A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 27 October to 2 November 2014.
Monday, 27 October 2014
Bahamas should lead region in ICT
Bahamas – Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) CEO Leon Williams called on the government to lead the way toward The Bahamas becoming the hub for regional information and communications technology (ICT), in his recent address to ICT professionals at the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner’s second annual National Training Symposium in Nassau… more
BTC execs rewarded after sale to CWC
Bahamas – While the Christie administration never revealed, as promised, the so-called “shocking details” of the controversial sale of 51 percent of the shares in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) to Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) in 2011, there is now evidence that some BTC executives were paid handsomely for their efforts in the transaction… more
613 Tablets Distributed At Sir Clifford Campbell Primary School
Jamaica – Distribution of devices under the Government’s ‘Tablets in Schools’ pilot programme continued on October 24, with 613 students of the Sir Clifford Campbell Primary School in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland receiving tablet computers… more
Hinduja Global Solutions Expands Business in Jamaica
Jamaica – Hinduja Global Solutions Limited (referred to as “HGS” or the “Company”) (Listed on NSE & BSE, India) has been awarded a contract to deliver voice based customer care support by one of its largest healthcare client out of HGS’s Jamaica center… more
MSME Tech Boost Needed. Firms Missing Out On ICT Opportunities, Study Shows
Jamaica – THE INCORPORATION of technology in business operations is “an area of major need” for the country’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), a recent survey conducted among the players in the sector has found… more
Tech Times. Written And Compiled By Kareem Latouche And Stephanie Lyew
Jamaica – Tech poll of the week. Do you pay for a data plan (network provided 3G or 4G) or utilise wireless connection when available to browse the Internet and use mobile apps? … more
Tuesday, 28 October 2014
BTC CEO: Leadership Should Factor Strongly in HR Management
Bahamas – BTC’s CEO Leon Williams knows what he wants from his HR team and he was happy to give his view on the matter to HR professionals and other attendees at the recent Bahamas Human Resources Development Association 25th Anniversary Forum in Nassau… more
Government of The Bahamas Selects Tyler Technologies’ iasWorld Appraisal and Tax Solution
Bahamas – Tyler Technologies, Inc. TYL, +1.36% announced today that the Ministry of Finance for the Government of The Bahamas has chosen Tyler’s iasWorld® property appraisal and tax administration software to be used by its Real Property Tax Valuation Unit (RPTVU). The contract includes software licenses, implementation services and support… more
Laing: Nothing nefarious about BTC bonuses
Bahamas – Former Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing yesterday suggested that there was nothing “nefarious” about the decision to grant $1.5 million in bonuses to the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) executives who were integral in the controversial sale of BTC to Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC)… more
Dominican Republic: LTE Deployment to Boost Data Consumption
Dominican Republic – Market Research Reports.Biz include new market research report “Dominican Republic: LTE Deployment To Boost Data Consumption” to its huge collection of research report… more
Beginning of the training for 40 Directors of High School (West)
Haiti – Monday to the Camping des Orange in Jacmel, Nesmy Manigat presided over the opening ceremony of the first training session that aims 40 directors of high school came from the West department, of a total of 203 concerned throughout the country… more
12 people arrested in St James lottery scam raids
Jamaica – Twelve people were arrested during anti-lottery scam operations in three St James communities early this morning… more
Phone evidence tendered at trial of policeman, sister
Jamaica – Call data records provided by telecommunications company Digicel was on Tuesday admitted into the murder trial of a former police constable and his sister… more
Digicel Launches The New DL750 Smartphone
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Digicel St. Kitts and Nevis on Friday launched the DL750 – the next generation in its line of affordable smartphones which will offer customers the best value as it comes loaded with cool new features that will sure to suit their varying tastes and lifestyles… more
LIME Caribbean Upgrades Digital Media Space
Saint Kitts and Nevis – LIME, the region’s leading telecoms provider, today launched the new websitewww.lime.com. Effective today, visitors to www.lime.com can now enjoy improved functionality, design and navigation… more
The task of tracking ChikV
Trinidad and Tobago – Everything about chikungunya is painful. Even the virus’s name comes from a Kimakonde word describing the contortions of someone suffering severe joint ache. Fever, rash, cramps, headache, nausea and fatigue are just some of the symptoms of the mosquito-borne illness… more
Wednesday, 29 October 2014
BTC, Port Authority Force Stronger Ties
Bahamas – Relations between the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) were strengthened during a recent meeting of their top executives… more
Francis: BTC sale bonuses ‘routine and standard’
Bahamas – Former Deputy Chairman of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) Privatization Committee Julian Francis said he believes that misconceptions are fueling concerns related to the sale of the majority stake in BTC, adding that the recent revelation that 15 executives were paid $1.5 million in bonuses following the sale to Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) is “reasonably routine and standard”… more
