KINGSTON, Jamaica — Digicel has warned that vandalism and theft of telecommunications infrastructure have escalated into a national crisis, causing widespread disruption, public safety risks and millions of US dollars in losses.

Speaking during an Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) webinar, titled ‘Utilities Network Vandalism and Theft: The Real Cost’, on Friday, Digicel Business Marketing Lead, Brithney Clarke said attacks on telecommunications infrastructure are no longer isolated incidents but systematic criminal activity targeting critical national systems.

Clarke revealed that between 2023 and 2024, Digicel recorded US$3.9 million in direct losses due to vandalism and theft. During that period, more than 450 batteries were stolen, almost 100 generators were vandalised, shelters housing equipment were damaged and nearly 300 critical sites were negatively impacted.

“As mentioned, it’s not isolated theft anymore. This is systematic targeting,” she said. “Persons are going out of their way to target critical systems.”

She explained that criminals often damage fibre-optic cables and other infrastructure despite having little or no resale value, disrupting services essential for network continuity and redundancy.

Clarke said the consequences extend far beyond telecommunications, affecting emergency services, businesses and the wider economy.

“When these networks fail, lives are at stake,” she said, citing impacts on police, fire and ambulance services, as well as disruptions to supply chains, commerce and productivity across sectors.

She added that vandalism also undermines disaster response efforts, pointing to the need for reliable connectivity during emergencies such as hurricanes to allow government agencies to coordinate response and crisis management.

Public and investor confidence, Clarke said, is also eroded by repeated attacks. Customers want to know they can rely on services, while investors may be discouraged from committing to Jamaica’s telecommunications framework if infrastructure is perceived as unsafe.

She noted that repeated vandalism forces companies to divert resources away from network upgrades and community development into repairs, slowing progress on strengthening and expanding infrastructure.

Clarke called for a unified national response involving government, industry stakeholders and law enforcement and sector-specific legislation.

“It’s no longer a minor act. This is a major act that has a national impact,” she said, adding that penalties should reflect the scale of disruption caused, including effects on healthcare, national security, education, elections and emergency response.

She urged faster action on amendments to telecommunications legislation and called on the public to report vandalism and theft.

“We can’t allow the mindless minority to hold us hostage as a nation,” Clarke said.

– Carlysia Ramdeen