(Kingston, Jamaica; 2026 April 13): The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) will relaunch the Jamaica Internet Exchange Point (JAIXP) as part of efforts to improve the efficiency, reliability, and resilience of Jamaica’s internet infrastructure.
To support this initiative, the OUR has partnered with the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG) to host the 31st CaribNOG Forum 2026 April 14–16 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. The forum will bring together regional and international technical experts to discuss the role of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), share lessons from across the Caribbean, and explore opportunities to strengthen local interconnection. The relaunch of the JAIXP is intended to support a stronger and more reliable digital environment for Jamaica.
“The relaunch of the JAIXP is a critical step in strengthening Jamaica’s digital ecosystem. By keeping local internet traffic local, JAIXP enhances network resilience, enables faster connectivity, and reduces costs. This creates a more secure and efficient internet experience for government, businesses, and citizens,” stated Deputy Director-General Evona Channer.
A modernised JAIXP can deliver benefits across several sectors, including financial services, by improving the performance and reliability of online banking and digital payments; creative industries, through more efficient distribution of digital content; and cybersecurity, by improving visibility of local data flows and strengthening coordination in responding to cyber threats.
The CaribNOG Forum will comprise a mix of local and international speakers drawn from government, the private sector, and academia. These include the Honourable Daryl Vaz, Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications; Ansord Hewitt, Director-General of the Office of Utilities Regulation; Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Godphey Sterling, Director of the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (Ja-CIRT); Dr. Maria Myers Hamilton, Managing Director of the Spectrum Management Authority; Giovanni King, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Nap Americas; Trevor Forrest, Senior Advisor Senior Advisor to the Minister without Portfolio for Science, Technology & Special Projects and Bevill Wooding, CaribNOG Co-founder and Director of Caribbean Affairs at ARIN.
Day one of the forum focuses on the theme, “The Foundation – Building the Digital Core”. Proceedings begin with an opening ceremony at 9:00 a.m., followed by a keynote address from Mr. Giovanni King, CEO of BlueNap of the Americas and Chairman of the Caribbean Data Centre Association.
Additional presentations will be delivered by:
- Mark Costas, Chief Technology Officer at the American Registry of Internet Numbers (ARIN)
- Albert Daniel of the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN); and Alejandro Acosta of LACNIC.
The programme also includes a Women in CaribNOG segment featuring Dr. Maria Myers Hamilton, a CaribNOG NextGen session targeting students from tertiary-level institutions, and a cybersecurity sensitisation session which targets small Internet Service Providers.
On the second day, themed “SHIELD: Engineering for Stability and Safety”, will centre on the relaunch of the Jamaica Internet Exchange Point. Discussions will focus on Internet Exchange Points, supported by… -30-
Contact: OUR’s Public Affairs Unit; publicaffairs@our.org.jm – 876-968-6053
