AGP Executive Report

Science & Innovation Awards: Applications are open for the 2026 Prime Minister’s National Medal for Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Innovation Awards under “Science Solves,” with categories spanning digital transformation, health, energy and youth innovation. AI Fraud Risk: A new security demonstration shows how AI assistants can speed up wire-transfer fraud when attackers compromise email accounts and manipulate approvals—raising alarms for finance teams and payment checks. Airport & Coastal Safety: The Airports Authority of Jamaica rejects claims that the NMIA runway extension is causing seawater ingress in Port Royal, pointing to prior engineering and environmental studies. Monetary Policy Watch: Bank of Jamaica Governor Dr Brian Langrin keeps the policy rate at 5.50% while warning inflation risks are tilted upward and second-round effects are beginning to show. Early Childhood Security: The CHASE Fund completes $15m perimeter fencing at 10 early childhood institutions to improve safety ahead of the new school year. UWI Campus Security: UWI Mona security manager Marlon Nesbeth says surveillance is being expanded, including license plate recognition and pan-tilt-zoom cameras, as the campus maintains “safe days.” Tech Education & Training: CHASE/education support continues alongside scholarship and skills efforts, including CHASE Fund upgrades and Sagicor Foundation scholarship grants.

Monetary Policy Watch: Bank of Jamaica’s new governor Dr Brian Langrin kept the policy rate at 5.5% but warned inflation risks are tilted upward, with second-round effects starting to show in services and processed foods. Education & Skills: Jamaica reported strong 2026 CXC results despite Hurricane Melissa, with gains in mathematics and English A, while a CHASE Fund project finished $15m perimeter fencing at 10 early childhood institutions to meet safety standards. Campus Security: UWI Mona security manager Marlon Nesbeth says the university will expand surveillance, including license plate recognition, and restructure campus policing with a major staffing increase. Youth Opportunities: Sagicor Foundation Jamaica rolled out $27.8m in scholarships, grants and awards for the 2026-27 year, and CHASE/other initiatives push training and safer learning environments. Tourism Innovation: TEF and UTech Jamaica signed on to support the Tourism Innovation Incubator under “Tourism 3.0,” aiming to train more people and back entrepreneurs. Regional Tech/Finance: A CARICOM Stock Market AI game is being developed to help people across the region learn investing through a simulation ahead of deeper market integration.

Radiation Safety Training: UWI STAR is rolling out a new radiation protection and safety post-graduate education course across the English-speaking Caribbean, aiming to build local capacity as ionising radiation use grows in healthcare and research. Cybersecurity Watch: The UWI says it’s investigating a potential ransomware-related alert, with no confirmed breach or leaked data so far, and is urging users to avoid suspicious links and report odd activity. Tourism Innovation Support: TEF and UTech Jamaica signed an agreement to back the Tourism Innovation Incubator under “Tourism 3.0,” enrolling more people for tourism training and supporting entrepreneurs. Digital Justice Upgrade: Jamaica’s Chief Justice says the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) is set to go live on Oct. 1, 2027, to modernise court case handling. Agritech Investment Pipeline: Agro-Invest Corporation says it has secured over $4B in new agricultural investment leads to tackle bottlenecks like climate-resilient infrastructure and cold-storage logistics. Education Results: Jamaica’s Ministry of Education reports strong preliminary CAPE/CSEC performance, highlighting gains in mathematics despite Hurricane Melissa disruptions.

