A panel of local technology leaders from public utilities, port management, government services, and software development gathered for a discussion on building a connected and secure ‘SVG 2.0,’ moderated by Jeremy Dixon and hosted in partnership with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) and BRAGSA.
Defining the vision for SVG 2.0, Jamar Goodluck, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at BRAGSA, stated that transformation requires eradicating a ‘phobia of paper’ and enabling citizens to complete government transactions seamlessly from home. Karim Cambridge, founder of the Beam X ride-sharing application, envisioned a modernized nation featuring paperless airport immigration, mobile wallet payments, and frictionless inter-bank fund transfers.
Adding to the vision, Shiann Bullock, Technical Support Officer at Vinlec, called for widespread contactless mobile payment options across daily commerce. Maxin Browne, Lead Software Developer at the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD), emphasized that true digital transformation requires inter-departmental data sharing, standardized IT infrastructure, and single-window government services so citizens submit their identification only once.
Meanwhile, Cavel King, Information Systems Manager at the Modern Port Operations Company, stressed that SVG 2.0 requires a fundamental mindset shift away from decades of habitual paper processes toward robust data foundations.
The panelists emphasized that technology adoption must focus on solving concrete operational problems rather than digitizing flawed manual processes. At the port, King highlighted plans to introduce digital scheduling for cargo pick-ups and pre-notifications for container truckers to reduce port congestion.
At Vinlec, Bullock noted that while smart meters have significantly enhanced reading accuracy and operational efficiency, staff actively assisted customers at payment kiosks during office renovations to ease the transition to digital tools. Goodluck noted that successful change management relies on engaging employees directly to address workflow friction and accommodating varied learning paces.
Addressing cybersecurity across critical infrastructure, King cited World Bank findings revealing that Caribbean nations average a cyber posture score of 1.4 out of 5, noting that the port has invested in operational resilience to restore systems within 15 minutes of a failure.
Browne highlighted that over 99% of cyber security breaches stem from human behavior and weak password hygiene rather than flaws in system architecture. To mitigate procurement risks, Goodluck explained that BRAGSA enforces ‘security-by-design’ principles during vendor evaluations.
On the topic of artificial intelligence, the panel warned against exposing sensitive organizational data to third-party cloud AI platforms. Goodluck outlined the necessity of ISO 42001 responsible AI governance frameworks, while Browne revealed that ITSD is testing open-weight AI models housed entirely on-premise without internet connectivity.
Furthermore, Browne pointed out that full inter-agency data integration faces legal hurdles that require updated Parliamentary legislation before technical system convergence can take place.
