BTP to develop cyber security policy and legal framework with Barbados-based CCSC

GREAT BAY--Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten (BTP) has announced a partnership with the Caribbean Cyber Security Center (CCSC) of Barbados to develop a comprehensive Cyber Security policy and legal framework for Sint Maarten’s critical telecommunications and utility sectors. This collaboration aims to strengthen the protection of essential infrastructure, ensuring the reliability and security of services that residents depend on every day.

The engagement will focus on proper classification of critical infrastructure, mandating controls to ensure compliance, defining oversight mechanisms, and enforcing adherence to regulatory standards. As part of the project, CCSC will conduct a situation analysis of the current telecom and utility landscape, create a tiered policy framework with mandatory and recommended measures for telecom and utility providers, perform a legislative gap analysis and draft amendments to empower BTP to enforce standards, request reports, conduct inspections, and impose penalties for non-compliance.

Stakeholder engagement sessions will be conducted to align all key parties on policy implementation, while mechanisms for capacity building, continuous reporting, and enforcement will be established. Additionally, workshops will be held to present the Cyber Security policy and legal framework to key stakeholders in the industry. These sessions will focus on steps to improve cyber security resilience and ensure regulatory compliance.

Director of BTP, Judianne Hoeve, emphasized the importance of the project:

“For Sint Maarten, securing our critical telecommunications and utility infrastructure is not just a regulatory requirement; it is vital for the daily safety, connectivity, and well-being of all our residents. This collaboration ensures that we can protect our systems against cyber threats, maintain essential services, and provide peace of mind to the entire community.”

This partnership reflects BTP’s commitment to enhancing national cyber security, supporting economic stability, and ensuring that all residents of Sint Maarten have access to reliable and secure telecommunications and utility services.

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