UWI Cybersecurity: The University of the West Indies says it’s investigating a ransomware-related alert but has found no confirmed breach or leaked information, and has activated its incident response while urging users to avoid suspicious links and report odd activity. Justice Digitisation: Jamaica’s Judiciary says its Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) will go live Oct 1, 2027, aiming to modernise court case handling and reduce delays. Tourism Tech Training: TEF and UTech Jamaica signed an agreement to support the TEF Tourism Innovation Incubator under “Tourism 3.0,” expanding training and business intermediary support for tourism entrepreneurs. Education Resilience: Jamaica’s Ministry of Education reports strong 2026 CAPE/CSEC preliminary results despite Hurricane Melissa, with notable gains in mathematics and English A. Early Childhood Screening: ECC is running a nationwide Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Jamaica developmental screening drive until Sept 4 to catch needs early and connect families to support. Agribusiness Investment: Agro-Invest Corporation says it has secured over $4B in new agricultural investment leads to scale climate-resilient infrastructure, irrigation improvements, and agro-park expansion. Housing After Melissa: NHT says modular homes under a $3.1B emergency contract are arriving steadily, with 1,500 units already on island and 1,000 more expected by September. Mining Exploration: C3 Metals reports new underground mapping and plans an 11-hole drilling programme at Bellas Gate, St Catherine, to test deeper copper and gold targets.

Judiciary Digital Upgrade: Jamaica’s Chief Justice says the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) is set to go live on October 1, 2027, aiming to modernise court processes with better access to information and faster case handling. Cybersecurity Watch: The UWI is investigating a report of possible ransomware activity, stressing there’s no confirmed breach yet and urging users to avoid suspicious links and report unusual activity. Education Tech & Exams: CXC reports its first official instances of AI misuse in assessments, alongside rising misconduct and 35,000+ no-shows; it’s also rolling out the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC) with modular micro-credentials starting next year. Early Childhood Screening: ECC’s nationwide Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-J) developmental screening runs until September 4, linking families to early support. Agritech & Resilience: AIC says it has secured $4B+ in new agro-investment leads, targeting climate-resilient infrastructure, irrigation tech, cold storage, and the Agro-Park framework. Disaster Housing Tech: NHT says modular homes for Hurricane Melissa displaced families are arriving under a $3.1B contract, with 1,500 units already on island and 1,000 more due by September.

Education Tech & Exams: CXC says 93% of CAPE candidates got acceptable grades in May-June 2026, with Caribbean Studies at 98% and Communication Studies at 93%, while CSEC Mathematics pass rates rose to 42% and English held at 80%. CXC also launched the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC), starting with CTEC Math and expanding to more subjects next year, using modular completion and micro-credentials. AI in Schools: CXC reported its first official AI misuse cases during exams, alongside unauthorised devices, collusion, and unauthorised material, and warned students not to upload personal data to AI tools. Insurance & Disaster Response: A regulator-backed joint statement on Hurricane Melissa claims settlement drew criticism for being vague on causes and lacking backlog metrics. Finance Leadership: IMF welcomed Dr Brian Langrin’s appointment as Bank of Jamaica governor, effective Wednesday. Housing After Melissa: NHT’s $3.1b modular home contract is delivering 2,500 foldable units for displaced families, with 1,500 already on island and 1,000 due by September. Mining & Geoscience: C3 Metals plans deeper drilling at Bellas Gate after new underground mapping and a large 3D electrical survey, targeting copper and gold. Agriculture & Climate: Jamaica’s cocoa output has halved as ageing trees and older farmers drag production, while Jamaica is also behind on most UN SDGs for 2030. Digital Safety: A guide asks whether free VPNs are safe and when paying matters.

Bank of Jamaica Leadership: Dr. R. Brian Langrin has been appointed the next governor of the BOJ, taking office Aug. 19, as Jamaica navigates inflation control and financial-system modernisation. Education Tech & Policy: The Jamaica Teachers’ Association urged educators to embrace rapid change, including AI, as it weighs a new government wage offer. AI Literacy Program (Global): Colby College’s Davis Institute ran an eight-week summer bridge program to build AI literacy and ethical tool-making across disciplines. Digital Resilience for Storm Season: Businesses are being urged to treat tech systems as critical infrastructure in hurricane recovery planning, not just buildings and utilities. Connectivity (Local): A guide for choosing internet service providers in Jamaica highlights coverage, real speeds, plan value, bundling, and support quality. Cybersecurity Scholarships: WATA’s Hydrate to Educate initiative is funding 31 students (including cybersecurity) across 14 schools. Regional Science & Learning: CXC launched the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC), with early math pilot results and updated subject focus. Drought & Land Resilience (UN): Jamaica is represented at UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia, pushing drought resilience and sustainable land management priorities.

