A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 13 June to Sunday 19 June 2016.
Monday, 13 June 2016
Belize Courts Go Digital
Belize – Today, the U.S. made a significant donation to Belize’s justice system through its Central American Regional Security Initiative, CARSI… more
Belize’s Courts Go Digital, Kinda
Belize – Belize’s courts are finally getting rid of those handwritten transcripts and moving towards digital recordings… more
Battling growing cybercrime in region
Regional – Cybercrime experts from across the region converged in Trinidad and Tobago from June 6th for one week to discuss the increasing growth in Cybercrime in the Caribbean… more
CIBC launches mobile banking app
Regional – CIBC FirstCaribbean recently launched its new user-friendly mobile banking app for smartphones which is yet another innovation by the regional bank to provide customers with banking solutions that fit their lives… more
Streamlined efficiency in Caribbean schools: SmartTerm looking towards education’s future
Regional – SmartTerm, a cohesive web and mobile learning management system, aims to reinvent education in the Caribbean by providing school administrations and students with a seamless, integrated experience… more
Scotiabank speeds up services
Trinidad and Tobago – Scotiabank T&T Ltd is introducing new systems aimed at achieving greater efficiency in the customer experience with quicker turn arounds… more
TATT warns: Cease from operating without licences
Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecommunications Authority (TATT) has issued public statement saying it can no longer forbear where there’s a continuing breach by persons who are unable to meet the financial and technical obligations to the service… more
Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Course Launched To Tackle Cyber Crimes
Bahamas – A Cybercrimes training course officially opened at the Paul Farquharson Conference Center at the Police Headquarters yesterday… more
Interpol Experts Aim To Help Police To Tackle Cyber Crimes
Bahamas – INTERPOL’S cyber crime investigative course, which aims to equip regional law enforcement agencies with skills necessary to identify and address crimes perpetrated on cyber platforms, is currently underway at the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s East Street headquarters… more
Nottage: Cyberspace needs community policing
Bahamas – As the world is evolving, technology is at the core of almost every interaction and transaction made across the globe… more
ONLINE PLATFORM IN THE WORKS
Barbados – Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Christopher Sinckler says that an online platform is being created to allow persons to make payments to the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA)… more
Call Centre employees appeal to Labour Division for assistance
Dominica – Employees of a recently opened call centre here have written to the Labour Division to take action in what they describe as “unfair and unfortunate working conditions”… more
Call center employees cry foul
Dominica – Employees of a call center in Dominica, Caribbean Call Center, have written to the Labour Commissioner alleging unfortunate working conditions… more
Digicel switches on LTE services in Jamaica
Jamaica – Caribbean operator Digicel has turned on its 4G LTE network in its largest market, Jamaica… more
Wednesday, 15 June 2016
BTC wins several international awards
Bahamas – BTC has won three international awards for innovation, excellence and best CEO for the region… more
Clear Harbor distances itself from Caribbean Call Center
Dominica – Call center Clear Harbor has distanced itself from another call center here in Dominica, Caribbean Call Center, which is embroiled in controversy with members of staff… more
The lamentations of employees at Caribbean Call Center
Dominica – Imagine having children to feed, debt obligations to meet and bills to pay but you have no money although you have been ‘working.’ … more
AIS goes direct to India to find IT solutions partner
Jamaica – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jamaica’s Advanced Integrated Systems (AIS) Ltd, Douglas Halsall, says that a new partnership with India’s Graylogic Technologies Ltd could benefit Jamaica’s crime fighting efforts… more
FLOW To Deliver Faster Internet But Mum On Timeline
Jamaica – Telecom FLOW Jamaica remains mum on a timeline for launching a higher-speed mobile Internet network, despite initially revealing tests in January… more
OAS, private sector to boost digital connectivity in the Americas
Regional – The Organization of American States (OAS), several leading companies in the field of information and communications technologies (ICTs), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and a group of universities from across the region today signed the “2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas” to expand connectivity in the region and to democratize the preparation of young people for participating in the modern economy… more
