Digest for the month of October 2020
Your monthly digest on all legal technology news happening around the Caribbean.
Bahamas
Bahamian companies and individuals have been urged to adopt the “not if, but when" approach to combating hacking and other cyber crimes by a senior Central Bank information technology (IT) official. Click here to read more.
Thousands more interactions and transactions are taking place digitally for companies because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however organizations in The Bahamas and the rest of the region are 80 to 90 percent at risk of information and communication technology (ICT) penetration, revealed a local leader in cloud services. Click here to read more.
Belize
The Cybercrime Bill 2020 was approved by the Senate on Wednesday. The new law combats cyber crimes such as cyber bullying, harassment and extortion through technology. The bill is a product of extensive consultations and cooperation from several bodies including the Office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children, the Attorney General office and the Ministry of Human Development. Click here to read more.
Jamaica
The second round of the introduction of the National Identification and Registration Bill is again in controversy as some stakeholders are uneasy with the time in which they have been given to respond to the redrafted legislation. Click here to read more.
The lives of Jamaicans who opt out of registering when the proposed National Identification System (NIDS) is rolled out should not be made “a living hell”, advocacy group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has urged. In fact, the group has also argued that these individuals should not find themselves banished to the fringes of society.Click here to read more.
Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck says the Government is working towards introducing virtual hearings and trials in the criminal justice system, as well as installing smartboards in lockups. Click here to read more.
Jamaicans are being urged to be more vigilant as cyber crimes increase globally due to heavier usage and reliance on online tools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read more.
Chief Justice Bryan Sykes says the novel coronavirus pandemic has presented Government with the golden opportunity to invest in technology in the court system. Click here to read more.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) says it is concerned about a video circulating on social media platforms portraying a young woman being abducted by a group of men as a prank. The JCF is warning social media users that there are legal implications of such activity under the Cyber Crimes Act. Click here to read more.
St. Kitts and Nevis
All incoming travellers to St. Kitts and Nevis will be asked to download a national COVID-19 mobile application to assist authorities with the necessary monitoring to protect against the spread of the global pandemic. The app will be launched soon after officials finalize some legal requirements,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws. Click here to read more.
Trinidad & Tobago
Gabriel Faria, TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce CEO backed a Senator’s call for foreign tech giants like Amazon and Google to pay taxes in TT where they undercut businesses such as the local media. Click here to read more.
Electronic monitoring of prisoners may soon happen as amendments to the 2012 Administration of Justice (Electric Monitoring) Act has been proclaimed. Click here to read more.
The TTPS does not have definitive data about the prevalence of ransomware and other debilitating cyberattacks in TT because local companies that fall victim often do not make reports to the police. Click here to read more.
The Caribbean’s biggest conglomerate, Ansa McAl, is the victim of ransomware hackers holding some of the company’s IT systems hostage. Click here to read more.
Criminal defence attorneys and state prosecutors are again complaining about the disorganisation of the virtual court process. Click here to read more.
Editorial
1. Cryptocurrencies and asset protection trusts in the Cayman Islands By Chris Duncan
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have led to enormous generation of wealth, rapidly taking individuals from modest means to the realms of the ultra-wealthy. This almost overnight wealth creation is likely to have a significant impact on the traditional private wealth industry as cryptocurrency holders take steps to protect their assets, and will lead to new and innovative wealth structures being created as these seemingly disparate industries converge. Read more here.
2. Responding to the cybersecurity threat
For years, conversations about cybersecurity in Trinidad and Tobago have surfaced. Seminars have been held. Consultants have spoken. Minor hacks have been reported. Two weeks ago, a major cybersecurity incident took place with an attack by a Russian ransomware organisation targeting the operations of Ansa McAl. Read more here .
3. Improved Cyber Security Aids Corporate Resilience By Derek Smith Jr
It would be misleading to state or infer that cyber security management and compliance are easy tasks. These topics can often appear daunting to many top executives, small business owners and all those in between. To further complicate the discussion, there are so many acronyms, technology jargon, controls, regulations, codes of conduct and more that must be carefully analysed in an effort to create the safest environment for your privacy, communications, professional and personal data. However, despite the best efforts of governments, regulators, companies,and individuals, there are mounting statistics which confirm data breaches and other cyber crimes are increasing. Read more here
Worldwide
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says the global economy could shed more than one per cent of output if international talks to rewrite cross-border tax rules break down and trigger a trade war, after countries agreed to keep up negotiating to mid-2021. In the absence of a new international rulebook, a growing number of governments are planning their own digital services taxes. Click here to read more.
