Kingstown St. Vincent -Public servants in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gathered at the Methodist Church Hall on April 8th for a Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Awareness Seminar, part of a regional push to strengthen resilience against escalating digital threats.
The event was held under the World Bank-funded Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP), with the OECS Commission serving as the implementing agency. CARDTP aims to expand access to digital services, technologies, and skills across the region.
Cyber Analyst Candi Saunders-Alfred cautioned participants that cyber incidents are inevitable, stressing that government systems are prime targets for increasingly sophisticated attacks, some powered by artificial intelligence. She warned that breaches could disrupt public services, expose sensitive citizen data, and erode public trust, urging that cybersecurity be treated as a governance priority.
Meanwhile, Stacy-Ann Wilson, Project Manager at the ODEM Group of Companies, highlighted the importance of awareness and reporting. She noted that many victims of online scams fail to come forward due to feelings of shame or vulnerability, a silence that undermines collective resilience.
The seminar underscored the urgency of embedding cybersecurity into public sector operations, ensuring that Vincentian institutions remain vigilant against the growing tide of digital crime.