Guyana gets UK help to fight cyber crime

Apr 06, 2019 News

Minister Cathy Hughes (centre) signing the MOU with Get Safe Online Global Ambassador, Peter Davies. Also in picture is Floyd Levi, General Manager, National Data Management Authority.

Online safety or cyber safety has taken on greater significance in Guyana, mostly as a result of the growing number of citizens utilizing the internet for work, for business and as a social interaction medium.
The Ministry of Public Telecommunications (MOPT) assumed responsibility for raising the public’s awareness of every kind of online scam ever since the ministry began its mission to create a computer-savvy population.
In 2017, the Ministry had teamed up with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and began a cyber safety awareness campaign in schools which has since spread to local communities, especially where Community ICT hubs are situated.
Guyana was recently included in a group of nine Commonwealth countries which are to benefit directly from a one-year public awareness and sensitization campaign devised by the United Kingdom (UK)’s Cyber Security Programme.
Recently, Minister of Pubic Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes sealed Guyana’s participation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Global Ambassador of the UK-based, Get Safe Online organization.
Get Safe Online began its campaign in Guyana with the launch on April 1 of the country-specific website.
According to the Global Ambassador, Peter Davies, the website is only one part of the broader programme that will deliver up to date advice to the public about staying safe while navigating the Internet.
Of course, the ministry said yesterday, access to the website: www.getsafeonline.gy is free of charge.
He said: “In Guyana, just as in other Caribbean countries we are working with, most people already have a ‘digital life’ and they benefit from information, opportunities and personal empowerment it (the Internet) can bring. We want people to realize those benefits confidently while knowing how to avoid lottery scams, romance fraud, over-sharing and phishing”.
Phishing refers to fraudulent attempts by unknown persons to obtain your personal information such as usernames, passwords and banking details.
Minister Hughes said that she is very pleased that Guyana has a new partner to help raise the level of awareness and sensitivity among Guyanese, especially our youths. She also encouraged all citizens to visit the website which encourages citizens to remain alert while they are online.
The campaign is being executed simultaneously in Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and St. Lucia. The media blitz began on April 1, 2019 with the “Hello, Potential Victim” campaign. It is expected to run until March 31, 2020 in all media.

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