Office of the Spokesperson
The United States and co-host Jamaica completed a three-day cyber capacity building workshop on December 5 with participation from 12 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. In support of U.S.-Caribbean 2020, the workshop is the first of its kind in the region and designed to promote cybersecurity and combat cybercrime. U.S. Ambassador Donald R. Tapia, Jamaican Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang, Jamaican Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Fayval Williams, and other senior U.S. and Jamaican officials opened the event. Cyber officials from the following countries actively participated: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. In addition to the State Department, the U.S. delegation included experts from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Justice, as well as the Federal Communications Commission and the National Security Council. The Jamaican delegation included presenters and instructors from the Ministries of National Security, Justice, and Science, Energy, and Technology. The Organization of American States, CARICOM IMPACS, the Council of Europe, industry partners, and other non-governmental speakers also provided their expertise on developing capacities to promote cybersecurity and combat cybercrime.