Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang has stated that cyber security is a fast emerging threat in the region and sub-regions of the Caribbean and has recommended a renewed commitment to strengthen land, air, and sea border security.

In addressing the two-day High-Level Security Conference of the Guiana Shield in Paramaribo, Suriname last week, Minister Chang stated that organised crime groups have taken advantage of remote working and tele-business activity, primarily through phishing scams that enable malicious access to critical systems.

He said that Caricom and the Guiana Shield – a Zone of Southern Caribbean Integration and Sustainable Development, have been paying special attention to cybercrime.

This, the security minister said, has evolved since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic where online fraud, extortion and online child sexual abuse targeting vulnerable individuals, as well as through ransomware that primarily compromises systems, including hospitals, are showing increased invasive attacks.

“Collectively, we need to tackle root causes as well as the development agenda of countries in our [respective] regions as part of integrated crime prevention responses. Our regions are in a unique position having extensive resources, expertise and partnerships; which can be leveraged to enhance our capabilities in the fight against transnational organised crime,” Chang stated.

He added that inter-regional, inter-agency and international cooperation, as well as public-private partnerships, remain the catalysts for success across all the areas identified to counter transnational organised crime.

Other recommendations the minister made include the need for actions on the implementation of the legal framework promoting maritime security. This, he said, includes the ratification of the Treaty of San Jose for countries which are not signatories to the Accord.

The Minister also suggested concrete actions for the development of regional maritime security strategies and identification of areas of cooperation for mutual legal assistance.

“Together we can detect, deter, and disrupt transnational organised criminal networks…Regional governments must take steps to take the profit out of criminal activities,” Minister Chang said.

Chang added that governments of the respective regional nations have the responsibility to lead and engage at the national level along with the civil society, the private sector, youth, women and all stakeholders who form part of the comprehensive response to combat transnational organised crime. He went on to encourage countries represented at the Security Conference, to build on existing mechanisms and take deliberate steps to translate them into concrete actions.