Businesses pressed to adopt ISO cyber standard as MSME market rules unveiled

Jamaican firms are being pressed to adopt the ISO/IEC 27001 information security management standard as cyber threats climb, Permanent Secretary Sansia Bennett Templer of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce said at Wednesday’s launch at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica headquarters.

Jamaica logged more than 49 million attempted cyberattacks last year, up from 12 million in 2022. Bennett Templer said the standard offers a proven path to spot risks, shield personal data, tighten accountability, improve incident response, and build public trust. She challenged senior executives, board members, entrepreneurs, and IT managers not to leave the standard unused.

BSJ executive director Dr Velton Gooden said the launch carried added weight after a February 2024 cyberattack on the agency, arguing stronger governance and response capacity support Vision 2030 goals and digital trade.

In Parliament, Finance and Public Service Minister Fayval Williams urged micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to register on the government’s public procurement system after opposition finance spokesman Julian Robinson sought a clear timetable for access to state contracts. Williams said registration is under way so firms can be identified and set up. The public procurement set-asides framework, which reserves a share of contracts for Jamaican suppliers, is to advance in fiscal year 2026–2027. Under the 2019 order, micro firms turn over under $15 million, small firms $15 million to $75 million, and medium firms $75 million to $425 million.

Williams also detailed the Jamaica Stock Exchange micro market, saying MSMEs may raise $50 million to $100 million in equity. Twenty-five firms that completed a Jamaica Business Development Corporation accelerator programme are leading candidates. Listings require at least 20 per cent public shareholding and 50 new shareholders including the sponsor; an audit committee separate from the board; semi-annual unaudited statements within 60 days; 12-month audited statements within 90 days; and an annual report within 120 days of year-end. Firms must move to the junior market once capital hits $100 million.

The Meteorological Service warned that a low-level jet stream has kept Jamaica windy since early this week and should persist through Saturday, with very strong to possibly gale-force winds Friday and Saturday, worst across southern parishes and southern waters including Pedro and Morant Bank. Fishers and marine operators, especially on the south coast, were told to use extreme caution.

Regionally, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar reaffirmed CARICOM commitment after the 51st Heads of Government meeting in St Lucia, despite dispute over reappointing Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett. Leaders backed referring the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice. Political scientist Professor Hamid Ghany welcomed the advisory-opinion route.

In sports, Jamaica’s first FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign ended in the Americas first round. Coach Rick Turner said the run still offered useful lessons after Group B finished fourth following heavy losses to the Bahamas in Nassau and Canada in Ontario, despite earlier wins over Puerto Rico. Cricket West Indies named a 15-member squad for the first three ODIs against New Zealand in Guyana and Barbados, with 19-year-old wrist spinner Veerasammy Permaul earning a maiden senior call-up; Nikita Miller will mentor him in Guyana. Shimron Hetmyer was omitted for Major League Cricket duties, Shamarh Springer withdrew after his mother’s death, and Keemo Paul replaced him. The squad gathered in Guyana on July 8 after a 1–0 Test series win in Antigua.