The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is investing 2 million US dollars to boost Cyber security, data protection and privacy as it moves to digitalize and modernize this country’s public sector.
To this end the country’s ability to mitigate Cybersecurity threats and protect one’s data online took center stage recently at a Cyber security knowledge sharing workshop, hosted by the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project’s implementation unit and the CARDTP Regional Implementation Unit at the OECS Commission and supported by CARICOM IMPACS.
The workshop’s objective was to work out a plan for the establishment of a Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CIRT) to provide a digital enabling environment, which Project Coordinator Winston George says, is critical to ensuring the safe transfer and smooth operation of government services such as the customs and excise Department’s Vincy Single Window for Trade (VSWIFT) and the Inland Revenue Department’s new Tax Information Management System (TIMS) among others online.
George also outlined that at the regional level there is a sub-component 1.3 which addresses cybersecurity, data protection and privacy as well as the legal and regulatory policy for this aspect.
Noting that the workshop fell under Sub-component 1.3 at the OECS Commission’s Implementation Unit, George highlighted what is expected under this sub-component. Nationally, he says the project will support Cybersecurity capability to monitor, identify, and protect against and respond to Cyber threats and assist with the requisite enabling environment and capacity improvements.
The Cybersecurity Knowledge Sharing Workshop was held at Grenadines House on Monday September 23rd, 2024. It was attended by representatives from the OECS Commission, CARICOM IMPACS, Norway Registers Development, consultants for the CIRT, Participants from various government departments, state-owned enterprises, financial institutions and other private sector institutions.
