A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 16 April to Sunday 22 April 2018.
Monday, 16 April 2018
Dominica to implement advanced passenger information system
Dominica – Dominica is scheduled to join its other CARICOM counterparts in the implementation of an advanced passenger information system and an advanced cargo information system later this year… more
Guyana lacks laws to govern electronic payment services
Guyana – While there are specific legal provisions for international remittance services, there are no statutory or regulatory provisions to govern a range of other payment services and payment mechanisms in Guyana… more
1GB FOR $150: Digicel introduces exciting new data plan
Jamaica – Digicel on Monday launched its latest mobile data offering with the declaration, “We GIG you more”… more
Prepare Workforce for Technologically Driven Future – Turner-Jones
Jamaica – Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Caribbean Country Department General Manager, Therese Turner-Jones, says the Jamaican labour force must be equipped to operate in a world characterised by rapidly evolving technology… more
VIDEO: Tech expert lobbies for SME protection in new data law
Jamaica – The founder of the non-profit technology organisation, SlashRoots Foundation, Matthew McNaughton believes the Data Protection Act currently before parliament needs modification for it to be relevant in the Jamaican context… more
Digicel Group to lay ground for refinancing of bond
Regional – The Irish Times newspaper is reporting that within the next month Digicel Group will begin to lay the ground for an eventual US$2 billion refinancing of a bond maturing in 2020… more
Cryptocurrency comes to the Caribbean TCI urged to be a part of the conversation
Turks and Caicos islands – ON APRIL 5, the Caribbean region took a major step into the future of financial transactions, with the signing of an agreement with blockchain technology company, Bitt Inc… more
Tuesday, 17 April 2018
PO8, the First Bahamian Blockchain Project Aims to Disrupt the Marine Archaeology Industry
Bahamas – PO8, the first Bahamian blockchain start-up has officially put The Bahamas on the world crypto stage… more
The Road to a National ID System
Belize– The Inter-American Development Bank in collaboration with the Statistical Institute of Belize kicked off a four-day course on administrative data… more
Cybercrime Bill ready for Parliamentary passage – Attorney General
Guyana – In the age of technology, cybercrimes such as computer fraud, hacking, copyright infringement, unwarranted mass-surveillance, sextortion, and cyber bullying are becoming increasingly prevalent… more
JamaicaEye gets strong support from private sector
Jamaica – THE national closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme, geared at improving public safety and security, is receiving strong support from members of the private sector, who believe that the initiative will make an impact on crime in the country… more
Jamaica BPO Stakeholders Communicate Honest, Actionable Awareness of Talent Crisis
Jamaica – Whatever caused it, BPO buyers are now paying very close attention to Jamaica, with companies such as Amazon, Lyft, Hilton, and AT&T betting big on the sector… more
Tech meets culture
Jamaica– Technology gurus, Next Gen Creators are encouraging Jamaicans to adapt to evolving technologies that can enhance the country’s already vibrant culture… more
E-Testing – Making Caribbean examinations more efficient
Regional– “The Caribbean Examinations Council has successfully launched its Electronic Testing or e-testing service to the region.” The announcement was made by Barbados Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation on Monday, 30 January, 2017… more
Zuckerberg must be regulated
Regional – Finally, Mark Zuckerberg, owner of Facebook has been called to testify before Congress. This follows disturbing revelations and persistent questions about data handling and privacy… more
Wednesday, 18 April 2018
Dominican Republic lags behind in robotics, artificial intelligence
Dominican Republic – In Dominican Republic’s labor market the number of people trained in robotics and artificial intelligence is low, according to a study of business leaders and of Human Resources… more
Beware Of Artificial Intelligence, Wheatley Warns BPO Sector
Jamaica – Investors and workers in the ever -expanding local business process outsourcing (BPO) sector are being warned about the dangers of the evolving development of artificial intelligence (AI) within the scientific community and the effects it can have on the industry… more
Disgusted With FLOW’s Failures
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I write to express my concern and disappointment at the quality of service being received from FLOW… more
Jamaica well suited for BPO industry — Epstein
Jamaica – Founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of itelbpo — the Caribbean’s largest home-grown Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services provider —Yoni Epstein, says that BPO companies in Jamaica are well suited by their geographical locations… more
Video: Danielle Terrelonge encourages girls to explore careers in ICT
Jamaica – On April 26, people from around the globe will mark Girls in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Day, aimed at introducing young women to the real opportunities that exist in the expanding field… more
ARIN Seeks Caribbean Candidate For Board Of Trustees
Regional – Persons from the Caribbean seeking to contribute to the governance ecosystem of the global Internet can now volunteer for an appointment to the board of trustees of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN). The call for volunteers will close on April 30 at 5 pm EDT… more
Mobile boosts Flow CARIFTA Games viewing figures
Regional – Flow has claimed that over 700,000 customers watched the 2018 Flow CARIFTA Games, a rise of 25% on the 2017 figure… more
FLOW Supporting Top-Up Vendors
