A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 7 December to Sunday 13 December 2015.
Monday, 7 December 2015
Parliament to debate cell phone VAT
Barbados – Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler today announced that legislation aimed at increasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on mobile services will be tabled in Parliament next Tuesday… more
BTL to launch Region’s fastest LTE Network in 2016
Belize – On Friday, November 27th Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) announced that the company is in the final stages of selecting its mobile network vendor to build out and launch its Mobile LTE network in 2016… more
How the Internet and Modern Technology is Killing Belize Telemedia Limited
Belize – We live in a world where telecommunication is now an innate part of our lives… more
‘Lottery scamming is no reparation for slavery’
Jamaica – Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Carol Palmer, has lashed out against people who maintain that the gains fleeced from elderly, unsuspecting United States citizens by lottery scammers are reparation for slavery… more
Police seize telephone cable in Cross Roads
Jamaica – THE security forces last Friday seized thousands of dollars worth of telephone cables during a massive operation in the Cross Roads area of Kingston… more
Cable and Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) – Investment Analysts’ Recent Ratings Changes
Regional – Several brokerages have updated their recommendations and price targets on shares of Cable and Wireless Communications Plc (LON: CWC) in the last few weeks… more
Cable and Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) Price Target Increased to GBX 62 by Analysts at Nomura
Regional – Cable and Wireless Communications Plc (LON:CWC) had its target price boosted by Nomura from GBX 58 ($0.87) to GBX 62 ($0.93) in a research report released on Tuesday morning, ARN reports. Nomura currently has a neutral rating on the stock… more
Cable and Wireless Communications Plc (CWC) Rating Reiterated by AlphaValue
Regional – Cable and Wireless Communications Plc (LON:CWC)‘s stock had its “sell” rating reissued by equities researchers at AlphaValue in a research report issued on Thursday, MarketBeat Ratings reports… more
Marketing Strategies Today: When do I use Google Hangouts and YouTube Live?
Regional – If you aren’t yet using the Google+ video hangout feature to promote your business, then you are definitely missing out… more
Tech Times: Tech Term Of The Week
Regional – Near Field Communication… more
Laptop Distribution Culminates
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Deputy of Prime Minister and the Minister of Education, Hon. Shawn K. Richards continued the distribution of laptops to the various government primary, pre-schools and day care centres on St. Kitts… more
Tuesday, 8 December 2015
Bahamian School Launches Mobile App
Bahamas – AKHEPRAN Academy has made history in becoming the first Bahamian school to launch its own Mobile Application. On Tuesday, 23rd November 2015, the school hosted parents and students, to a pre-launch of the Application (App). Developed by Lincoln Bain, he gave a live demonstration on the many features of the software… more
New head of Office of Cuba Broadcasting appointed
Cuba – The Broadcasting Board of Governors has announced that Maria “Malule” González will take over as director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, responsible for the strategic planning and direction of TV Martí, Radio Martí and Martinoticias.com, which are collectively known as the Martís… more
Digicel Play inks deal for child-friendly video service
Jamaica – Digicel Play today announced that it has signed a deal with A Parent Media Co Inc (APMC), owner of children’s over-the-top (OTT) entertainment service, Kidoodle.TV®, to bring a new entertainment and educational experience to its growing customer base… more
Ministry of Education completes Laptop Distribution Drive
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Twenty-two (22) primary Schools and Day Care centres on St. Kitts were the recipients of Laptops under the government of St. Kitts and Nevis Laptop Distribution Initiative… more
Will social media and young voters decide outcome of St Vincent general election?
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – About a year ago, when he was asked about the role social media could play in deciding the outcome of general election in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves adapted his usually dismissive attitude towards new media… more
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Johnny Ingle leaving Digicel
Barbados – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER of Digicel (Barbados) Limited, Johnny Ingle, will be leaving the business after eight years with the telecommunications giant… more
VI residents losing money in latest phone scam
British Virgin Islands – The latest telephone scam affecting the territory appears to be the most effective and dangerous, according to a press release the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs issued on Tuesday..,, more
Cyber risks at top of the list of threats for captives
Cayman Islands – Cybercrime, hacking and data breaches caused about $450 billion in damages last year, but insurance covered only a fraction of it. Only about $2.5 billion was paid in premiums to insure against computer crime… more
Digicel’s ‘The More, The Merrier’ Christmas campaign
Dominica – Digicel is putting a smile on the face of its customers with several rewards this Christmas. With the theme: “The more, the merrier”, Digicel will reach out to the disadvantaged and is offering a number of opportunities to win prizes… more
Controversial sale of govt shares in GT&T…Chinese company fails to pay in full
Guyana – While Director of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington, sits quietly awaiting long overdue payments for the sale of Government’s 20 percent shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telephone Company (GTT), Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group has been receiving handsome dividends… more
Justin Nedd confirmed GTT’s CEO
Guyana – Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Wednesday, December 9, 2015 confirmed Justin Nedd as company Chief Executive Officer… more
$18 Billion Issued In Loans, But Where Are The Jobs?