Banking Leadership: Dr Brian Langrin has been appointed governor of the Bank of Jamaica, taking office Aug 19 as Jamaica navigates tight inflation control and financial-system modernisation. Education & Tech Talent: NCB Foundation backs 15 scholars for tertiary study, while four Jamaicans win Fulbright scholarships and fellowships spanning data science/AI, environmental engineering, and policy. Cybersecurity Pipeline: WATA’s Hydrate to Educate will fund 31 students across 14 schools, including a Manchester High graduate pursuing cybersecurity at Caribbean Maritime University. Disaster-Ready IT: Businesses are being urged to strengthen IT resilience for hurricane season, with continuity planning focused on keeping data and systems running, not just repairing buildings. Climate & Water Security: Jamaica joins UNCCD COP17 talks in Mongolia on drought resilience and land restoration. Science in the Community: Caribbean researchers are partnering on mobile queen conch hatcheries to protect the species’ vulnerable early life stages, pairing science with community restoration. Legal/Policy Tech: Medical technologists sue the government over unpaid wages, and Jamaica prepares for public debate on AI rules. Sports Science: A sport science expert calls for a more holistic, professional team approach to managing young athletes’ workloads and recovery.

New Kingston Revitalisation: Kingston and St. Andrew’s municipal plan is moving into implementation, with coordinated outreach targeting homelessness, mental health and substance abuse alongside public safety, sanitation and environmental fixes. Central Banking Leadership: Dr. R Brian Langrin has been appointed governor of the Bank of Jamaica, taking office Aug. 19 as Richard Byles’ term ends. Public Service Efficiency: PM Andrew Holness says Jamaica will overhaul slow, duplicative institutional processes and use more technology to speed approvals and cut red tape. GBV Tech Push: Amber Innovations will develop the JamSafe app at no cost to the government, aiming for emergency alerts, 24/7 helplines, AI-assisted support and better case data. Water Security Planning: Feasibility studies are underway for limited desalination in St. Thomas and Clarendon, with no nationwide rollout due to cost and environmental concerns. Connectivity Guidance (Paid): A 2026 guide urges Jamaicans to compare ISP coverage, real speeds, plan value, bundling and support quality as Flow expands 5G. Education After Storms: WISTA Jamaica donated tablets, laptops and learning tech to Carisbrook Infant and Primary School in St. Elizabeth after Hurricane Melissa. Policy + AI Drafting: A legislative counsel leader says AI can help drafters, but Caribbean legal access gaps limit what it can reliably generate.

AI Policy & Local Tech: OpenJM, a Jamaican-developed agentic AI platform by Crimson Tide AI, is launching ahead of Jamaica’s public consultations on its first AI policy framework, aiming to keep more user data under local control and reduce hallucinations. Public Safety Tech: The Government has approved about $790m for JamaicaEye expansion and maintenance, including 300 CCTV cameras for Portmore and islandwide system upkeep, as debate continues over safety vs privacy. GBV App Contract: Amber Innovations will build the JamSafe app at no cost to the Government to connect people at risk of gender-based violence with emergency help, services, a 24-hour helpline, and AI-assisted support. Water & Energy Planning: Feasibility studies are underway for limited desalination in St Thomas and Clarendon, but officials say it won’t be a nationwide solution due to cost and environmental concerns. Healthcare Workers: Five medical technologists sue the Government over alleged unpaid wages and contract breaches, seeking back pay and legal-cost coverage. Science for Kids: TVJ’s “Science Zone” invites children to run a simple erupting volcano experiment using baking soda, vinegar, and food colouring.