PCH, Internet Society To Hold Third Peering Forum In Caribbean
Regional – The third Caribbean Peering and Interconnection Forum will be on June 7, 2017 and the Internet community is already looking forward to it… more
FLOW VIP Summer
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Lights, Camera, FLOW…This summer let FLOW make you the VIP that you are! … more
Hacker shares child porn online
Trinidad and Tobago – A hacker stole and shared to social media hundreds of photographs of naked females, many of them children, from Trinidad and Tobago. The images are now being openly distributed and widely viewed… more
Thursday, 16 June 2016
BTB launches “Central America is Yours, Enjoy it” Digital Campaign
Belize – Technology has inspired the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), along with the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) to launch a new digital campaign “Central America is Yours, Enjoy It” on Thursday, June 8th… more
Cayman eyes switch to electronic vehicle registration
Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands plans to move to an electronic vehicle registration system that will improve government’s ability to enforce local traffic laws and to collect traffic fines, as well as monitor traffic patterns to help ease congestion, Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts said last week… more
Sale of 20% GT&T shares…NICIL suspects Chinese buyer produced fake documents
Guyana – The Board of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) is still trying to understand the controversy surrounding the sale of government’s 20 percent shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Company in all its components… more
Technology mission trip bonds STM, Haitian students
Haiti – Dozens of students in Haiti have new technology in their hands, thanks to the efforts of St. Thomas More Catholic High School… more
BPOs Key To Growth – Sector Interests
Jamaica – Key stakeholders in the local business process outsourcing (BPO) sector are in full support of a recent call by Richard Byles, the co-chairman of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee, for greater investment in the sector to help boost economic growth and create jobs… more
Anguilla, Netherlands, St. Maarten, France agree on mobile spectrum
Regional – The regulatory administrations of St. Maarten, St. Martin, Anguilla and the Netherlands (representing Saba and St. Eustatius), met in Anguilla June 8-10 on FM, UHF and mobile frequency coordination and monitoring… more
CarPIF Connects The People Behind The Region’s Networks
Regional – It seems the region’s tech community is on to something that has eluded our politicians. Human networks are key to our development. And there is an unique group dedicated to getting the right people in the same place at the same time, so that the right deals and partnerships can help strengthen and expand the Internet in the Caribbean… more
UTS headquarters seemingly broken-in or vandalized. (UPDATED)
Sint Maarten – UTS main building in Philipsburg is currently closed as police investigates what transpired at the telephone company main branch. Information reaching SMN News states that two doors and two windows of the building were shattered… more
ASCU launches e-banking system
Trinidad and Tobago – The almost 6000 members of the Aero Services Credit Union (ASCU) have heaped praises on the union’s management team for employing Aero ACCESS, the new e-banking system which can be used by members for a number of their transactions on a daily basis… more
Innovative Technology Conference hosted in Trinidad
Trinidad and Tobago – ““A huge growth market” is how cable television, internet and home phone provider, Flow, regards Trinidad and Tobago… more
Friday, 17 June 2016
Cable Readies $30m Pref Share Offering
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas is again preparing to tap the Bahamian capital markets for a further $30 million in preference share financing, which will help fund the roll-out of this nation’s second mobile provider… more
BVI Eyes Next-Level Internet Development
British Virgin Islands – British Virgin Islands is stepping up efforts to get the most from its internet infrastructure… more
Caribbean Call Centre shuts down in Dominica
Dominica – Caribbean Call Centre (CCC), a call centre located in Roseau, has announced it closure in Dominica… more
Dominican Republic to hold Internet Week, celebrating 25 years of .do
Dominican Republic – From August 22-25, the Dominican Republic will be marking the 25th anniversary of its .do TLD as part of a four-day event called Internet Week… more
GTT workers protest changes to conditions of service
Guyana – About 20 Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) company workers, led by the Guyana Postal and Telegraph Workers Union (GPTWU), yesterday protested what was described as “impositions” by the company as it relates to changing employees’ conditions of service… more
Several disgruntled GTT workers, Union protest arbitrary management
