The government of Antigua and Barbuda has officially launched the Antigua and Barbuda Government Cyber Incident Response Team (AB govCIRT), establishing a dedicated national capability to enhance the government’s preparedness, detection, and response to cybersecurity incidents. The launch event took place last Friday at the Sir John E. St. Luce Conference Centre, gathering representatives from law enforcement agencies, including the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, ONDCP, and officials from other government agencies, such as the Budget Office, Ministry of Finance and Foreign Affairs, IT staff from the Airport Authority and the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, as well as private-sector partners like internet service providers.
In his remarks, Minister for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Melford Nicholas, emphasized that cybersecurity must be treated as a fundamental reality of modern government. He stated that improving the government’s ability to respond effectively to crises, strengthen resilience, and protect the nation’s digital infrastructure is critical.
Director of the Cybersecurity Department, Gordina Hector-Murrell, described the establishment of AB govCIRT as essential for strengthening cybersecurity across the government. She explained that the team will provide greater visibility over the government’s digital environment, including real-time monitoring and coordinated response to cybersecurity incidents, with the objective of ensuring that government assets are better protected.
AB govCIRT will operate under the leadership of Hector-Murrell and serve as a focal point for the government’s cybersecurity incident response efforts. The team will coordinate responses to cybersecurity incidents, support monitoring and threat detection, strengthen cybersecurity awareness and training, and help government entities improve their overall cyber resilience.
The establishment of AB govCIRT reflects the importance of collaboration across the government and with national stakeholders. The participation of the Defence Force, Royal Police Force, ONDCP, Budget Office, private-sector partners, and other government officials demonstrates the shared responsibility required to protect Antigua and Barbuda’s digital ecosystem. As part of the ceremony, Minister Nicholas and Hector-Murrell unveiled the official AB govCIRT banner, marking the formal launch of the new cybersecurity capability. Minister Nicholas was also presented with a commemorative plaque displaying the official AB govCIRT logo.