A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 23 April to Sunday 29 April 2018.
Monday, 23 April 2018
Aliv Launches In Long Island
Bahamas – ALIV last Friday launched mobile services on Long Island, while also unveiling its store in Deadman’s Cay… more
Barbados: A Compelling Choice For Business Process Outsourcing
Barbados – There is extensive international awareness of Barbados as a respected financial services domicile and rightly so, with a highly educated workforce, its sound record of economic and political stability, business friendly and right sized regulatory environment, Barbados has been attracting investors seeking an international financial services centre of excellence for many years…more
Cayman caught in shadow of EU data regulation
Cayman Islands – As repercussions from the Facebook personal data scandal continue to reverberate around the world, a new directive from the European Union could have a major impact on the bottom line for any Cayman Islands company that holds any personal data of EU citizens… 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
Nevis IT department announces activities for second annual ICT Week
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The following is a press release from the Information Technology Department in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) regarding its second annual Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Week… more
Tuesday, 24 April 2018
Bahamian Firm Targets ‘Forefront’ Of Blockchain
Bahamas– A BAHAMAS-based ‘Fintech’ firm that offers consultancy services for potential Bitcoin and cryptocurrency investors has seen a “tremendous increase” in business since late 2017… more
DPM Tells Banks: ‘Do Far Better’ On Digital Education
Bahamas – THE Deputy Prime Minister yesterday admonished the commercial banking industry to “do a much better job” in preparing Bahamians for the digital financial services age… more
Women in Tech: Sheena Brereton wants girls creating with women in mind
Barbados – To borrow the slogan ‘for us, by us’, this encapsulates what Sheena Brereton, a woman in tech in Barbados wants from young girls coming up on island, and throughout the region… more
Cyber security training introduced at Exercise Tradewinds 2018
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The growing number of computer viruses and malware, the alleged cases of meddling in the United States election in 2016, and the hacking of various government websites in the Caribbean have caught the attention of security experts in the region who have decided to introduce a component of cyber security training in the annual Tradewinds exercise for 2018 (TW18)… more
Mystery hike in my TSTT bill
Trinidad and Tobago – THE EDITOR: Service providers need to stop bullying and abusing their customers, especially senior citizens… more
Securing bits and bytes
Trinidad and Tobago – TO safeguard a business or organisation once meant simply having security guards, enhanced barriers and even vaults… more
Wednesday, 25 April 2018
Blockchain Advocates Eye Bahamas Forums
Bahamas – A CARIBBEAN group is aiming to capitalise on the huge interest in blockchain and cryptocurrency in the Bahamas by creating a series of monthly exchanges and forums on the technology… more
CCTVs and God’s Watchful ‘Eye’
Barbados – At the recent 142nd passing out parade of Police officers at the Regional Police Training Centre, the guest of honor, Sir David Simmons, spoke to effectiveness of technology in Policing and crime prevention… more
Local couple featured on major porn website
British Virgin Islands – A local married couple is being featured on one of the largest pornographic video sharing websites on the World Wide Web… more
US increasing focus on Intellectual Property protection in Guyana
Guyana– The United States (US) appears to be stepping up its focus on intellectual property protection in Guyana, with American Ambassador, Perry Holloway urging locals not to buy bogus products and welcoming signals that government is about to draft modern copyright legislation… more
Caribbean girls ‘hacking’ for a safer future
Regional – Over 800 girls across five Caribbean countries: Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and St Vincent and the Grenadines, will come together for an immersive experience in technology in celebration of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Girls in ICT Day, on Thursday… more
Claro Caribbean customers up 3.5% to 5.7 mln in Q1
Regional – America Movil’s Claro units in the Caribbean reported first-quarter revenues down 0.3 percent year on year to USD 477 million an improvement on hurricane-impacted falls of 9 percent in the previous two quarters… more
High banking fees drive cryptocurrency
Trinidad and Tobago – CHAIRMAN of Caribbean financial technology company Bitt, Peter George, says a driver of cryptocurrency is the “destruction” by the banking industry from high fees… more
