Regional security giant Guardsman Group, founded by Executive Chairman Kenny Benjamin, today launched a Cyber Intelligence Security Operations Centre located on Balmoral Avenue in Kingston.

It is the first of its kind both in Jamaica and the Caribbean region, allowing Guardsman professionals to track cyber activity and alert clients to cyber attacks, scammers, data breaches, phishing, ransomware and other misdemeanours of that ilk.

The centre can be used by both government operations and private enterprises. It offers real time intelligence and can protect Jamaica and the Caribbean’s most vital systems. Guardsman’s Cyber Security Operations Centre is equipped with the most advanced cyber technologies available today. It is a 24/7 operation.

Speaking at the Official Media Launch held earlier today, Executive Chairman Kenny Benjamin said: “This Cyber Intelligence Security Operations Centre or SOC as it is called, is the first facility of its kind in Jamaica and the Caribbean. This reflects our commitment to innovative security solutions. I started the company in 1977, driven by passion for protection. As we evolve to address the growing threat of cyber-attacks, this SOC will provide real-time monitoring and rapid response to safeguard Jamaica’s digital landscape.

“We believe in strong partnerships between the private sector and the public sector for a safer Jamaica and we remain dedicated to anticipating change and embracing innovations.”

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness in his keynote address, made special mention of Kenny Benjamin, hailing him as a true pioneer in the field of security in Jamaica and the region. He praised the founder of the Guardsman Group as a national asset.

“We are privileged to have Kenny Benjamin as a stakeholder and contributor to Jamaica’s development. This is a landmark achievement not just for the Guardsman Group but for the entire Caribbean region.  Let me congratulate Guardsman and in particular, Kenny Benjamin, for your vision, leadership, and continued investment.

“Kenny went to bed one night and woke up in a different world where his business would evaporate because technology has changed the security landscape. He didn’t just go back to sleep and say, “ I can’t be bothered,” he decided to innovate, to move his business with the times.

“I would implore other businesses to take note of Kenny here – you can’t stand still as technology changes around you. If you do so, your business will die. I use this opportunity to use Guardsman as an example- it is not merely about physical security; the world of security has changed. Assets are not only physical; indeed, we now have digital assets, and those digital assets require digital security. Kenny has moved the physical guard into the cyber world. This new security operating centre represents a bold and necessary step in safeguarding our digital future.

“It is a clear demonstration that the Caribbean can be not only consumers of global technology but also creators of cutting-edge security infrastructure, tailored to our realities.”

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Deputy Executive Chairman Nicholas Benjamin pointed out, this isn’t just about launching a new facility – it’s about stepping confidently into the future. It’s about Jamaica taking its place as a leader in cybersecurity across the region, and Guardsman being right at the centre of that transformation.

“This SOC represents years of vision, planning and commitment. But more importantly, it represents people. The incredibly talented Jamaican professionals who will be working here, the businesses and government agencies that will benefit from this protection, and the communities who can feel a little more secure knowing that someone is watching out for them in the digital space.

“At Guardsman, we believe in staying ahead of the curve and today shows that we’re not just adapting to the future-we’re helping shape it. This centre is a symbol of our commitment to keep Jamaica secure-not just on the ground, but online.”

Speaking to Our Today, Kenny Benjamin added, “ We have always been innovators, and the next step was this. It’s nowhere in the Caribbean at the moment and there aren’t many centres like this in the U.S. so we figured this is the way to go and it’s going to work well. We are going to have eight people here monitoring the screens 24/7. If anything goes awry, we will catch it right away.”

Guardsman Group Executive Director, Governance, Risk & Compliance, “Damian Blair added: “What makes it unique is we are utilising AI with humans analysing what must be addressed. We can now monitor all our clients ‘networks. Anything that looks like a potential threat, we can identify it and act.

“This centre is scalable. From Jamaica, we can manage clients and partnerships both regionally and worldwide.”

In the last few years, there have been an increasing number of cyber-attacks on some big companies- Massy, Mayberry, Scotia, NCB readily come to mind. These companies can now engage Guardsman to spot these threats.

Blair responded here with, “I must tell you, we were aware of the attacks because we actively monitor the dark web. We saw the attacks happen. We saw the sales from what they stole from those attacks, but we couldn’t do anything at that time. We did help some of those companies after they were attacked. What we want to do now is prevent attacks.”

Kenny Benjamin informed that Guardsman has already booked clients, and the company is receiving many enquiries about the service which incurs an annual fee.