A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 6 February to Sunday 12 February 2017.
Monday, 6 February 2017
Matthew Exposes IT Issues For Local Firms
Bahamas – The importance of risk management practices, business continuity planning (BCP) and regulatory compliance were highlighted at a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) seminar… more
Electronic Single Window registration starts
Barbados – MEMBERS OF THE public who will be conducting import and export transactions using the Barbados Electronic Single Window (BESW) are reminded that registration on the system has commenced.. more
B.T.L. Looks for New C.E.O.; Ivan Tesecum Replaces Anwar Barrow for Now
Belize – Chair of the Executive Committee of Belize Telemedia Limited and company C.E.O. Anwar Barrow has begun his final week in that capacity, as he leaves office on February tenth, 2017… more
Dominican Republic wants ITU help to change telecom act
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) has announced that it will submit a formal proposal to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for assistance in its effort to amend the country’s telecommunications act, which dates back to 1998… more
Poor GTT phone, internet service affecting businesses in Essequibo
Guyana – Dear Editor, For the past 6 months and as recently as last month I made several complaints to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) clerk here at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, that my internet is very slow and that the telephone is not working… more
Poor GTT services affecting business, education sector in Bartica
Guyana – Inadequate access to information via the internet is having a negative impact on businesses and educational institutions in Bartica, and residents are blaming this state of affairs on the poor level of service provided by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company… more
New study launched to develop strategy for Jamaica’s BPO sector
Jamaica – A new study has been launched to provide a strategy for developing Jamaica’s Business Processing Outsource (BPO) sector… more
Spectrum Management Authority records increase in revenue
Jamaica – Inflows to the Spectrum Management Authority’s coffers have been higher than expected… more
US telecoms company owner jailed for fraud linked to C’bean
Regional – he United States Department of Justice (DOJ) says the owner and operator of a Florida-based telecommunications company has pleaded guilty and a West Palm Beach, Florida, resident has been sentenced to 52 months in prison in connection with a sophisticated global cellphone fraud scheme linked to the Caribbean… more
Government Of National Unity To Launch Five Additional Mobile Apps Offering E-Government Services
Saint Kitts and Nevis – As part of its celebrations for the second anniversary in government, the Government of National Unity will roll out five additional mobile applications (apps), which form part of its E-Government services… more
Senior Minister Amory Welcome Efforts To Establish Labour Management Information System
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Senior Minister and Minister of Labour in the Federal Cabinet, Honourable Vance Amory, has welcomed the February 06 to 09 Labour Management Information System (LMIS) training workshop that will expand the world of work opportunities to nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis… more
St Kitts government to roll out mobile apps
Saint Kitts and Nevis – As part of its celebrations for the second anniversary in government, the Government of National Unity will roll out five additional mobile applications, which form part of its E-government services… more
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
Aliv Works With Majority Owner So ‘No Cannibalising’
Bahamas – Aliv and its majority shareholder were yesterday said to be co-ordinating their respective capital raisings to ensure they will “not cannibalise” each other, with both looking to close in the 2017 first quarter… more
‘INFORMATION SECURITY OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE’
Barbados – As the world observes Safer Internet Day today, corporate entities in Barbados are being encouraged to make better use of technologies, standards, policies and management practices to ensure better information security… more
GTT calls for assistance in probe of vandalism, sabotage
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) is calling on persons to assist in the investigation of vandalism and sabotage of its transmission lines… more
C&W Jamaica gets approval to change accounting terminal date
Jamaica – Cable & Wireless Jamaica has received approval from Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ) for their accounting terminal date to be changed to December 31 with effect from Year of Assessment 2016… more
FLOW urges cooperation as world celebrates Safer Internet Day
Jamaica – Telecommunications provider Flow is urging all stakeholders to make the Internet a safer place for all, especially young children and teenagers, as the world celebrates Safer Internet Day today… more
Nation Won’t Lose Business Process Outsourcing Jobs – Expert
Jamaica – Dr Guna Muppuri, president of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ), says he is not perturbed by a suggestion by a New York Daily News columnist that United States (US) President Donald Trump should bring back US call centre jobs to the American homeland… more
CAL launches new user-friendly website
Regional – Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has launched its new leading edge website that reflects the airline’s continued commitment to enhancing the customer experience by delivering a unique, compelling and memorable travel experience… more
NIA’s IT Department to host ICT Week, raise awareness of information and communication technology in the community
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Nevis Island Administration’s Information Technology (IT) Department will observe its inaugural Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Week from February 11 to 18, 2017… more
NTV advises on service disruption
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The following is an advisory from the Department of Information in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) dated February 07, 2017… more
Unite for safer internet, says Flow
Saint Lucia – As the world observes Safer Internet Day today, leading telecommunications provider Flow is urging all stakeholders to join together to make the internet a better place for all, especially young children and teenagers… more
Letter: IT as a service to innovation
Trinidad and Tobago – Dear Sir: The government of Trinidad and Tobago, via the ministry of planning, has procured a loan from the IDB of US$18 milion to fund the project, “The Global Services Promotions Programme”… more
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
FLOW SPREADS SAFE INTERNET MESSAGE
Barbados – The power of images was placed in the spotlight yesterday, as Flow celebrated Safer Internet Day with the students of Welches Primary, the company’s adopted school… more
Digicel launches LTE in British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands – Digicel has launched LTE network services in the British Virgin Islands, offering speeds up to 10 times faster than those currently available, according to the company… more
BUSINESS BYTE: Digicel business impacted by disturbances in Roseau
Dominica – Operations at Digicel have been affected today as a result of Tuesday’s incident in Roseau… more
What’s going on at GTT?
