Jamaica adopts ISO 27001 cybersecurity standard amid cattle tagging reforms and tourism push

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) has rolled out a new standard designed to strengthen data protection and cybersecurity across both the public and private sectors. The internationally recognised JS ISO IEC 27001:2024 information security management system standard offers a risk-based framework for managing information security and supports compliance with Jamaica's Data Protection Act.

The standard was unveiled on Wednesday. BSJ Executive Director Dr. Welton Gooden said the initiative followed the agency's own experience with a cyberattack last year and is meant to help organisations better safeguard sensitive information. Dr. Gooden said the framework gives Jamaican organisations, regardless of size or sector, a practical, risk-based approach to protecting critical information assets, a common language for preserving confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and a pathway toward Data Protection Act compliance.

BSJ Standards Council Chair Jacqueline Millington urged organisations not to treat the standard as a document for the shelf. "Do not allow this standard to sit on a shelf. Read it, review it, implement it. Invest in the systems, the training, and the leadership needed to make information security an integral part of your organization's strategy," she said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Investment, and Commerce Sansia Bennett-Templer said the standard is critical to Jamaica's digital future. "The standard being launched today provides risk a risk-based framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an information system security," she said, adding that robust information security builds trust in the digital economy, protects citizens' privacy rights, attracts digital investment, and fosters innovation.

The Ministry of Agriculture is implementing measures to address a growing backlog in cattle tagging while allowing legitimate farmers to continue operating. Portfolio Minister Floyd Green gave an update on Wednesday during the 128th general meeting of the Jamaica Agricultural Society at the Denbigh Showgrounds in Clarendon.

Six new animal technicians are to join the Veterinary Services Division over the next four weeks and will be deployed to parishes facing the greatest challenges. The ministry will also recruit 100 community assistants to help farmers restrain animals during tagging, and steps are being taken to maintain an adequate supply of cattle tags. Green said an order for an additional 130,000 tags is expected by the first week in August, on top of 20,000 tags received about two weeks ago.

During July and August, a temporary arrangement will allow bonafide farmers who have had difficulty getting animals tagged to transport those animals for slaughter once they have notified the police and have their receipts on hand. Green said the measures are needed to ensure criminals do not profit from livestock theft and to strengthen traceability on the roads.

Sangster International Airport has become the first airport in the English-speaking Caribbean to achieve level three certification under the Airports Council International Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme. MBJ Airports Limited Chief Executive Officer Shane Monroe disclosed the milestone during a recent virtual forum, saying it reflects the airport's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and advancing sustainable operations. Unlike earlier accreditation levels, which focus on emissions generated by the airport itself, level three requires airports to work with airlines, ground handlers, and other partners to measure and reduce emissions across the wider airport community. Monroe said the achievement supports long-term sustainability efforts, including investments in renewable energy, improved energy efficiency, and internationally recognised environmental management systems.

The Ministry of Tourism is working to position Jamaica as the culinary capital of the Caribbean as it expands the country's tourism product. Portfolio Minister Edmund Bartlett said Jamaica will seek partnerships with several international culinary institutions to broaden formal training, including engagement with a growing cadre of Afro-Global chefs the government wants to bring into the Jamaican space. He was speaking at the second Jamaica Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, which brought together industry leaders and tourism stakeholders to explore how gastronomy can drive innovation, strengthen tourism linkages, and support sustainable economic growth.

The Christmas in July trade show concludes Friday at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. Now in its 12th staging, the event features 180 manufacturers and artisans, 121 of them newcomers, under the Ministry's Tourism Linkages Network. On day one, Director Carolyn McDonald-Riley said category-centred showings were being incorporated at the request of hoteliers, including dedicated presentations for sectors such as aromatherapy and master classes on spices and herbs. Bartlett said Christmas in July supports the government's local-first policy under the Tourism 3.0 agenda. "It is not charity. It's not something we want to wish on to you and we are giving to you. Local-first is an economic strategy to convert tourism demand into tourism production. Jamaican contracts, Jamaican jobs, and Jamaican wealth," he said.