Public Sector Tech Push: PM Holness says Jamaica will change slow, duplicative institutional processes and use more technology to speed approvals—while keeping standards and accountability. GBV App Contract: Amber Innovations will build the JamSafe app at no cost to the Government (initial value $80m), aiming for emergency alerts, 24-hour helpline access, AI-assisted support, and data for case management. AI Policy Moment: A Jamaican-developed agentic AI platform, OpenJM, launches ahead of public consultations on Jamaica’s first AI policy framework, targeting local control over data and reducing hallucinations. Water Tech Planning: Feasibility studies for limited desalination are underway in St. Thomas and Clarendon, with officials ruling out a nationwide rollout due to cost and environmental concerns. Education & Devices After Melissa: WISTA Jamaica hands Carisbrook Infant and Primary School in St. Elizabeth tablets, laptops, printer, books and supplies (over $850,000) to support recovery. Surveillance Expansion: Government awards about $790m in new JamaicaEye contracts—Portmore gets 300 CCTV cameras, while islandwide maintenance is also funded. Scholarship in Honour of Coach Stephen Francis: A UTech scholarship will be named for late track coach Stephen “Franno” Francis, following tributes at the National Indoor Sports Centre. School Bus Uptake: PIOJ reports 86 Kingston students use the rural school bus service daily, with major attendance and punctuality gains for riders.

AI Policy & Data Control: A Jamaican-developed agentic AI platform, OpenJM, launches ahead of Jamaica’s public consultations on its first AI policy framework, aiming to keep more user data under local control and reduce hallucinations. Public Safety Surveillance: Government approved about $790m for JamaicaEye expansion and maintenance, including 300 cameras in Portmore and islandwide upkeep, as debate continues over safety vs citizens’ privacy. Water Security: Jamaica is exploring limited desalination feasibility in St Thomas and Clarendon, but rules out a nationwide rollout due to cost and environmental concerns. Digital Justice & Tech Ethics: Commentary highlights how Caribbean Court of Justice decisions shape regional governance, while another piece warns about the “silent brief” of legal ethics in a more tech-driven, transparent society. Emergency Response Tech: Jamaica Fire Brigade received $12m+ in firefighting and rescue equipment, including helmets and hydraulic lifting systems, to strengthen disaster readiness post-Melissa. Gender Tech for Safety: Ministry of Culture signs a deal to build the Jamsafe app for domestic violence victims—single-button calling, links to services, and no data/credit needed. Education & Health Tech in Schools: Back-to-school leadership spotlights robotics and entrepreneurship wins, while the VCB Foundation returns with health and wellness screenings for students. Sports Legacy: Government announces a scholarship at UTech to honour sprint coach Stephen “Franno” Francis.

Scholarship for Stephen “Franno” Francis: Jamaica’s Government will establish a UTech scholarship in honour of the late sprint coach, announced by Olivia Grange during Francis’ thanksgiving service, with details to follow after talks with UTech and his family. Emergency response upgrade: The Jamaica Fire Brigade received over J$12M in firefighting and rescue gear from National Safety Limited, including HEROS NFPA helmets and hydraulic lifting bag systems, to strengthen disaster readiness after Hurricane Melissa. Digital safety for victims: The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport signed a deal with Amber Innovations to build the Jamsafe domestic violence app—one-button calling for help, plus links to counselling and services, designed to work without data or credit. Public health and tech policy: CARPHA is pushing lab capacity in Jamaica as part of regional efforts, while the wider region continues building cross-border digital public infrastructure. AI transparency: New invisible watermarking for AI-written text is rolling out globally, raising stakes for businesses using AI content. Security and enforcement: Jamaica Customs detailed its biggest cocaine seizure since the year began—over two tonnes—along with ganja, citing tech-led operations and stronger collaboration. Financial regulation timeline: Bank of Jamaica’s Richard Byles says the Twin Peaks overhaul will take years longer than earlier targets, as laws still need drafting and parliamentary debate.

