Dear Editor,

Policy-making is necessary for any society that is going through a transformation process. The transformation that I refer to is a digital one. As a society, we must understand that technology increases daily; hence, proper policy and legislation are necessary to govern the change.

The recent hacking of JamaicaEye and other public bodies in the past indicates that more robust security is needed. The internet provides the necessary tools for efficiency and effectiveness in school, at work, and for pleasure.

But, despite the positives that it allows for, the negatives do exist as it also provides people with the necessary tools to commit unscrupulous acts. Over the years, millions of dollars have been stolen. To prevent this, safeguards must be in place to deter these actions. Jamaica, for too long, has been reactive rather than proactive in its efforts.

On the other hand, the Government of Jamaica should understand that current policies and legislation must be urgently developed. It, therefore, needs to establish a Digital Transformation Committee to oversee the updating of the relevant policies and legislations; after which, they should be implemented on a priority basis. For instance, all legislation relating to digital transformation should be among the priority group. The committee should also ensure that public institutions are adequately secured against hacking and other unscrupulous actions.

As a country, we must protect our data and citizens adequately.

Kerry-Ann Crawford

crawford.kerryann@hotmail.com