Juliet Holness lauds cybersecurity workshop

Member of Parliament for East Rural St Andrew, Juliet Holness was among several Commonwealth parliamentarians and policymakers who attended a workshop on cybersecurity in Washington, DC, between October 17 and 20.

The Caribbean Regional workshop for Parliamentarians and Policymakers was organised in partnership with the Commonwealth Parliamentarians Association (CPA) and the Organisation of American States (OAS) as a part of the OAS's cybersecurity programme.

The workshop, which brought together policymakers from across the region, as well as high-profile experts from international and non-governmental organisations, civil society and academia, discussed several topics relating to addressing cybersecurity.

STRATEGIES

Participants also looked at several strategies geared at strengthening parliamentarians' awareness of cybersecurity threats and promoting the implementation of appropriate legislative security and oversight mechanisms in their respective jurisdictions. An international e-book will be produced, which will provide more detailed information on the safeguarding of cybersecurity.

Holness, wife of Prime Minister Andrew Holness, lauded the CPA and OAS for organising what she described as an enlightening and far-reaching workshop. She said the topics that were discussed will assist parliamentarians as they seek to address cybersecurity in their various jurisdictions.

"We depend heavily on the Internet. It brings many opportunities and while it facilitates this openness, it also makes individuals and companies easy prey for hackers and fraudsters. The Government has a responsibility and a mandate to ensure that cybersecurity is high on the agenda."

Accompanying Holness at the workshop were Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks, Deputy Chief of Mission Marsha Coore-Lobban, and Jamaica's alternate representative to the OAS Julia Hyatt.