What were the main digital policy regional updates in the Caribbean? This space brings you the main updates month by month, summarised by the observatory's curators.
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February 2020
Curated by Andre Edwards
British Virgin Islands pass cybercrime act into law
13 Feb 2020 | Freedom of the Press, Freedom of expression, Privacy and data protection, Cybercrime
On 12 February, British Virgin Islands Governor Augustus Jaspert amended the Computer Misuse & Cybercrime Act of 2019. Jaspert confirmed that consideration was given to the provisions of the legislation and the concerns of the media about freedom of expression. The major amendments are to protect against nefarious online behaviour, for example identity theft and cyber-bullying. Assurance has been given that these amendments will not be used for the curtailing of freedom of the press or suppression of the freedom of expression within the democratic society.
Jaspert stated, ‘My view is that freedom of expression can, and should, include the right to appropriately say things that others may not want to hear. Social media and online platforms are necessary in a democracy for discussion, exchange of information and opinions.’ Jaspert has recommended that the director of Public Prosecutions drafts guidelines for fair prosecution of offences under the act, without the compromise of freedom of speech as guaranteed by the constitution.
Estonian Cybernetica and Cloud Carib to implement secure data exchange in the Caribbean
11 Feb 2020 | Sustainable development, Capacity development, Cloud computing
Estonian tech firm Cybernetica and Caribbean cloud services provider Cloud Carib are partnering to implement a secure and resilient data exchange. Regional governments can use this to implement dedicated e-government solutions. Cybernetica is an expert in the delivery of e-government solutions across the globe and Cloud Carib is a leader in providing secure cloud services within the Caribbean region.
Eamonn Sheehy, Cloud Carib’s director, expects this agreement to represent a commitment to regional transformation. It is expected that this initiative will result in significant savings of time and money for governments, businesses, as well as citizens, as governments are able to provide additional e-services. This initiative aligns with the regional governments’ commitment to a single Caribbean ICT space.
