KINGSTON, Jamaica — Four Jamaicans have been appointed to serve on the newly established Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Task Force.

The appointees are Christopher Reckord, Dr Sean Thorpe, Cordel Green and Deidre Cousins.

 Reckord is a seasoned technology entrepreneur, consultant, and advisor with nearly four decades of experience in business strategy execution, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and data protection.

He is the chairman of Jamaica’s National Artificial Intelligence Task Force, deputy chairman of the ICT Authority (formerly eGov Jamaica), deputy chairman of the National Identification & Registration Authority (NIRA), and deputy chairman of the newly formed Caribbean AI Task Force.

 Reckord is the former CEO of tTech Limited, the first managed IT services company listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and co-founder of Innovative Corporate Solutions, where his leadership helped to shape Jamaica’s technology services landscape. He holds a foundation in industrial education and an MBA from Barry University, along with executive education in high impact leadership from Columbia Business School.

 Beyond technology, Reckord is also widely recognised as Jamaica’s preeminent wine expert, having authored more than 500 articles for the Jamaica Observer. He is the co-author of Successful Digital Transformation – Your World, Your Business, Your Life … reimagined and serves as a justice of the peace while contributing to several government and private sector boards.

Dr Sean Thorpe is the dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computing at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech). He was the first person to earn a PhD in information security at UTech and has since become a leading researcher in areas such as cloud computing, digital forensics, green computing, and information security.

Dr Thorpe has published books and numerous articles, serves as a mentor for young computing professionals, and has held leadership roles in organisations such as the Jamaica Computer Society.

Cordel Green is an attorney-at-law and the executive director of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, the regulatory body overseeing radio, television, and cable services.

A former assistant attorney-general and broadcaster, Green is also vice-chair of UNESCO’s Information for All Programme (IFAP) and chair of its Working Group on Information Accessibility. A Chevening Scholar, he holds degrees from the University of the West Indies, the University of Sheffield (UK), and the Mona School of Business, as well as executive training from Harvard Kennedy School. His work has advanced digital television switchover policy and information ethics across the region.

Deidre Jonelle Cousins is a seasoned technology executive, entrepreneur, and board director with over 20 years of leadership experience spanning public and private sectors. She is the chief information officer at GraceKennedy Limited, a billion-dollar international conglomerate headquartered in Jamaica. She is also chair of the IT Council and the Group AI Governance Committee at GraceKennedy, where she leads enterprise AI governance, cybersecurity, and digital transformation strategy.

Deidre’s expertise spans IT audit, risk management, cybersecurity, data privacy, and large-scale transformation projects, including ERP implementations such as SAP.

She also serves on the board of directors of the GraceKennedy Foundation, where she advances education, the environment, and healthy lifestyles.

Recognised with multiple awards for her outstanding contributions, she is also a member of global leadership networks such as T200 and the World 50 Organisation.

Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to mentorship, youth development, and initiatives such as a Girls in Tech Network that supports and inspires young women interested in technology.

The Caribbean AI Task Force is a regional initiative established by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) to guide the ethical, inclusive, and responsible development of Artificial Intelligence throughout the Caribbean.

Its mandate includes: harmonising AI policies and regulatory frameworks across Caribbean countries to foster legal certainty and interoperability, building regional AI capacity and talent, especially among youth, women, and traditionally underrepresented communities, promoting inclusive and ethical AI practices to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, fostering cross-sector collaboration and innovation, bringing together government, academia, private sector, and civil society stakeholders.

The task force is expected to deliver model legislation, policy recommendations, and support pilot projects that demonstrate the value of AI in sustainable development and regional growth.

“The CTU is pleased to announce that Dr Craig Ramlal has been appointed chair of the CTU Caribbean AI Task Force. Dr Ramlal is a distinguished academic, AI researcher and head of the Control Systems Group in Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus. He was recognised by the United Nations as one of 39 preeminent AI leaders for his expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning theory and applications for Caribbean development. Dr Ramlal is also a leading advocate for the ethical and responsible use of digital technologies across the region,” said the CTU.