As the Caribbean navigates an era of unprecedented digital transformation, the frontline of regional security has shifted from physical borders to institutional networks.

Recognising this shift, the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP), with support from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, convened a national institutional readiness session on cyber security and cybercrime for civil servants, under the Public Awareness Campaign. The initiative, which is funded by the World Bank, was held at the National Stadium on 13 April 2026.

This strategic engagement in Grenada marked a significant expansion of the ongoing regional series across the OECS. Building on the momentum of similar sessions in St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Grenada workshop continued the mission of harmonising the Region's collective digital defences against a new generation of sophisticated cyber threats.

Addressing a diverse assembly of civil servants, which included security forces, digital service managers and institutional leaders, Mr. Edmund Burke, Digital Director, Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Grenada, emphasised that as the country advances its digital public services, security must outpace technological adoption.

“As we work to implement our recently developed National Incident Response Plan and establish a comprehensive cyber security framework for Grenada, engagements like this are the crucial next step in translating strategy into operational reality”, he said.

Mr. Burke added that the cornerstone of the country’s cyber security strategy was the current development of its dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) and Network Operations Center (NOC), investments that will provide real-time, centralised defence and monitoring for critical national infrastructure.

“Crucially, this technical infrastructure is backed by robust legal and international frameworks. We are in the process of enforcing our Data Protection Act (with certified training through the T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC)) to ensure that the privacy and rights of our citizens remain uncompromisingly protected as we digitise”, he assured.

Furthermore, as a signatory to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and an active participant in the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, Grenada is aligning its national frameworks with world-class threat intelligence and international standards. This includes specific engagement with the LAC4 Cyber Competence Centre to equip local institutions with global best practices.

During the session, Mr. Dale Joseph, Chief Analyst, Cyber, CARICOM IMPACS, led a technical deep-dive into the critical importance of cyber security for regional stability. He outlined the updated Caribbean Cyber Security and Cybercrime Action Plan (CCSCAP), a strategic roadmap designed to synchronise how Member States prevent, detect and prosecute cybercrime.

He explained that Grenada’s alignment with the CCSCAP ensures that its defences are not isolated silos but are instead integrated into a wider regional security net. The CCSCAP focuses on high-impact pillars including legislative harmonisation, intelligence synchronisation, public awareness and the building of a specialsed regional cyber-workforce among other strategic imperatives designed to fortify the Caribbean’s digital sovereignty.

“In today’s threat environment, we must move beyond the era of security by chance to an era of resilience by design. The CCSCAP is our collective blueprint for that transition. Harmonising our protocols and sharing intelligence in real-time, ensures that an attack on one is a defence by all. Strengthening the institutional capacity of our civil servants here in Grenada is not just a national milestone, it is a vital contribution to the collective safety of the entire Region”, Mr. Joseph added.

Mr. Jarvis Dabreo, Coordinator, Grenada National Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), moved the session from theory and provided practical guidance on fortifying daily government operations. His intensive training focused on data sovereignty to ensure the secure handling of sensitive citizen and government data, fraud prevention with an emphasis on recognising and neutralising sophisticated phishing and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven online scams, institutional coordination to strengthen internal reporting procedures and inter-ministerial communication, as well as national and regional integration to synchronise local defensive actions with the standards set by CCSCAP.

Reflecting on the critical importance of these skills, Mr. Dabreo stressed that: "Cyber security is the new baseline for effective governance. Mastering these protocols, from data hygiene to rapid incident reporting, is essential to ensure that our civil servants are no longer just users of technology, but active defenders of our national sovereignty. Our ability to act in unison, both within our Ministries and across the Region, is the ultimate barrier against the digital threats we face today".

This session directly supported Grenada's broader objective to transition from reactive measures to a proactive, "resilience-by-design" posture. With these practices firmly embedded into the daily workflow of its civil service, Grenada is effectively hardening its “human firewall”, ensuring that the integrity of public institutions remains uncompromised as the country accelerates its digital transformation.