Guyana – Dear Editor, GT&T is our national provider of internet and landline phone services. These facilities are no longer novel luxuries but have become with current living, essential tools and services that we depend on for business, homework, research and correspondence… more
GK MPay Approved For Receipt Of Remittances
Jamaica – GraceKennedy Money Service (GKMS), which is offering mobile money services through its locations islandwide, has been given the option to allow users to receive remittances… more
How exclusive are exclusive broadcasting rights?
Jamaica – In an age of video blogging, new cable providers, twitter journalism, ambush marketing and the like, the question is asked: To what extent can I use copyrighted work? How exclusive are exclusive broadcasting rights? … more
Jamaican held at US airport with child porn on phone
Jamaica – A man, said to be a Jamaican, was on Monday held with child pornography on his cellphone as he disembarked a flight from Jamaica at the Orlando International Airport (OIA), the ABC News affiliate, WHTV9 reported on its website today… more
JMMB Puts Underweight Rating On Digicel Bonds
Jamaica – Financial outfit JMMB Group describes Digicel Group as suffering from flat subscriber growth and currency concerns, but still expects the telecom to better service its debt this year… more
33rd AGM Evaluation – Tell us what you think!
Regional – more
AIRBNB AWAKENING COMMUNITY TOURISM
Regional – These are property owners and small boutique hotels that are allowed to rent through the website which has been offering locals an easy way to monetize their extra space… more
CAL launches new website
Regional – Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has launched its new website… more
Digicel executive re-elected as Canto chairman
Regional – Julian Wilkins, Digicel group director, Government Relations and Public Affairs, was re-elected as chairman of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications (CANTO), the leading authority for shaping information and communication in the Caribbean. The announcement was made during CANTO’s Annual General Meeting in Curacao on Tuesday, January 31… more
Transatel adds Caribbean roaming with Digicel deal
Regional – European mobile provider Transatel has added 23 Caribbean islands to its roaming footprint as part of a deal with Digicel… more
Social media and preserving positivity
Trinidad and Tobago – “It’s all over for us folks…there’s nothing more to say.” That was the expression of my learned friend, for whom I have the utmost respect, a Facebook post following the weekend news of the murder at MovieTowne… more
The Uber ride
Trinidad and Tobago – IT will be interesting to see if Uber Technologies, the unconventional, technology-driven taxi company that grew from an idea to a giant global corporation in five years, pursues its bid to add Trinidad and Tobago to the 60-odd countries in which it has established operations… more
Thursday, 9 February 2017
Claro confirms USD 650 mln Dominican Republic investment
Dominican Republic – Claro (America Movil) will invest over USD 650 million in the Dominican Republic over the next three years, reports local daily Noticias Sin, citing the operator’s president Oscar Pena… more
Governments need to boost cybersecurity, says expert
Dominican Republic – Spanish cybersecurity expert Javier Candau is in the country to advise State authorities on stepping up vigilance of the web in order to protect themselves from threats from some groups that use technology… more
Guyana internet users blacklisted over cyber-security concerns
Guyana – Residents of Guyana who rely on the internet to handle online banking and online payment processing with a number of US banks and payment gateways, may soon be unable to do so after several US-based payment processors have decided to blacklist a number of internet protocol (IP) ranges that are being used by Guyanese to handle online transactions and general internet usage… more
Phone card vendor shot dead in Adventure shop
Guyana – A 36-year-old phone card vendor and father of four, was shot dead yesterday afternoon as two armed men robbed him at a shop at Adventure Village, Corentyne, Berbice, just a couple houses away from the Felix Austin Training College… more
Public Infrastructure Ministry crafting database to monitor contractors’ performance – Patterson
Guyana – The Ministry of Infrastructure is currently in the process of creating a database which will keep a track record of the number of projects awarded to local projects and their performance with respect to each… more
Digicel and Kirusa Announce Strategic Partnership to Launch InstaVoice® Celeb and Sports services in Haiti
Haiti – Digicel, a leading global communications provider, has signed a strategic agreement with Kirusa, a global leader in telecom and social media solutions, to launch Kirusa’s InstaVoice Celeb and Sports services in Digicel Haiti… more
Flow Joins in Hailing Job Fair Expo ’17
Saint Lucia – Hope and optimism are running high among the job seekers who attended last weekend’s Job Fair Expo ‘17, which has been hailed a major success by organisers, sponsors and participants alike… more
Vendors to play a key role in TSTT’s multi-billiondollar transformation
