Stakeholders Urged to Adopt ICT Accessibility Standards

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Sancia Bennett Templer, has urged public and private-sector stakeholders to begin immediate implementation of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Accessibility Standards developed by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) to advance digital inclusion.

The eight Standards were formally launched during a ceremony at the BSJ Multipurpose Facility in Kingston on Wednesday (February 25).

They address various dimensions of digital engagement, ranging from accessible interface settings that are easy to locate and operate, to meaningful alternatives for images, proper captioning and subtitles, audio descriptions, and guidance on embedding accessibility throughout the ICT product and service life cycle.

During the launch, Mrs. Bennett Templer urged public-sector entities to immediately integrate these standards into their digital transformation roadmaps to foster inclusion.

“To regulators and procurement authorities, embed accessibility within compliance frameworks and purchasing requirements, so that inclusion becomes systemic rather than incidental,” she encouraged.

The Permanent Secretary further urged educational institutions to ensure that accessibility competence is established as a baseline skill for developers, designers, engineers, and ICT professionals.

“To the private sector, view accessibility not as a regulatory burden, but as a strategic investment – one that expands customer reach, strengthens workforce participation, and improves long-term competitiveness. Inclusion is not peripheral to development… it is fundamental,” she added.

Mrs. Bennett Templer noted that when systems are accessible, participation broadens, driving increased productivity and contributing to national growth.

In his remarks, Executive Director of the BSJ, Dr. Velton Gooden, also encouraged the swift stakeholder adoption of the Standards.

“I encourage institutions across Jamaica to integrate these Standards into their procurement processes, product design, service delivery, and policy frameworks. By doing so, we strengthen not only inclusion, but productivity, innovation and trust,” he stated.

BSJ Standards Council Chair, Jacqueline Millington, emphasised the need for Ministries, regulators, academia, and the private sector to fast-track ICT Standards implementation, noting “[this] is where impact lies”.

“I encourage us all to integrate these Standards into procurement, product design, policy frameworks and, of course, service delivery,” she said.

Source: JIS