A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 28 December 2015 to Sunday 3 January 2016.
Monday, 28 December 2015
Snapchat prominently features Bahamas Junkanoo
Bahamas – The official Snapchat channel, a mobile app that allows users to send and receive “self-destructing” photos and videos, has more than 200+ million users who access the social platform daily… more
Cyber Crime Bill seeks to outlaw cyber-bullying; protect reputation, privacy
Guyana – The Cyber Crime Act will also outlaw the use of computers to coerce, intimidate or harass another person with intent to cause emotional distress or cyber-bully, intentionally or recklessly, another person… more
Cyber Crime law to prohibit child porn, sharing of nude images
Guyana – Persons using computers to engage in child pornography or the sharing nude images of others could be jailed and fined if found guilty under the Cyber Crime Bill when it becomes law… more
High-tech disruption of “national infrastructure” to be made illegal
Guyana – The illegal access to computers, disruption of critical national infrastructure and the unauthorized sharing of computer data are to soon become offences punishable by hefty fines and long jail terms… more
Flow Internet Rates Going Up
Jamaica – Flow Jamaica’s customers are to pay more to access the Internet come next year, as the company has announced new prices… more
Marketing Strategies Today: Do I pay for traffic or rely on SEO?
Regional – Search engine optimization, or SEO, and pay per click advertising, or PPC, together comprise the bulk of search engine marketing, or SEM. SEO is all about boosting page rankings on search engines through third party links, articles, directory placements, and other means. PPC, on the other hand, involves an auction… more
Tuesday, 29 December 2015
Online renewal of driver’s licence in January
Antigua and Barbuda – Residents should have an easier go at renewing their driver’s licences from the first of January with the launch of a new online platform… more
Digicel Ad Control live in Barbados
Barbados – DIGICEL HAS ANNOUNCED that its ad control technology is now live in Barbados… more
Cyber Crime bill to clamp down on child pornography
Guyana – The government is taking steps to clamp down on persons engaging in child pornography or sharing nude images through electronic means when the Cyber Crime Bill becomes law… more
Cybercrime bill targets child porn, hacking, identity theft
Guyana – Government has released wide-ranging draft legislation to tackle cybercrime including child pornography, hacking, identity theft and cyberbullying… more
50,000 Mobile Customers Switch Networks In Six Months
Jamaica – Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell is reporting that 50,000 mobile customers have switched telecommunication companies since number portability was introduced in June… more
ATM SCAM
Trinidad and Tobago – THOUSANDS of dollars were fraudulently withdrawn or “skimmed” from the debit cards of an untold number of RBC Royal Bank customers while many were unaware, over the long Christmas weekend… more
Wednesday, 30 December 2015
Web Shop Blasts Regulatory Order
Bahamas – Bet Vegas, the only web shop operator to be denied a license, has slammed a Gaming Board order warning Bahamians not to gamble at its premises as “victimisation”… more
ICT Centre for Excellence in testing phase
Dominica – The ICT Centre for Excellence, which was first alluded to in December 2014, is now in the testing phase… more
The BPO sector a promising market of 13,000 jobs
Haiti – As part of the official launch of the Haiti Sector of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), the Investment Facilitation Center (CFI), presented the promotion efforts of this emerging sector of the Haitian economy, front of representing of the banking sector, senior officials of ministries and decentralized bodies, executives and managers of universities and training centers, members of Chambers of Commerce, Haitian concerned from the Diaspora, representatives of the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA)… more
Proposed Cybercrime laws…Jail time, $$$M fines for child porn sharing, hacking, identity theft
Guyana – Government is steaming ahead with plans to introduce laws to target cybercrime, an area that has been wholly unregulated over the years as the internet became wildly popular and so critical to everyday life… more
FLOW fixes disconnect
Jamaica – Dear Claudienne, I am writing to you out of desperation… more
Jamaican Start-Up Company Helping Young Tech Entrepreneurs
Jamaica – Start-Up Jamaica hopes to show young people how to develop innovative products and services for the local and international markets… more
Start-Up Jamaica Paving The Way For Entrepreneurs
Jamaica – The business incubator/accelerator programme, Start-Up Jamaica (SUJ), is helping young technology entrepreneurs to develop innovative products and services for the local and international markets… more
TSTT chairman accuses TATT of illegal actions
Trinidad and Tobago – New chairman of the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago’s (TSTT) Emile Elias has accused the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) of mischief-making and has warned the Authority that any attempts to get to TSTT’s “fruits” would not work… more
Thursday, 31 December 2015
Antigua, US Reported Near Deal in WTO Online-Gaming Dispute
Antigua and Barbuda – The nearly 13-year-old trade dispute between the United States and the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda over unfettered accessibility to online gaming sites may at last be headed for a resolution, according to recent Antigua-based news reports… more
No textbooks, no laptops: a blessing?
Trinidad and Tobago – I heard some information about Steve Jobs—the creator of our world’s Apple iPads. Mr Jobs did not allow his children to use laptops, iPads or the Internet. Most interesting isn’t it? … more
TSTT averts closure of services
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago has averted operating illegally, and possibly shutting down five major services after concessions for the services that TSTT provides expired on December 29 according to chairman of TSTT board of directors, Emile Elias… more
TSTT averts licensing fiasco
Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago’s (TSTT) avoided the embarrassing prospect of one of the country’s largest state companies being unlicensed, and therefore, technically, an illegal operation, by last night reaching an agreement on their concession with the Telecommunications Authority of T&T (TATT)… more
TSTT customers to benefit with VAT reduction
Trinidad and Tobago – Telecommunications giant TSTT (Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd) has promised customers that they will see a reduction in their monthly bills as well as pre-paid mobile top-ups when Government reduces the Value Added Tax (VAT) rates to 12.5 per cent… more
Friday, 1 January 2016
URCA approves Cable Bahamas 28% Subscription Rise Applications
Bahamas – he Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) today issued its Statement of Results and Final Decision in response to Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL) and its two applications for… 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 research analysts at AlphaValue in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,.. more
CWU calls on PM to remove heads of TATT
Trinidad and Tobago – The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) has called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to remove all heads of management at Trinidad and Tobago Telecommunications Authority (TATT) of Trinidad and Tobago… more
Union: Fire TATT over TSTT
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Communication Workers Union (CWU) in a statement yesterday called for the axing of the heads of the Telecommunications Authority of TT (TATT) over its recent conflict with the Telecommunication Services of TT (TSTT)… more
Saturday, 2 January 2016
800 additional CCTV cameras installed
Trinidad and Tobago – CRIME fighting in Trinidad got a boost earlier in the week with the operationalisation of 800 additional closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed across the island… more
Sunday, 3 January 2016
T&T cybercriminals target local ATMs
Trinidad and Tobago – A security expert at a local commercial bank says skimming attacks like the one which occurred on December 28 will happen again because ATMs are increasingly being targeted by cybercriminals who are using increasingly sophisticated high-tech methods to empty the accounts of bank customers… more
Image credits: GotCredit (flickr); Wikipedia; The Bahamas Weekly
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