Cybersecurity is now a matter of national security, economic resilience and public trust, officials said as nearly 100 local, regional and international stakeholders gathered in Saint Lucia for a forum on strengthening digital resilience.
The message came during a recent one-day Cybersecurity Forum at Harbour Club in Rodney Bay, which brought together nearly 100 government officials, policymakers, IT professionals and regional and international partners to discuss cyber threats, digital resilience and cooperation.
The event, organised by the Division of Public Sector Modernisation in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia, focused on the growing challenges posed by cyberattacks, ransomware, phishing, data breaches and other digital threats.
Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia)
Delivering remarks on behalf of Senior Minister Stephenson King, Director of the Division of Public Sector Modernisation Marlon Narcisse said protecting the country’s digital infrastructure had become a national priority.
“Cybersecurity is no longer a specialised technical issue confined to information technology professionals. It is a matter of national security, economic resilience, institutional integrity, and public confidence,” Narcisse said.
“As governments continue to digitise services and embrace emerging technologies, safeguarding our digital infrastructure and protecting the information entrusted to us by our citizens must remain among our highest priorities.”
Narcisse said Saint Lucia’s continued digital transformation made strengthening cybersecurity increasingly important.
“We are living through one of the most significant technological revolutions in human history,” he said.
“Digital technologies are transforming every aspect of Saint Lucia society…. It is clear that digital transformation is not a choice; it’s a national imperative.”
Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, Nicole Su, warned that governments are facing increasingly complex cyber and hybrid threats.
“As governments become more dependent on digital technologies and provide more online services, cybersecurity has become more important than ever,” Ambassador Su said.
“Cyber risks are no longer limited to traditional cybercrime. Today, governments face more complex and fast-changing threats, including cyberattacks, ransomware, phishing, data breaches, disinformation, unlawful digital surveillance, and hybrid attacks.”
She warned that cyber threats extend beyond government systems and can also target citizens’ personal information, including banking, credit card and health records.
“Cybersecurity cannot be achieved by one country alone, because these threats do cross borders, and so must our cooperation,” she said.
The ambassador highlighted Taiwan’s long-standing partnership with Saint Lucia in digital development, including ICT centres in Laborie, Soufrière and Dennery, with another planned for Babonneau. She also pointed to initiatives such as AI coding competitions, cybersecurity training and professional exchanges that have helped strengthen local capacity.
According to Taiwan Technical Mission ICT Project Manager Ray Wen, the partnership has evolved from improving digital access and ICT skills among public officers to supporting e-government services, smart education, community ICT facilities and cybersecurity training.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Ricky Quinlan said the forum underscored the importance of protecting public confidence as government services increasingly move online.
“Every government service we digitise, every school we connect, every business that operates online, and every citizen who accesses digital services depends on one thing: trust,” Quinlan said.
“Without trust that our systems are secure, resilient, and reliable, the promise of digital transformation cannot be fully realised.”
Quinlan noted that small island developing states such as Saint Lucia remain vulnerable to cross-border cyber threats and stressed that no single country or institution can tackle those challenges alone.
The forum featured panel discussions on cyber governance, partnerships, incident response and government preparedness, with participation from cybersecurity experts from Saint Lucia and Taiwan.