Trinidad and Tobago – “With the internet of things, 5G, robotics and artificial intelligence being a big part of what is happening, the world is fundamentally different today. If TSTT is to achieve our vision to provide solutions to help consumers and businesses achieve their lifestyle and business goals, then TSTT has to become an agile broadband telecommunications company… more
Friday, 10 February 2017
Aliv ‘Credibility’ Boost As Roll-Out Targets Hit
Bahamas – The Bahamas’ second mobile operator yesterday received a “credibility” boost from regulators confirming it had met its first network roll-out targets, and disclosed it was ahead of schedule in bring service to Abaco, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera… more
Collapsed Company Suffers Reversal In 13-Year BTC Fight
Bahamas – The Court of Appeal this week overturned permission granted to a niche telecoms provider to amend its claim against the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), whose “misfeasance in a public office” allegedly caused its collapse… more
Committee Probing BTC Sale Making ‘Steady Progress’
Bahamas – THE select committee appointed to probe the 2011 sale of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) Ltd is making “steady progress” despite a rocky start, according to Golden Gates MP Shane Gibson on Friday… more
Evans Says Aliv Will Not Steal Major Market Share From BTC
Bahamas – BAHAMAS Communications and Public Officers Union President Bernard Evans yesterday dismissed assertions that newcomer Aliv will steal a significant market share from the Bahamas Telecommunications Company, charging that the former’s initial success is merely the result of “restrictions” placed on BTC by regulators to give Aliv “some advantage” to “get in the game”… more
Caution on Digicel bonds
Barbados – DIGICEL, A MAJOR communications service provider in Barbados and the Caribbean, is facing fresh concerns about its financial performance… more
TV regulator denies blame
Cayman Islands – Cayman 27 cancelled its morning show Daybreak and blamed regulators for not forcing cable providers to carry the television station’s programmes. But telecom regulators shot back at the media house, saying what shows and stations to carry is a business decision, not something mandated by government… more
Guyana Post Office launches Online Mailbox Service
Guyana – Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes congratulated the Guyana Post Office Cooperation (GPOC) for taking steps to modernise its operations by launching its Online Mailbox Service… more
GK MPay Makes Money Mobile
Jamaica – GraceKennedy Money Service’s Tuesday night launch of its groundbreaking GK MPay smartphone app was a spectacular event… more
GK MPay To Spread To The Caribbean
Jamaica – raceKennedy’s new mobile money platform will allow subscribers to send and receive remittances via their smartphones… more
Mobile money comes to Jamaica
Jamaica – A jelly man stood at his vending spot in Hope Gardens, where he was surrounded by several persons who were purchasing ice-cold coconuts. Not far away was a pan chicken vendor… more
OUR: Fixed-Line Termination Rate Determination By March
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is anticipating that it will now make a determination on fixed-call termination rates by March, more than two years after it launched a public consultation on the cost model for fixed telecommunications networks… more
Trinidad and Tobago launches Lime 365 Campaign & Travel App
Trinidad and Tobago – The Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Tourism, Trinidad and Tobago launched the LIME 365 campaign and the first ever tourism mobile application GO TRINBAGO at NAPA Hotel, Port of Spain on Tuesday, February 7th… more
Saturday, 11 February 2017
DIGICEL CODERDOJO CLUB IS MAJOR SUCCESS
Barbados – The curtain came down this past weekend on the first ever Digicel (Barbados) Limited CoderDojo computer coding and programming club in Barbados. The graduation ceremony for close to 50 children was held at the Kensington Oval… more
FLOW welcomes copper export ban
Jamaica – FLOW yesterday welcomed the announcement by Industry Minister Karl Samuda that the Government this week suspended the export of copper, as well as increased the fines levied against persons who are found in breach of the order… more
Jamaica-Based GraceKennedy Launches New ‘Game Changer’ Mobile Payment App
Jamaica – The company got the green light for the remittance service from the central bank on Tuesday, Feb. 7, just ahead of its official launch of ‘MPay’ later that evening… more
Wheatley says Gov’t committed to curtailing cybercrimes
Jamaica – Science, Energy and Technology Minister Dr Andrew Wheatley says the Government remains committed to the ongoing implementation of safeguards to curtail the incidence of cybercrimes… more
Solid revenue growth and cost synergies drive strong EBITDA and Operating Cash Flow growth
Regional – This announcement provides an update on the Third Quarter performance, ending 31 December 2015, and the financial position of the Group in the first nine months of the fiscal year FY2015/16… more
Sunday, 12 February 2017
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Image credits: NS Newsflash (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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