If there was ever a time to come to the defence of Jamaica, it is now. The fears generated by data breaches are not unfounded and a reminder that there are evil people testing our defences. On the other hand, there is a modern-day army fighting to fend them off from disrupting our technology drive.

There is no time for blaming or even shaming but an opportunity to turn a potential crisis into a renewed drive to be the best we can be. Jamaica has never been afraid of taking on the world and beating them. There is no need here to recount those achievements, but we do need to urge an extraordinary mobilisation of talented Jamaicans across the globe.

Following Jamaicans’ achievements in the Diaspora, it is clear that there is a reservoir of highly talented and committed individuals who are ready to lend their resources to this country. We should not be in any way cowed by the circumstances and the threats against our country. Be assured that governments worldwide and businesses of every stripe have all been the target of intrusive forces bent on destroying confidence in their systems.

As we strive to transform our society, it is an opportune time for us to draw on the like-minded and skilled people at our disposal.

Watching the world’s reaction to our stock market’s performance showed that we are a world-class player portrayed by international forces as exemplary. This pride of place should give us a positive mindset that we can tackle the challenges ahead. Confidence is a valuable commodity to drive stepped-up efforts to identify our challenges and consult extensively to find and implement solutions. Empty rhetoric and exercises in blame and shame will not matter in these circumstances when we should instead form a resilient force for the national good.

We urge the Government not to lose track of the overall goal of moving Jamaica along the critical path of their 2030 vision. Such plans require a consistent series of actions and adjustments to reach the final frontier. There needs to be a consistent communication of plans and rallying of actions to cross every bridge along the way. The biggest challenge is building our technology infrastructure in the national interest, and bonding together special interests demands a new form of partnership, understanding, and patience.

While we are close to the landscape, opening up to that band of Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica is bound to bear good fruit. These are people with our interest at heart and who have shown their value over time. At the risk of repetition, it is this corps which we should not hesitate to mobilise. From our experience, they too agonise over our issues and possible ways to remedy them. That is, at heart, the patriotism that abounds and is readily available to be embraced.

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