Jamaica’s parliamentary proceedings witnessed heated debate on Tuesday as Opposition leaders sharply criticized the government’s proposed amendments to the Cybercrimes Act, warning that legislative delays have rendered the updates dangerously outdated in the face of rapidly evolving digital threats. The legislative revisions, intended to modernize the 2015 Act following a Joint Select Committee’s 2023 recommendations, aim to enhance penalties, broaden investigative authorities, and strengthen protections against emerging online criminal activities including digital fraud and unauthorized system access. Opposition Leader Mark Golding expressed profound disappointment that the 2026 amendments remain anchored to recommendations formulated before the explosive advancement of artificial intelligence technologies and sophisticated digital manipulation capabilities. ‘For cybercrime legislation to address recommendations from early 2023 without comprehensively confronting AI-generated threats represents a significant failure,’ Golding asserted, emphasizing that the legislation fails to protect individuals from AI-facilitated image manipulation, voice cloning, and reputation damage. The Opposition acknowledged the government’s modernization efforts but insisted the amendments require immediate further revision to address threats that have emerged within the past three years. Parliament members Julian Robinson (St Andrew South Eastern) and Angela Brown Burke (St Andrew South Western) reinforced these concerns, highlighting the unique challenge of technology legislation where delayed implementation directly undermines effectiveness. Robinson emphasized that cyber legislation demands more frequent reviews than other laws due to technological acceleration, while Brown Burke criticized proposed penalties as insufficient deterrents compared to international standards. Both opposition members called for enhanced investigative capabilities, device seizure authorities, and balanced approaches that protect human rights while combating digital crimes.