Public Safety Tech: Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport signed a deal with Amber Innovations to build the Jamsafe domestic violence app, letting users press a single button to call for help, link to counselling services, and work without data or credit. AI & Business Compliance: Anthropic says its Claude models now embed an invisible watermark in generated text (and provenance labels for files), pushing AI content toward easier identification—something businesses writing with AI will need to plan for. Digital Public Infrastructure: A new regional look at Caribbean digital public infrastructure says countries are connecting systems through cross-border, practical use cases—aiming for interoperability and digital trust rather than one big shared build. Transport Enforcement Tech: New York’s MTA is expanding automated camera enforcement on bus routes, with warnings first and then fines for bus-lane and stop violations. Crime & Security: Jamaica Customs reported its biggest cocaine seizure since the start of the year at KFTL—over two tonnes of cocaine plus ganja—citing advanced scanning, canine teams, and intelligence-led operations. Energy/Water Planning: Jamaica’s water minister says feasibility studies are underway for limited desalination in St Thomas and Clarendon, paired with integrated energy projects due to cost and environmental concerns.

Digital Public Infrastructure: Caribbean countries are building cross-border digital public infrastructure, leaning on interoperability and digital trust rather than waiting for one big regional identity plan. Public Health & Labs: CARPHA is establishing a regional reference laboratory in Jamaica to strengthen medicine quality testing, and support the wider fight against antimicrobial resistance. Climate Finance: Insurers are increasingly using catastrophe bonds to transfer disaster risk to investors as climate-driven losses keep rising. Drug Enforcement Tech: Jamaica Customs says it seized over two tonnes of cocaine and 256 pounds of ganja at KFTL, citing advanced scanning, canine teams, and intelligence-led operations. Water Security: Feasibility studies are underway in St Thomas and Clarendon for limited-scale desalination, paired with integrated energy projects. Education & Recovery: NET is monitoring hurricane-rebuild progress at multiple western Jamaica schools, focusing on roofs, classrooms, labs and canteens. Business & EVs: Jetcon plans to launch BAIC’s Arcfox EV and plug-in hybrids as Chinese brands gain traction. Regulation Update: Bank of Jamaica’s Twin Peaks overhaul will take years more, with laws still needing drafting and parliamentary debate.

Kingston 8 Development Tension: Manor Park residents in upper St Andrew say they’ve been left in the dark about a planned multi-family build at 2 Broadway Close, complaining developers won’t share details after a July notice. Regulation Update: Bank of Jamaica governor Richard Byles warns “Twin Peaks” financial regulation reforms will take years longer than planned, with laws still needing drafting and parliamentary debate. Security & Trade: Petrojam worker Vashel Witter faces charges after police allege he was part of an ammo-selling ring, while Jamaica Customs reports its biggest drug seizure of the year at KFTL—over two tonnes of cocaine plus ganja. Youth Online Safety: CVC is pushing a social media education campaign for minors as research links platform exposure to explicit content. EV Market Push: Jetcon says it’s expanding Chinese brands, with Arcfox electric and plug-in hybrid models lined up after strong earnings. Hurricane Recovery Tech in Schools: NET continues restoring damaged classrooms and facilities, but rain is delaying work at Maggotty High in St Elizabeth. Business Automation: 876Laundry is scaling capacity and aiming for ISO 9001 as it targets hotels and manufacturers with outsourced laundry services. Climate Finance: Insurers are increasingly using catastrophe bonds to shift disaster risk to investors as extreme weather losses rise. Water Planning: Government feasibility studies are exploring limited desalination in St Thomas and Clarendon, not a nationwide fix. Cannabis Permits Watch: New licensing permits aim to bring traditional farmers into legal cannabis, but advocates warn profits depend on follow-through. Regional Science: CARPHA is expanding lab capacity in Jamaica to strengthen regional reference testing, including for antimicrobial resistance.