Technology is changing the world. From automation to artificial intelligence to digital currency such as Bitcoin, technology has enhanced processes in several industries.
But as the technology behind government systems, private organisations and personal devices evolves, so do the methods of criminals.
They have adapted to developments in technology just as quickly as – and in some cases, even more quickly than – government bodies, businesses and people, so much so that businesses phenomena are viewing such as cyber attacks as inevitable.
In 2023, chairman of Amalgamated Security Services Ltd Dr Michael Aboud said 168 cyber attacks occur in TT every minute.
That same year, in July, the Ministry of Digital Transformation said the office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs (AGLA) was the victim of a cyber attack which negatively affected operations. But the attack was contained and the AGLA’s network was back to 100 per cent operation by September.
Panellists in a discussion on the role of emerging technology in regional development hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) at its office on Alexandra Street, St Clair, agreed governments have to balance the opportunities for innovation with legislation to stop criminals, to ensure the safe progress of technology in the region.
The balancing act
Chairman of digital business and technology in the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce Kirk Henry said the delicate balance between innovation and regulation is, in essence, an exercise in risk management.
“The dance is balancing risk and utility,” he said. “This thing is not for the faint of heart.
"The reality is the bad actors will always be with us. There are good examples of the treatments that are applied for the risk that really extend across all entities. We have to have risk management to balance what we want to achieve with the archetype that we have for risk.”
Devindra Ramnarine, digital transformation adviser at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, said government systems are under constant attack from hackers.
“We get the reports. It is continuous. Some are even state-sponsored attacks, so they have unlimited funding. So we have to do what we have to do.”
[caption id="attachment_1112587" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Hassel Bacchus, Minister of Digital Transformation. - File photo[/caption]
He said the government is now engaging in that balancing act, ensuring most of its innovations are compliant with local laws and up to standard.
“In the things that we do, we work very closely with our legal folks, making sure that whatever we do is compliant with legislation."
He said the ministry ensures it operates as closely as possible to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards, because TT’s data-protection legislation is not exactly up to standard.
The GDPR lays down the rules relating to protecting people with regard to the possession and processing of personal data. It also sets rules relating to the movement of personal data.
The regula