Jamaica – The Auditor General Pamela Munroe Ellis has flagged the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) for issuing more than $18 billion in loans with no idea whether they have met the intended purpose… more
Digicel Jamaica FTTH network to reach 150,000 households
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica is on target to extend its new FTTH network to 150,000 premises by the end of the year, reports local daily the Jamaica Observer… more
Expecting Improved Service From Liberty
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I am hoping that the acquisition of FLOW by Liberty Global Communications, the largest cable TV company in the world, will lead to better and improved services for our telecommunications industry… more
It’s Not All Doom And Gloom — Crump
Jamaica – While the HEART Trust/ National Training Agency has been tasked to ensure a sustained quality workforce to match global labour market demands, former president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Davon Crump, is bemoaning the poor quality of job applicants… more
More Than 700 Girls To Engage In Computer Coding
Jamaica – More than 700 girls across the island will be engaged in computer coding simultaneously between Thursday, December 10 and Saturday, December 12… more
Rainmaker hired for BPO sector
Jamaica – Making use of grant funding received from Compete Caribbean, an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) initiative, the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) has secured an in-market broker to sell Jamaica as a business process outsourcing (BPO) destination of choice… more
Universal Service Fund Failing To Collect Millions In Call Taxes From Companies – Auditor General
Jamaica – The Universal Service Fund has been found to be delinquent in collecting millions from telecommunications companies who fail to pay over taxes from international phone calls… more
UTech, Ja. shares research on advancing deaf literacy through ICT
Jamaica – The College of Business and Management (COBAM), University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica in collaboration with United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Thursday, December 3, 2015 hosted a public forum on, “Advancing Deaf Literacy Through Technology,” at the Lister Mair Gilby (LMG) School for the Deaf…. more
RBC launches EZPay mobile payment system
Sint Maarten – RBC Royal Bank on Tuesday launched its EZPay mobile payment systems, which can be used by entrepreneurs and businesspersons while on the go… more
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Legal battle over ‘MEK MI RICH’ continues
Belize – Supreme Court Justice Courtney Abel has closed the evidence taking phase of a lawsuit to determine if the new hit lottery game, Mek Mi Rich, is a stolen idea… more
Kareem talks LIME exit, not opposed to working at Digicel
British Virgin Islands – Former head of Corporate Communications and Marketing at LIME BVI, Kareem-Nelson Hull, said he is not opposed to working with telecommunication giant Digicel, or local company CCT Global Communication should a position becomes available in any of the two entities here in the British Virgin Islands… more
Digicel launches triple play offer this Christmas
Dominica – Digicel Play on Wednesday 9 December 2015 launched its first ever triple play package called “All You Need for Less” so that customers can enjoy the best in TV, broadband Internet and mobile services this Christmas… more
Kalinago Territory to benefit from Computer Center
Dominica – Residents of all ages from the Kalinago Territory will now be able to access training and expertise in computer-related skills offered through a computer centre in Salybia… more
Digital technology at the service of education
Haiti – Organized by the Ministry of Education in partnership with the Embassy of France in Haiti and the International Centre of Pedagogical Studies (CIEP), the National Conference on the place of digital technology in education ended Wednesday… more
DBJ’s $2.5-B programme produces less than 2,000 jobs in 8 months
Jamaica – The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) spent US$21.8 million (approximately J$2.5 billion) between October, 2014 and June, 2015, on development projects in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT)/Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector to create 10,324 jobs. However, by the end of June this year, DBJ realised less than 2,000 of the projected jobs… more
Tablet Jitters – Absence Of School Project-Monitoring System Leaves Auditor General Wary
Jamaica – Despite spending millions of dollars to support the tablets-in-schools project, it has been determined that the Universal Service Fund (USF) has no mechanism to monitor whether it is getting value for money… more
USF seeks to clarify findings in Auditor General’s Report
Jamaica – In light of information released in the Auditor General’s 2014/2015 report on Tuesday, the Universal Service Fund (USF), is seeking to clarify findings regarding the amount collected from terminating carriers as well as the monitoring of the Tablets in Schools (TIS) programme… more
Blink | bmobile lowers roaming rates for customers
Trinidad and Tobago – Blink | bmobile has made international travel more friendly by reducing the roaming rates paid by its customers… more
Friday, 11 December 2015
New online Government portal launched
Barbados – GOVERNMENT’S ONLINE PORTAL has been redesigned to improve access to information and facilitate the public doing government business… more
BUSINESS BYTE: FLOW launches Christmas at new Retail Store
