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Belize Cyber Security Symposium Raises

Awareness of Region-Wide Problem

arge, well-funded, and highly organized

crime syndicates are behind many of the

cybercrimes taking place in the Caribbe-

an. And regional governments and secu-

rity agencies are challenged to respond.

“Today’s cybercriminal is no longer just a com-

puter geek looking to see what mischief he can

create. Modern cybercriminals are increasingly be-

ing employed, trained, and resourced by transna-

tional crime syndicates,” said Sean Fouché, infor-

mation and communications technology manager

at CARICOM IMPACS, an agency responsible for

regional crime and security.

“Recent reports have revealed that cybercrime

is now even more profitable than the global drug

trade. Based on intelligence from the Regional

Intelligence Fusion Centre, we are also seeing that

cybercrime is now being coupled with the illicit

drug trade and human trafficking. This is feeding

into a much larger issue of transnational crime.”

Fouché was speaking at Belize’s first national

cybersecurity symposium, held in Belize City from

April 24 to 28. “The Internet is now being used

by terrorist organizations to recruit young people

in the Caribbean. CARICOM IMPACS is looking at

the link between these terrorist activities and the

region’s illicit drug trade.What we’re seeing is that

it’s all connected,” he said. He added that cyber-

crime is a regional problem that requires a coordi-

nated regional response. “This is why CARICOM is

working to assist Belize as well as other govern-

ments of the region.”

Unlike almost every other Central and South Amer-

ican country,but likemost Caribbean nations, Belize

has “neither a cyber-defense policy, nor a national

Computer Security Incident Response Team,” accord-

ing to a 2016 report on Latin American and Carib-

bean cybersecurity by the Organization of American

States and Inter-American Development Bank.

To address this, Belize organized a week-long

national cyber security symposium to draw partici-

pants from the public as well as from law enforce-

ment, the judiciary and legal community, govern-

ment and the private sector. The symposium was

jointly organized by the PUC and the Caribbean

Network Operators Group, CaribNOG, a non-profit

organization that focuses on cybersecurity and

technical capacity building.

“The high turnout at Belize’s cyber security sym-

posium is indicative of the importance of the sub-

ject, not just to technocrats or technology experts,

but to everyone,” said John Avery, Chairman of the

Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which regu-

lates to Belize telecommunications sector. “This is

the first time that such an event has happened in

Belize. Based on the high level of public interest

we are also hoping this can be used as a model to

usher in a new period of cyber security awareness

and preparedness across the entire Caribbean,”

Avery said.