Saint Lucia – Smartphone users on the Flow network already enjoy the best rates in Saint Lucia for data, text and voice, in addition to flexible combo plans, inclusive of roll-over data on the island’s fastest and most reliable network… more
Thursday, 19 April 2018
Blockchain To Solve Bahamas’ ‘Major Workforce Waste’
Bahamas – THE Government’s first-ever use of blockchain technology will tackle what was yesterday branded “an enormous waste of human capital”… more
Cayman Water encourages customers to go paperless
Cayman Islands – Cayman Water and Cayman Islands Meals on Wheels have combined to impact the environment and the community in one fell swoop. Cayman Water, which recently launched its new website, is hoping to entice its customers to go paperless by making a public contribution to charity…more
GRA has not updated its website re: drivers’ licences
Guyana – Dear Editor, A friend of mine who recently migrated to the United States informed me of a situation that exposes the ineptitude of one of our primary governmental offices… more
Quickcanoe technology backs Expo Jamaica
Jamaica – E-commerce company Quickcanoe.com will be using its technology to give support to Expo Jamaica, which opens today at the National Arena… more
Ten-Digit Dialing Not Likely To Pose Any Major Problem, Says Business Leaders
Jamaica – Private-sector leaders say that their organisations are prepared to integrate the 10-digit telephone dialling sequence that is due to come on stream later this year along with the introduction of a new international area code number ‘658’… more
Call for Articles – 2nd Quarter Cancion
Regional – Dear Industry Expert, I am pleased to invite you to contribute article(s) for publication in our 2nd quarter Cancion magazine – 2018… more
CariNet worked with 15 countries to build blockchain infrastructure
Regional –With the rapid development of the global blockchain market, Caribbean countries are ready to embrace the blockchain in an all-round way to inject new catalysts into the declining traditional financial industry…. more
iGovTT appoints new CEO
Trinidad and Tobago– Kirk Henry has been appointed CEO of the National Information and Communication Technology Company Ltd (iGovTT). He took up duties on April 3… more
Friday, 20 April 2018
Central Bank Eyes Digital B$ By 2021
Bahamas – THE Central Bank is aiming to roll-out a ‘test’ digital Bahamian currency by 2021, the Deputy Prime Minister disclosed yesterday, while slamming the banks for “forcing” electronic banking… more
HELLO CYBERSECURITY, MY OLD FRIEND…
Barbados – Happy (belated) New Year, everyone! It’s already started at breakneck speed for technologists, with a continuation of the wildly fluctuating value of Bitcoin, horrifying evidence of privacy breaches being used to sway national opinions and the latest, insidious backdoors into the CPU chips of 99% of all computing devices – yes, backdoors into the brains of everything from your laptop and phone to your washing machine and fridge… more
International experts give digital marketing advice
Barbados – A redefinition of business is necessary in light of the technological age we now live in… more
BTL CEO: Belize has the fastest mobile network in Caribbean and Central America
Belize – Belize now has the fastest mobile internet in the Caribbean and Central America according to BTL’s CEO Rochus Schreiber… more
Duty calls for the telecoms chief who gave hope to Haiti
Haiti– Spending seven days in Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake was more than enough for John Griffin to realise how lucky he is… more
Expo Jamaica Goes Fully Digital With Online Sales
Jamaica – This year Expo Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest trade show, has taken a major step into the future by fully digitising all services for the four-day exhibition… more
VIDEO: Digicel announces super fast LTE technology in more towns
Jamaica – Digicel is the title sponsor of the Jamaica Manufacturer’s Association Expo Jamaica 2018 and the company is promising Jamaicans more access to super-fast internet in diverse places across the island… more
Commonwealth takes strong stance against cybercrime with landmark declaration
Regional – Commonwealth countries have unanimously committed to take action on cybersecurity between now and 2020 with a landmark declaration at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London earlier today… more
Saturday, 21 April 2018
FLOW Resolves Customer Grouse
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir:We write in response to the letter to the editor titled ‘Disgusted with FLOW’s failures’ published in your newspaper on April 18, 2018… more
A Climate of Change for the Caribbean Internet
Regional – Spring storms with winter qualities clobbered North America this week, threatening Canada with slow-moving storms, and pounding the United States with near-record snowfall in the midwest, low temperatures in the south and tornadoes further east. You could say change was in the air… more
EDITORIAL – AVOID PITFALLS OF THE WEB
Regional – Past generations are generally remembered for the level of discipline that they meted out to their charges… more
Sunday, 22 April 2018
BPO Stakeholders Encourged To Plan For Future Development Of Sector
Jamaica– Stakeholders in the Business Process Outsourcing sector (BPO) have been urged to come together and plan the way forward for an industry that is rapidly growing… more
Sick of high phone bills
Jamaica – Dear Claudienne, I write to complain about the unusual hike in my FLOW mobile phone bills for October, November and December 2017… more
Caribbean Commits To Spearheading Digital Ecosystem, E-Commerce
Regional – With the adoption of the Cartagena Declaration, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) says regional countries of have approved the eLAC 2020 Digital Agenda… more
Image credits: Free-Photos (Pixabay); Brands of the World; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Belize Web
