The updated CARICOM Cyber Security and Cybercrime Action Plan (CCSCAP) 2025, a critical strategic blueprint designed to safeguard the Caribbean Region’s accelerating digital transformation, was launched on 31 October 2025, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
The launch, which was spearheaded by the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and
Security (IMPACS) in collaboration with the European Union–Latin America and Caribbean (EULAC) Digital Alliance policy dialogue on cybersecurity, implemented by Expertise France, and EL PAcCTO 2.0, implemented by the Fundación para la Internacionalización de las Administraciones Públicas (FIAP), signals a shift from traditional cybersecurity measures to a comprehensive strategyfocused on cyber resilience.
The CCSCAP serves as the definitive roadmap for CARICOM Member States to build robust
national and regional cyber security frameworks, harmonise cybercrime legislation and foster a
culture of digital safety across the Caribbean. The strategy is critical for securing the ongoing digital
transformation agenda, protecting vital infrastructure and ensuring public trust in digital economies
and services.
Speaking at the launch, Ms. Natasha George, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence and
Investigation, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), emphasised that the rapid expansion of
technology must be matched by an equally robust framework for protection, because while it has
opened gateways for commerce and education, it has also enabled new exploitation.
“Cybercrime is often portrayed as a technological battle – firewalls versus malware. But at its core,
cybercrime is profoundly human”, she noted. Ms. George highlighted the immediate urgency of the
situation, citing that a recent meeting between the TTPS and the banking community revealed an
alarming rise in online fraud, a crime that accounted for over TT $3 million in losses in the last fiscal
year alone.
“Criminals no longer need physical proximity to prey on others – they simply need to understand
human psychology including curiosity, greed, fear, love, loneliness. Cyber security is not only about
protecting systems – it is about protecting minds”, she advised.
Her Excellency, Cécile Tassin, Ambassador of the European Union to Trinidad and Tobago,
celebrated the official launch of the CCSCAP, calling it a pivotal moment for collective digital security
and resilience across the Caribbean Region. “The launch of the CCSCAP is a milestone that
embodies collaboration, innovation and collective security in the digital age”, she said.
Ambassador Tassin confirmed the EU’s intention to deepen its support in the Caribbean, through
various frameworks, including the EU-LAC Digital Alliance and the Global Gateway Investment
Agenda. She also noted that ongoing technical assistance is being provided through the Latin
America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre (LAC4), a hub for training and knowledge exchange that aligns closely with the CCSCAP’s capacity-building goals.
“The challenges before us are real. The digital landscape is evolving faster than ever, and malicious
actors are equally adaptive. But by standing together, pooling our knowledge, resources and
determination, we can build the resilience required to secure our interconnected future”, she stated.
Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director, CARICOM IMPACS, underscored the urgent need for a
unified response to escalating transnational cyber threats, noting that the Caribbean’s digital
transformation has simultaneously increased its exposure to complex risks.
“We stand today at a vital crossroad. The rapid expansion of our digital footprint demands more than
simple cyber security, we must strive for cyber resilience – the organisational ability to anticipate,
withstand, recover from and adapt to disruptive cyber incidents while maintaining operational
continuity”, he advised.
Col. Jones also issued a strong appeal to regional leaders, emphasising that investing in cyber
resilience is not an expenditure, but a long-term investment in national stability and future prosperity.
“The perceived low likelihood of a major cyber incident permits complacency, which is a dangerous
misconception. The cost of prevention is always dwarfed by the devastating cost of recovery. We
call on our Heads of Government for sustained political will and resource allocation, and on our
private sector innovators and educators for their essential collaboration”, he emphasised.
The updated CCSCAP addresses critical gaps identified since the original 2016 framework,
including fragmented training, inconsistent legislation and insufficient collaboration between
government agencies and educational institutions. To counter the dynamic threat landscape, which
includes sophisticated ransomware attacks and identity fraud targeting state apparatus, the
CCSCAP 2025 strengthens the original five pillars and introduces a crucial new sixth pillar – Incident
Response – which seeks to ensure that effective, coordinated response mechanisms are in place
to protect critical infrastructure, maintain public confidence, and safeguard the continuity of essential
services during a crisis.
The CCSCAP is available at: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:e1ec6688-17ad-402f9fe2-66ad663f5f62
Caricom
