A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 24 September 2017 to Sunday 1 October 2017.
Monday, 25 September 2017
Ex-Digicel boss moves to C3
Cayman Islands – Martin Bould, formerly the chief executive officer at the regional telecom firm, Digicel, has taken the top job at locally owned communications firm, C3… more
Communication efforts in Dominica
Dominica – Dominican residents’ primary means of communication with the outside world is satellite phones… more
Data is the new Oil”- Minister Hughes
Guyana – Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes said that Internet of Things (IOT) has the potential to transform cities by solving real problems citizens face each day… more
Winston Henry: The Digital Guru
Jamaica – Sometimes we do not know our path and where it will take us from, but sometimes fate and hard work align us with our destiny, and for Winston Henry, this was the case… more
C&W establishes large fund for hurricane relief
Regional – Cable and Wireless Communications (C&W) recently launched an international appeal in support of regional humanitarian activities in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Company recently announced the establishment of its regional Foundation which immediately gave an initial donation of $34 million as a direct response to the emerging needs in the region… more
Elias: Why I resigned from TSTT *
Trinidad and Tobago – Contractor Emile Elias resigned from majority State-owned Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) last week in a letter addressed to his friend, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on September 19… more
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
Bitt opens its Digital Wallet
Barbados – Marla Dukharan is a well-respected economist, known across the region for her work in the financial sector… more
C&W Announces Partial Restoration of Mobile Network in Dominica
Dominica – Caribbean telecoms provider Cable & Wireless Communications (C&W) has begun the successful restoration of mobile services to Dominica… more
‘Guyana strategically positioned to be ICT driver in the region’ – Minster Hughes
Guyana – As the Caribbean Central American Action Conference (CCAA) concluded at the Marriot Hotel, participants are more informed on the business opportunities available in the country… more
Puerto Ricans hunt for precious Wi-Fi and cell signals
Puerto Rico – Margarita Aponte and her relatives cleared the road in front of her house with two oxen, then drove an hour from her devastated hometown in central Puerto Rico to the old telegraph building in the capital of San Juan… more
Puerto Rico was devastated, but media coverage has been spotty
Puerto Rico – The situation seems dire. Some 3.4 million American citizens are without power. Food and water are running low… more
CANTO and CDEMA Requests Assistance for Irma and Maria Ravaged Countries
Regional – Dear Members and Stakeholders, With the recent devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, we ask for your support and prayers for the affected countries as we continue to receive and process information and chart the best way forward in this catastrophe… more
C&W achieves security standard
Regional – An telecoms and entertainment provider operating within the Cayman Islands has announced it has been recognised for its standard of information security. C&W Business, a division of C&W Communications, achieved compliance with ISO/IEC 270001:2013, a security standard with thorough requirements aimed at establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a company’s information security management system… more
Tobago companies plan Tier 3 data center
Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) and the Eco Industrial Development Company of Tobago (E-IDCOT) are reportedly planning a data center at the Cove Eco-Industrial and Business Park (CEIBP) in Western Tobago, which they intend to certify as Tier 3 per ANSI/TIA-942 standard… more
Wednesday, 27 September 2017
BTL Talks Tech
Belize – And, finally, taking a break from all that police news, today BTL hosted its first Belize Tech Expo… more
Tech Expo held
Belize – A two-day tech-expo is being held at the Belize Biltmore Plaza that focuses on the emerging technology… more
Jobs affected – Cable company cites major loss
British Virgin Islands – At a time of heightened expectation that there may be job losses throughout the private sector as a result of hurricanes Irma and Maria, one company has announced what it described as a painful and temporary reorganization of its workforce… more
Dominican Republic applies conditions to Orange-Tricom merger
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) announced its approval for Altice’s application to merge its Orange Dominicana and Tricom units, subject to conditions… more
Digicel Denies Price Hike, Calls It A Rollback
Jamaica – Customers of Digicel Jamaica littered the telecom’s Facebook page with 486 comments of mostly negative in response to its new prepaid price of $6.50 per minute for mobile calls announced on the social media site… more
Wheatley presents GoJ portal to diaspora in Washington
Jamaica – Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr Andrew Wheatley, yesterday made a presentation on the recently launched Government of Jamaica (GoJ) portal to members of the Jamaican Diaspora, at a Town Hall Meeting in Washington DC… more
Thursday, 28 September 2017
Bitt opens its Digital Wallet
Barbados – Marla Dukharan is a well-respected economist, known across the region for her work in the financial sector… more
BTL faces stiff competition from Social Media
Belize – The Belize Telemedia Limited, held its annual general meeting last night in Belize City… more
B.T.L. Gets a Boost from G.O.B.
