MONTEGO BAY, St James — Buoyed by what he learned during a seminar on Jamaica’s Data Protection Act, Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MBCCI) President Jason Russell is urging members to ensure their operations are in line with requirements of the legislation.

“If you don’t need data, don’t keep it. If you don’t need people’s phone numbers and names, don’t keep it; a lot of things need to be purged from your system,” urged Russell as he gave the Jamaica Observer a synopsis of the advice provided to members during the recent seminar.

“It’s important because if there is a breach in information and it causes harm to somebody, you can be liable,” he cautioned.

More than 50 representatives of various organisations that make up the MBCCI recently gathered at Bioprist Institute of Medicine in Rose Hall, St James, where data privacy consulting firm Securys Jamaica went through the Act during a session themed ‘From clarity to compliance’.

“[We looked at] knowing first what’s in the Act, what’s law, the steps that you should take by law and how you can be liable and starting to put things together to mitigate breaching the law and ultimately exposing people’s data to the public or to the wrong people,” Russell said.

“You have to protect your staff information — your customer information, your supplier information; I learned a lot,” he added.

The proprietor of popular restaurant and bar Pier One in Montego Bay said he has now incorporated lessons learned into his operations.

“I personally learned a lot and I went back to my place and made them change some stuff,” he disclosed.

The workshop covered areas of compliance, including data processing principles, consent management in marketing, breach response protocols, and third-party vendor risk.

The presentation was delivered by Securys Jamaica Head of Practice Andre Palmer, who spoke about aligning with standards set out in the regulations.

“This isn’t just about legal check boxes; it’s about shifting the mindset of how businesses operate. By starting here in Montego Bay we’re building momentum toward a citywide transformation in how data is handled and trust is earned,” Palmer stated.

“Many companies know they need to act but don’t know where to start. This session was about demystifying the process and helping business leaders think strategically about compliance, risk, and customer trust,” he added.

The event was spearheaded by the MBCC&I’s Workforce and Business Development Committee, which said response from members far exceeded expectations.

“This level of participation shows that Montego Bay’s business community is ready to be part of the change,” noted chair of the committee and Second Vice-President Nadine Spence.

“Workshops like this are helping to lay the foundation for a culture of accountability and compliance, a critical step in reshaping the city’s business reputation. The demand and level of engagement were impressive. People came eager to learn, ask tough questions, and walk away with practical takeaways they could implement immediately,” she told the Observer.

According to Russell, more seminars are on the horizon.

“The next one we’re doing is a labour law seminar coming out of the Ministry of Labour to teach people how to on-board properly, how to [do] what we call off-boarding, how you terminate staff, what steps you need to take to make sure you’re not liable for wrongful termination, stuff like that,” he explained.