KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Security Council (NSC) says it will be increasing efforts to eradicate lottery scamming as the country sees a decline in the $900 million services sector.

The council, in a recent statement, noted that the Global Services Sector has seen employment declining from approximately 60,000 to 40,000 workers and annual foreign-exchange earnings falling to between US$700 million and US$900 million.

It, however, highlighted that despite these pressures, the sector remains one of Jamaica’s largest export industries and among the country’s leading earners of foreign exchange, stressing that protecting and regrowing the industry is therefore a national strategic priority.

The council also concluded that lottery scamming has evolved into a significant threat to Jamaica’s economic security and citizen security.

“It has increased the cost of doing business, weakened Jamaica’s competitiveness in an intensely price-sensitive global market, undermined investor confidence and damaged the country’s reputation as a trusted destination for global digital services,” the NSC said.

The Government has therefore resolved to eliminate lottery scamming and dismantle the entire criminal ecosystem that enables, facilitates and profits from it.

To support that objective, the council approved the development of legislative and policy reforms to:

— Modernise Jamaica’s lottery scam legislation and substantially strengthen criminal penalties;

— Align Jamaica’s legal framework with evolving international standards governing cybercrime, organised financial crime and digital fraud;

— Strengthen intelligence, investigations, prosecutions and asset recovery against organised criminal networks;

— Enhance regulatory oversight, governance and compliance across the Global Services Sector; and

— Deepen operational cooperation between Government, regulators and industry to safeguard Jamaica’s position as a secure and trusted destination for global digital services.

“Economic security is national security. The Global Services Sector is one of Jamaica’s most strategic national assets. We cannot aspire to become a premier nearshore destination while tolerating organised criminal enterprises that increase the cost of doing business, undermine investor confidence and erode our competitiveness. The Government has resolved to eliminate lottery scamming and dismantle the entire criminal ecosystem that enables, facilitates and profits from it,” said NSC Chair Prime Minister Andrew Holness.