HBO ends dispute with WestStar
Cayman Islands – The new owners of cable company WestStar have signed an agreement with television network HBO Latin America to broadcast its package of channels bringing to an end a lengthy copyright dispute… more
LIME to invest USD 79m to expand HSPA+ in Jamaica – report
Jamaica – Lime, the Caribbean business of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), expects to invest USD 79 million to expand its HSPA+ operation in Jamaica, Telesemana reports… more
Roaming Costs Blamed For Ministers’ High Phone Bills
Jamaica – Julian Robinson, state minister for science, technology, energy and mining, who racked up comparatively low mobile phone bills totalling roughly $76,000 over an 11-month period, has sought to put the seemingly high bills incurred by his colleagues into perspective… more
Smart Mobile expands; introduces phone insurance
Jamaica – LOCAL phone repair and accessory company, Smart Mobile Solutions, is looking to reduce the mobile expenditure of individuals by up to 78 per cent with its newest product – Mobile Protection Plan (MPP)… more
Start-up tech companies perfecting pitches for Middle East investment
Jamaica – THE proposed plan by Jordan-based accelerator company, Oasis 500, to invest US$30,000 ($3.4 million) in selected local start-up technology companies by the end of September is now being extended to allow entrepreneurs the opportunity to undergo feedback cycles… more
Telstar Upgrading Cable System
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I write in response to a letter published in your newspaper on October 27, 2014 regarding the availability of the PBS channel through Telstar… more
LIME upgrades website in St. Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis – LIME, the Caribbean business of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), has launched a renewed website in St. Kitts and Nevis, SKNVibes reports… more
UTS implements prepaid data roaming
Sint Maarten – UTS has added to the versatility of its Chippie prepaid product by adding prepaid data roaming to the service offerings. This means that Chippie prepaid customers will be able to access data related services while traveling… more
Thursday, 30 October 2014
Cayman Crime stoppers appeals for information
Cayman Islands – Mobile top-up machines seem to be back on the list for crooks looking for an easy target. Earlier this year several top-up machines were vandalised by cash-seeking thieves… more
Gov can order surveillance on anyone
Cayman Islands – Laws passed in the Cayman Islands have given the Governor the ability to place any person or group under information and communications technology (ICT) surveillance, without having a warrant issued from the courts… more
$3k reward offered after phone top-up thefts
Cayman Islands – Following half a dozen incidents at the beginning of this year in connection with damage to and theft of mobile phone top-up machines from various locations across the islands, the local branch of Crime Stoppers is upping the usual $1,000 reward to $3,000 for information that leads to a conviction… more
Dominican Republic, Haiti to address radio interference
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel) and the National Telecommunications Council of Haiti (Conatel) initiated discussions at the highest level to seek solutions for the problem of radio frequency interference and other illegalities committed in the border area… more
Microsoft to help boost ICT use in Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel), Microsoft Dominicana and the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) signed an inter-institutional agreement in which they agree to promote sustainable development, competitiveness, digital and technology inclusion of the agricultural and rural sectors, through the use of ICT… more
OUR admits directors’ appointment could be more transparent
Jamaica – THE Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) says it accepts concerns raised by the auditor general about the method of selecting its directors, but maintains that changes will require Cabinet and parliamentary approval… more
Revenues remain flat at O’Brien’s Digicel in first quarter
Regional – Revenues at Denis O’Brien’s telecoms group Digicel, which has operations in the Caribbean, Central America and the south Pacific, were flat in the first quarter of its financial year while its losses widened due to a sharp increase in the cost of servicing its debt… more
Nalis reaches out to everyone
Trinidad and Tobago – National Library Week continues until November 2 with programmes and activities. The National Library and Information System (Nalis) is mandated to cater for the information needs of all and cognisant of that fact it embraces those with special needs like the elderly and disabled… more
Visitors experience the latest in telecommunications technology at blink | bmobile Divali Nagar
Trinidad and Tobago – THE theme of this year’s Divali Nagar was Lord Shiva who is responsible for change and progress through the destruction of the old and reinvention of the new… more
Friday, 31 October 2014
Christie says he was surprised by BTC bonuses
Bahamas – Prime Minister Perry Christie said he was surprised to learn that Bahamas Telecomunications Company (BTC) executives associated with the sale of 51 percent of the company in 2011 were awarded $1.5 million in bonuses… more
PM: Govt Willling To Disclose BTC Sale Details
Bahamas – PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday that while his government is willing to disclose details to the public about the 2011 sale of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company that took place under the former Ingraham administration, it must also consider its relationship with Cable and Wireless Communications, the company that took over BTC… more
Is there an ideal AML data storage and retrieval software program?