Guyana – The alleged imposition of working conditions by GTT on its employees without consulting the Guyana Postal & Telecommunication Workers’ Union (GPTWU) has led to protest action by a small group of GTT employees along with senior representatives of the Union… more
BPO space to be increased in Kingston and MoBay
Jamaica – Minister of Finance and Public Service Audley Shaw says the Port Authority of Jamaica will be spending $3.8 billion to increase Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) space in Kingston and Montego Bay… more
Caricel says there is enough room for three mobile licensees
Jamaica – Caricel, Jamaica’s newest mobile telecommunications company, believes that there is more than ample room for a third licensed company… more
Caricel, Spectrum Authority Differ Over Paymen For Licence – Former Cable & Wireless Executive Tapped As Chairman Of New Telecoms
Jamaica – Information from Patrick Bailey, an attorney representing Symbiote Investments Limited, the holding company for emerging telecoms Caricel, appears at odds with Spectrum Management Authority (SMA) over whether an initial payment was made for the issue of a spectrum licence… more
Harris to modernise Jamaican ATC centre
Jamaica – Harris has been awarded a contract to modernise critical air traffic control (ATC) communications at the Air Traffic Control Center (ATCC) in Kingston, Jamaica… more
Miramorai: merging learning needs with virtual reality
Jamaica – Jonathon Kelly, sole shareholder in Miramorai Interactive Learning Solutions (MILS), is on the hunt for investment partners who will share his dream of a global company involved in changing the face and pace of the learning process in various fields… more
Mobile banking solutions gain traction as internet penetration deepens
Jamaica – CIBC FirstCaribbean this week announced the launch of its mobile banking app for smartphones which can be used for checking account balances, transferring funds, paying bills and locating branches and instant tellers… more
Summer Cable Market Heats Up
Jamaica – n four months, Digicel Jamaica has more than tripled its cable subscriber base, some of which it appears to have snatched from rival FLOW Jamaica… more
Flow Sports Premier – The Newest Sports Network for the Caribbean
Regional – Regional communications and entertainment leader, Flow, today announced the launch of Flow Sports Premier – the Caribbean’s newest sports network – coming soon to the Flow TV line-up… more
Flow Takes Inclusive Approach to Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Regional – In the spirit of the Olympic Games, Flow — the Official Broadcast Partner and Exclusive Telecommunications Partner of Rio 2016 Olympic Games — announced today that it will extend access of its broadcast rights to the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games to facilitate other providers throughout the Caribbean to air the event… more
Net closes in T&T on computers used to send stolen nude photos
Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad Guardian) As they close in on a local pornography ring, investigating officers say they may have to subpoena an American-based company to retrieve the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the perpetrators responsible for selling, sharing and viewing thousands of nude photographs of young women… more
Women, girls appearing on local porn sites
Trinidad and Tobago – WEBSITES targeting a local audience have for years been sharing stolen sexually explicit images of young women and child pornography of females from Trinidad and Tobago… more
Saturday, 18 June 2016
Dominican Republic to celebrate 25 years of .do
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic will be marking the 25th anniversary of its .do TLD from August 22-25, as part of a four-day event called Internet Week… more
Probe into nude photo leaks continues
Trinidad and Tobago – WHILE police continue to interview underage girls whose names featured as being among 500 on an international pornographic website, two females including a 16-year-old have said their names appeared on the list but without photos and with requests for persons to supply pictures of them… more
Sunday, 19 June 2016
J’cans Tap Gay Online Rental Market – Misterb&B Seen As Opportunity To Diversify Income
Jamaica – As Jamaicans tap into the online rental market for business through platforms such as Airbnb they are slowly becoming more amenable to a side of the market that is largely shunned domestically gay travellers… more
T&T body issues warning against child porn distribution
Trinidad and Tobago – The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (CATT) has condemned the distribution of child pornography as the government said it expects law enforcement authorities to take the appropriate steps regarding the list of over 500 young women — and photos — recently leaked on social media… more
Image credits: Dennis Skley (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikimedia; Wikipedia
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