Jamaica pursuing partnerships to strengthen security framework

PRIME Minister Andrew Holness says Jamaica will continue to forge ties with new and traditional partners in a bid to bolster the country’s national security framework.

“We are intensifying our cooperation with our traditional partners (Americans, British and Canadians) but there are new partners... other countries, as well, that we seek to cooperate with,” he said in the House of Representatives on September 19.

“As we seek to create the security umbrella for Jamaica, it means that if technology exists in a particular area where people have [certain] expertise, then by all means, Jamaica has to get access to that technology,” he added.

He noted, for example, that delegations have been sent to Colombia “to see what they are doing with their policing”.

“Colombia has assisted us. We are acquiring resources from them, and there are other countries as well,” he told the House.

The prime minister noted that greater areas of cooperation will be pursued as it relates to the global threat to cybersecurity.

“One of the leading nations in the world for cybersecurity is Israel. So I want it to be absolutely clear that we are cooperating with many countries around the world to build our capacity in all kinds of areas, which, when put together, form ‘Plan Secure Jamaica’,” he said.

Holness said additional information will be provided on areas being explored to improve the country’s cybersecurity.