Regulations for data protection law to go before Parliament in 'a few weeks' - Morris Dixon

Minister in charge of skills and digital transformation Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon says in a "few weeks" she will bring to Parliament, the regulations to govern the implementation of Jamaica's data protection law. 

She made the disclosure Wednesday in a video presentation during the sixth annual TechCon Conference at the Summit in New Kingston. 

“In a few weeks, I will take the data protection regulations for both the minister and the data commissioner to Parliament. The data protection regulations will not be rigid dictums but collaborative frameworks forged through active engagements with professionals,” she said.

The Data Protection Act was passed in 2020 and provides guidelines on how personal data should be handled in physical or electronic form. The law is scheduled to take effect on December 1. 

Senator Morris Dixon said the Office of the Information Commissioner has been intensifying its public education campaign and compliance support efforts for the law. 

“I ask you to pay keen attention to their messages. We have been listening to key stakeholders in the private and public sector who are working hard to be ready for the implementation of the Act,” she said.

“We have heard that some [stakeholders] have been very proactive and have done tremendous work to be ready for December. There are others, however, who are having challenges putting all of the requisite systems and processes in place to be compliant with the Act,” the Minister added.

Senator Morris Dixon said the Government is aware of these concerns, and "we are looking at ways to ease in the requirements as much as is possible within the confines of the act”.

- JIS News

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