Cayman Islands – Many compliance professionals, especially in non-banking businesses, are struggling with the enormous volume of data and documentation that they are nowadays required to retain on their clients… more
Brown Seeks To Explain $1M Phone Bill
Jamaica – Junior Foreign Affairs Minister Arnaldo Brown says the more than $1 million in telephone charges he racked up within a year on his Government-issued mobile phone were genuinely incurred… more
Jamaica to set up cyber incident response team
Jamaica – Jamaica will be establishing a Cyber Incident Response Team as it moves to strengthen the country’s virtual security platform… more
CXC launches online store for past papers
Regional – TEACHERS and pupils will soon be able to have access to Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) past papers that will be available on the Internet… more
Caribbean tourism sector warned to make better use of technology or risk losing business
Regional – If the Caribbean tourism industry is not prepared to cater to visitors in this new digital age, they will lose business to destinations capable of doing so… more
OAS Joins in Recognizing October as “Cyber Security Awareness Month”
Regional – The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), recognizing that cyber security is a shared responsibility, and in an effort to promote a culture of cyber security and assist its members to do so, joined in recognizing October as “Cyber Security Awareness Month.” … more
BTP-SXM Meets With Regulators France & Netherlands
Sint Maarten – Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten (BTP-SXM), successfully concluded its meetings with the Regulatory entity and -administration in France and the Netherlands, during its visit this week… more
Saturday, 1 November 2014
Aspiring app developers prep for global market
Barbados – Practising and aspiring local app developers will soon get the opportunity to take their creativity and business acumen to another level, thanks to a new initiative by the Barbados Coalition of Service Industries (BCSI) called the Industry Genius Mobile App Competition, which will help showcase their talent to a global audience… more
Sunday, 2 November 2014
Towards the establishment of high schools 2.0
Haiti – High School 2.0 is a new concept launched by Nesmy Manigat, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training at the opening ceremony of the training session for principals of secondary schools in the West… more
Are ministers on their phones just giving laughs for pea soup?
Jamaica – I think not. It cannot be that we expect ministers of government to travel around the world begging telephone calls or hijacking host countries’ Wi-Fi passcodes to exchange data, connect to the Internet, or to send text messages back home… more
High phone bills more a symptom than the problem
Jamaica – THINK on these things. Every five years the People’s National Party (PNP) puts together a full slate of ‘war councils’ and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) does the same. They are both planning for elections… more
Addicted to cyberspace?
Regional – FOR many people, the Internet has become a crucial part of daily life. It is used for several purposes, improving tasks while also saving time… more
Information focus will combat disenchantment with Caricom
Regional – UNLESS the Caribbean Community Secretariat becomes better engaged in helping to educate citizens of the now 41-year-old regional economic integration movement, there could well develop a crisis of survival for the 15-member bloc of countries… more
Image credit: Mick Baker)rooster (flickr); Wikipedia; The Eleutheran; Wikipedia; Wikimedia; Wikipedia
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