The Caribbean region’s digital future hinges on its ability to confront significant challenges in the policy and governance of critical internet infrastructure. This article discusses key governance and regulation issues that have been hindering the resilience of countries’ critical internet infrastructure, and makes recommendations on how the identified issues can be addressed.
Comprising primarily Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a resilient and inclusive digital future is not just an aspiration but a necessity for the Caribbean region. Its unique vulnerabilities—from devastating natural disasters to the challenges of fragmented markets—underscore the urgent need for robust policy, governance, and regulatory frameworks for critical internet infrastructure.
The state of the region’s critical internet infrastructure was the subject of a roundtable held on 25 September, under the auspices of the International Institute of Communications, and more specifically, its Caribbean Chapter. The premise of the session was that Caribbean countries are increasingly depending on “digital connectivity for economic resilience, public service delivery, disaster response, and innovation”, so “the development of robust, sovereign, and sustainable Critical Internet Infrastructure (CII) is now essential”. Hence, the discussion would focus on key aspects and components to maintain critical communications infrastructure and explore strategic pathways for developing and strengthening CII in the region.
What is critical internet infrastructure?
Critical internet infrastructure (CII) encompasses the essential physical and virtual systems that are indispensable to the functioning of the internet and society. Should this infrastructure be destroyed or otherwise incapacitated, it would have a debilitating effect on a country’s ability to function across virtually all sectors of its economy and society.
Generally, CII comprises two main components. First, physical infrastructure, which includes the hardware that carries data, such as submarine fibre optic cables connecting the islands to the global internet, the cable landing stations where these cables come ashore, data centres for local data storage, and Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) that keep regional traffic local. It also includes the domestic networks, including cell towers and terrestrial fibre backbones, that distribute the internet to users.
The second component is broadly considered foundational infrastructure, which consists of logical systems and protocols that enable the internet to work. They include the Domain Name System (DNS), which translates website names into IP addresses, and the Internet Protocols (IP) themselves, which are a standardised set of data communication rules that facilitate interoperability across diverse devices, operating systems and networks, and is a common foundation for the internet.
The current state of CII governance and regulation
When the state of the internet and internet use in the Caribbean is considered, it could be argued that the region has made commendable strides over the past 25 years, from expensive, underdeveloped and monopoly telecommunications sectors to liberalised and regulated sectors, where services are more available, accessible and affordable. However, within the context of CII, the region several policy and regulatory deficiencies are evident that require urgent attention.
The most pressing challenge is the continued reliance on outdated telecommunications laws that were designed for a different era. Many regulatory frameworks were built for monopolistic, voice-centric services and are ill-equipped to handle today’s converged, data-driven internet. Further, a lack of harmonised policies and regulation across the region fragments the market, hinders interoperability and the development of a CARICOM Single ICT Space that would enable a more robust approach to common issues and facilitate seamless cross-border services whilst also fostering regional digital economies.
Additionally, given the region’s exposure to hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters, as well as its susceptibility to submarine cable damage, the physical vulnerability of infrastructure is a critical governance issue. Current policies often do not mandate minimum standards for network redundancy, the hardening of infrastructure, or clear public-private agreements for post-disaster recovery. Without a coordinated approach, a single event can cause catastrophic network failure.
Furthermore, as the Caribbean’s countries continue their digital transformation efforts, the need for strong cybersecurity and data protection frameworks becomes paramount. Many countries lack comprehensive data privacy laws, and even when these laws are in place, they have not been fully operationalised, resulting in the erosion of public trust and the region’s data becoming even more vulnerable. Also, cybersecurity policies and frameworks are still underdeveloped in most Caribbean countries, with fully functioning Cyber Incident Response Teams (CIRTs) not in place to coordinate responses to attacks and facilitate greater vigilance against the evolving threat landscape.
Key recommendations for a more resilient digital future
To address these issues, Caribbean countries must undertake a collective and multi-stakeholder effort, with governments at the forefront.
First, governments ought to accelerate regulatory reform and regional harmonisation. Laws need to be urgently updated and implemented and should include clear policies for new and emerging technologies and ICT-enabled services, as well as 5G spectrum allocation, infrastructure sharing, and the neutral governance of critical gateways like cable landing stations and IXPs. Further, countries ought to actively and proactively support ongoing efforts to create a harmonised policy and regulatory environment to realise the vision of a CARICOM Single ICT Space.
Second, Caribbean countries ought to actively focus on improving infrastructure resilience by, among other things, establishing resilience standards and encouraging regulatory oversight or intervention, if required. Additionally, adopted policies ought to incentivise and, where necessary, mandate the build-out of resilient infrastructure, which may require public-private partnerships to attract investment in redundant submarine cable systems and localised data centres.
Finally, robust cybersecurity and data governance frameworks are critical. Hence, countries must prioritise the development of comprehensive data protection laws aligned with international best practices and ensure they are adequately resourced to facilitate their implementation. Further, in the current geopolitical environment, matters related to digital/data sovereignty must also be addressed, with the requisite policies and provisions being established and implemented. Finally, and echoing the need for a greater harmonisation, a coordinated regional approach to cybersecurity, including capacity building and the establishment of CIRTS, will enhance the region’s ability to defend against evolving cyber threats.
In summary, although Caribbean countries have made significant strides since the late 1990s and early 2000s regarding the development of their telecommunication and ICT sectors, the current frameworks are no longer fit for purpose. ICTs are increasingly driving all aspects of our lives, society and economies, and so the attendant measures to manage vulnerabilities that exist, make our framework more robust and increase the resilience of our infrastructure will go a long way to ensuring that our countries and the region can remain relevant, competitive and true digital societies and economies.
Image credit: kp yamu Jayanath (Pixabay)
I thought I should weigh in on this one. Particularly, with regard to recommendations for securing a resilient digital future, I have always thought the Caribbean could seriously consider investing in stronger national internet infrastructure that draws on models like Australia’s NBN and New Zealand’s Ultra-Fast Fibre networks. These initiatives have proven to be transformative, boosting the needed resilience, economic growth, and enhancing social connectivity.
I hasten to recognise tht such projects were once seen as prohibitively expensive, but I think costs have fallen significantly since Australia and New Zealand made their investments over 10 years ago. Besides, a phased or modular rollout could be considered, or even all Caribbean countries “banding up” together and then scale infrastructure build appropriate to demand and resourcing.
The Caribbean punches way above its weight in many areas, including digital innovation ( let’s not talk about sport, music and the arts and tourism ). By taking this step, the Caribbean can establish a digital backbone that enables innovation, safeguards against disruption and positions the region competitively in a connected global economy.