Belize – After an uptick in 2016, Belize Telemedia Limited is reporting less profit in 2017 of just over twenty million dollars… more
BTL Making Investment in Future, But It Will Cost In Short Term
Belize – Last night at the Biltmore, BTL held its 11th annual General Meeting. The company paid out 45% of its 20 million dollars in profits, amounting to 10 million dollars in dividends… more
Digicel resumes service in more communities
British Virgin Islands – Those customers join the growing list of others in Fat Hogs Bay; Parham Town; Greenland; East End Long Look; Long Bay; Trellis Bay; Hannah’s, and the Guana Island regions of Tom Bard Bay; Low Bay and West End Bay… more
Essential services being restored in Dominica
Dominica – Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has assured that efforts continue around the clock to restore essential utilities to the island which was ravaged by Hurricane Maria on September 18… more
Facebook Contest for Haitians Overseas Gives Away International Calling Minutes from SalutHaiti.com
Haiti – SalutHaiti.com, the expat service dedicated to the Haitians in the USA, Australia, Canada and other parts of the world, welcomes everyone on its Facebook page for a contest during the International Homesickness Week… more
Jamalco Donates 100 Tablets To 12 Clarendon Schools
Jamaica – Twelve schools were last week presented with tablets by bauxite company Jamalco at the Wembley Centre of Excellence in Hayes, Clarendon… more
‘Digital currency can transform regional economies’
Regional – Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Timothy Antoine said Barbados and the rest of the region can transform their economies by introducing a regional digital currency… more
bmobile to host Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisations’ HR and ICT Conference
Trinidad and Tobago – bmobile will be hosting the 2017 Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisations’ (CTO) Human Resources and ICT Conference on November 14 and 15 in Trinidad… more
Friday, 29 September 2017
Rawdon Adams returns to Barbados as CEO of Bitt Inc
Barbados – Rawdon JH Adams has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Bitt Inc… more
Cell phones in class – Walwyn turns to technology
British Virgin Islands – While he urged residents to donate laptop computers to senior school students, education minister Myron Walwyn said those students will be allowed to use cellular phones in class, adding that Government has scrapped certain fees relating to technology in the education system… more
Prison needs new telecom system after lightning strike
Cayman Islands – Damage to the telephone and internet lines from a lightning strike at Her Majesty’s Prison Northward early Wednesday is worse than officials first thought… more
CBCS Connects To Facebook
Curacao – The Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) is keeping up with social media trends. After having launched a Facebook page for the Yotin Kortá money museum a few years ago, the CBCS now has its own page on Facebook… more
GETTING DOMINICA BACK ONLINE
Dominica – The system was deployed after the category 5 Hurricane Maria struck the Caribbean country, SES said in a press release… more
WFP providing food, logistics and telecoms support to hurricane-hit island of Dominica
Dominica – Emergency food supplies from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have been delivered for distribution on the Caribbean island of Dominica which was devastated by Hurricane Maria early last week… more
Jamaican Returns For Top Job At Digicel
Jamaica – Justin Morin has been appointed as the first Jamaican national in the role of chief executive officer (CEO) for Digicel Jamaica. He takes over from outgoing CEO David Butler, who leaves Digicel to return to his native Ireland… more
Musson Touts New Tech Park As Largest In The Caribbean
Jamaica – Musson Group said Thursday that its tech park at Half-Way Tree Road in Kingston will cost more than US$30 million to develop and span 236,000 square feet when completed… more
Technology will be utilised in creating safer society, says Charles Jr
Jamaica – Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Senator Pearnel Charles Jr says the Government will continue to utilise technological solutions as a key component in creating a safer society… more
St. Kitts launched new official website
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Caribbean Island of St. Kitts launched a new official website… more
Saturday, 30 September 2017
INCE: DIGITAL CURRENCIES HERE TO STAY
Barbados – Blockchain technology, digital currencies are here to stay. So says Parliamentary Secretary in Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Senator Jepter Inc… more
A Call Centre opens in Linden but space is a constraint
Guyana – Due to the high percentage of unemployment in Region Ten, two young brothers Collis and Kirk Lymerick, pooled their resources and started a Call Centre ‘LinDev’ in Kara Kara; in the former Highway View Furniture Store building providing jobs for youths in the Region… more
Jamaican returns for top job at Digicel Jamaica
Jamaica – Digicel on Friday announced Justin Morin as the new incoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for its Jamaica operations… more
Bitt, United Caribbean Trust to help hurricane ravaged islands
Regional – Bitt Inc and the United Caribbean Trust (UCT) are making it possible for donations to be made in bitcoin, as part of a global effort to bring additional relief to Caribbean islands ravaged during the 2017 hurricane season… more
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR REGION
Regional – Leveraging Blockchain technology can lead to economic transformation in the region. This was the assessment made by Timothy Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB)… more
Sunday, 1 October 2017
Digicel Group Testing AI For Customer Chatline And Social Media
Regional – Digicel Group will start offering customers more self-serve features to resolve text queries in the wake of a deal struck with Canadian company Wysdom AI… more
Online platforms launched to promote regional trade, business
Regional – The Caribbean community’s development of a single market and economy has been given a boost with the launch of four new online platforms aimed at promoting trade and improving the ease of doing business… more
Image credits: GotCredit (flickr); Wikipedia; Belize Web; Brands of the World; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
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