not enough has been done to protect vulnerable witnesses and that it is now necessary to enforce appropriate legislation to deal with persons who, directly or indirectly, have sought to influence witnesses, potential witnesses, law enforcement officers or court officials through threats or injury.
Reference: thecaribbeancamera.com
Contributed by: Sabrina Shim from Jamaica. Sabrina is a member of the WISC Discord group from the G5 Cyber Security Foundation Ltd. Learn more about WISC (Women in InfoSec Caribbean) at wiscaribbean.org. WISC is a non-profit initiative supporting Caribbean women and girls to develop a career in Information Security.