Dominica – Fresh on the heels of unveiling a new brand, and opening of the most technologically advanced retail store in Dominica, FLOW is on course to give customers the most amazing Christmas yet… more
Dominican Republic to reform Telecoms Act
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) is currently working on a major reform of the country’s Telecommunications Act, reports Telesemana, citing Indotel executive director Leonardo Alberty Canela… more
Collect Every Red Cent – Paulwell
Jamaica – Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell says the Universal Service Fund (USF) must find ways to “collect every red cent” which is due to it from telecommunications providers that have not been paying over a universal levy to the Government… more
DBJ paid $3.4M for incomplete consultancy on $2.5B jobs funding programme
Jamaica – The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) wasted an additional $3.4 million last year on consultancy, trying to determine the impact of a $2.5-billion programme which has so far failed to deliver on projects to create over 10,000 jobs in the information and communications technology (ICT)/ business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors… more
CWC taps Tektronix for real-time RAN geoanalytics across Caribbean
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications is deploying a new platform from Tektronix across its Caribbean operations… more
FLOW St. Kitts & Nevis Welcome to the first ever “FLOW Tech Kids” Initiative
Saint Kitts and Nevis – FLOW is pleased to announce the launch of the first ever “Flow Tech Kids” initiative. “Flow Tech Kids” is an In- Store activity designed to get kids between the ages of 5 & 9 years to experience our new Retail stores and the marvels of technology by competing with their peers in an engaging and interactive 2-hour programme, testing their skills in digital game “Temple Run”… more
Government strengthens ICT capacity
Saint Lucia – Recently the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) donated over three hundred thousand dollars to the Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS), project… more
TelEm Group cutover scheduled for Simpson Bay area Saturday.
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group technicians will be upgrading telephone lines in the Simpson Bay area between 7:00 am in the morning and 2:00 pm in the afternoon Saturday… more
Mystery solved: It’s a cell phone
Trinidad and Tobago – You may have seen people walking about town, holding what appears to be a landline telephone, happily chatting away into a giant handset… more
Saturday, 12 December 2015
More innovation surely needed
Barbados – We hear the word innovation a lot these days, especially as it relates to entrepreneurship; so, I want to take a little time this week to write about what innovation really means and to share a few innovations I have come across recently, and which I have found exciting… more
THE HOYOS FILE: Counting mobile VAT chickens before they hatch
Barbados – Any tax man can raise the amount of tax you have to pay on a product or service, but it is the true genius who convinces you that it’s really going to cost you less… more
CarePay RFP far too short, says IT expert
Cayman Islands – The tight timeline ordered by Canover Watson to turn around the request for proposals for the hospital payment system contract was “unprecedented”, a key crown witness told the court when he gave evidence on Wednesday in the ongoing corruption trial… more
GWI probing disruption of ICT network
Guyana – The management of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has launched an internal investigation into disruptions of the utility company’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) network… more
Digicel Group Acquires Paymaster
Jamaica – Digicel Group has acquired a majority interest in bill payment and remittance company Paymaster for an undisclosed sum. Equally, there was no indication of how large a stake it is… more
JAMAICA –– Fraud alert
Jamaica – With fraudsters making off with more than JAM$500 million each over the past two years, the police are warning citizens and business operators to be wary of tricksters this Christmas season… more
Phone thieves jailed, face manslaughter charges
Jamaica – TWO men who stole a cellular phone and allegedly mowed down a motorcyclist while fleeing the scene were on Wednesday sentenced to two years’ imprisonment… more
Sunday, 13 December 2015
Samsung J5 for Christmas? Let it FLOW, let it FLOW, let it FLOW!
Barbados – Get ready with the phone that can capture the best selfies with a flash… more
GTT opens new retail store
Guyana – Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin (right) and newly appointed CEO of GTT Justin Nedd (left) did the ceremonial ribbon cutting when GTT yesterday launched its retail store in the Fogarty’s building… more
Increase in divorce symptoms of social media – says marriage counsellor
Guyana – With a steady rise in divorce rates, prominent Pastor and Evangelist Ivan Williams has put this phenomenon down to the increased use of social media and technology, causing a rift between couples… more
Gadget Lovers Clashing With Radio Spectrum
Jamaica – The proliferation of nifty home and security gadgets has begun to infringe on bandwidth, and in some cases, their signals conflict with more powerful transmission networks, rendering the consumer devices redundant… more
Profiting from social media
Trinidad and Tobago – The following guide is intended to aid readers in analysing the case profiting from social media… more
Image credits: NS Newsflash (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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