Brown urges faster cybersecurity legislation after reported NHF cyber incident

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition spokesman on science, technology, data and digital transformation Christopher Brown is urging the Government to accelerate the introduction of cybersecurity legislation following the reported cyber incident involving the National Health Fund (NHF).Brown said the incident highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive Cybersecurity Act and argued that the legislation should be tabled this year rather than delayed until 2027.In a statement, Brown noted that Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had confirmed that individuals claiming to have accessed sensitive NHF information had contacted the agency. While the alleged breach has not yet been fully verified, the matter has been referred to the Office of the Information Commissioner and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) for investigation.According to Brown, the information reportedly involved includes beneficiary and medication data, which he described as among the most sensitive personal information held by the State.He said he had warned in Parliament last week that Jamaica urgently requires a Cybersecurity Act to establish minimum security standards, accountability frameworks and enforcement mechanisms across government entities.“The NHF incident underscores precisely why that legislation can no longer be delayed,” Brown said.He also pointed to government figures indicating that cyber incidents and attempted attacks increased from approximately 12 million in 2022 to 49 million in 2025, which he said reflected a rapidly escalating threat environment targeting public institutions and citizens’ personal data.Brown argued that Jamaica still lacks a dedicated legislative framework requiring public bodies to meet baseline cybersecurity standards before a breach or other cyber incident occurs.While the Government has indicated that cybersecurity legislation may not be introduced until 2027, Brown said recent developments demonstrate that such a timeline is inadequate.He renewed his call for the Government to fast-track the drafting and tabling of a Cybersecurity Act, arguing that delays leave citizens, institutions and the country’s digital infrastructure unnecessarily exposed to cyber threats.