Technology the new way forward for admin professionals
Trinidad and Tobago – ADMINISTRATIVE Professionals are no longer considered basic assistants as clerks, typists, secretaries or coffee makers… more
Thursday, 26 April 2018
Girls in ICT Day 2018
Bahamas –The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) will once again lead the Bahamas’ observation of the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) International “Girls in “ICT” Day. … more
Gov’t Touts “Improved” Interception Communications Bill
Bahamas– A controversial bill made a return to the House of Assembly yesterday with the government touting the “improvements” made to the proposed law since its introduction last year… more
VIDEO: Girls create ICT tools to increase safe zones in Barbados
Barbados – Nine teams of girls from 11 schools including two tertiary institutions created technological tools to make homes, streets, relationships and web spaces safe for females… more
BTL’s services disrupted
Belize – Today numerous customers reported having issues using Belize Telemedia Ltd’s network. Customers reported that DSL, LTE and e-mail services were all affected… more
Cayman cybercrimes shoot up since 2014
Cayman Islands– While the number of cybercrimes reported in Cayman – computer scams like phishing, compromising email accounts or malware – has quintupled within the past four years, the local police service’s ability to deal with such matters has not… more
Proposed cybercrime bill… Int’l media watchdog group warns against penalties for whistleblowers and media
Guyana– An international media watchdog group has elevated Guyana on the world press freedom index while raising concerns about the negative impact the proposed cybercrime bill will have on whistleblowers and the media… more
Jamaica May Need Another Area Code Within Five Years – Wheatley
Jamaica – Even though the demand for telephone numbers is not specifically tied to population size, the rapid expansion of the information and communications technology (ITC) sector could make it necessary to receive another area code as quickly as in five years… more
Lee Chin’s AIC takes big stake in ReadyTV
Jamaica – Michael Lee Chin’s AIC Jamaica announced that it was taking a significant equity stake in Ready Communications, owners and operators of Jamaica’s first digital free-to-air and pay TV broadcaster -ReadyTV… more
There is more for women in ICT, says FLOW
Jamaica– FLOW, one of the largest local employers of IT and other technical workers, is urging female students and new graduates to actively pursue careers in the fast-paced information and communication technology (ICT) industry… more
Secretary General’s Address on Girls in ICT 2018
Regional – I am extremely proud to bring you brief remarks on today’s theme – WHEN I GROW UP… more
ISL makes bid to attract more BPO companies into Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia – A two-member delegation met with key industry players and potential investors within the business processing outsourcing sector…more
TTConnect wants TT to log on
Trinidad and Tobago– Nothing in life is certain besides death and taxes, but at least you can avoid an eternity in line by using TTConnect’s e-Tax portal to file your taxes. It’s just one of the ways iGovTT is trying to move government services from the physical to the digital realm… more
Friday, 27 April 2018
Yearwood elated over launch of new service
Antigua and Barbuda – Minister of Public Utilities, Sir Robin Yearwood commended the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), mainly the INET branch, on the launch of its 4G LTE service yesterday… more
BTL workers sign collective bargaining agreement
Belize – A new pension scheme, vehicle allowance and data plan are all part of a new four-year collective bargaining agreement signed by the Belize Communications Workers Union (B.C.W.U.) with the management of Belize Telemedia Ltd at the Belize Best Western Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City on Wednesday afternoon, April 18… more
Editorial | A Free Press, Democracy And Data Protection
Jamaica – Dionne Jackson-Miller, president of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ), is right. The erosion of press freedom can be – and in liberal democracies it often is – insidious – a little like the start to the boil of the proverbial lobster in cold water. It remains comfortable before it’s too late… more
ICT, Gender Specialist Urges Innovation Above Consumption
Jamaica – Ayanna Samuels, information and communications technologies (ICTs) and gender policy specialist, says that despite strides made in the ICT sector during recent years, it is unfortunate that most Jamaicans are consumers of technology rather than innovators and jobs creators for future national development… more
Jamaica Celebrates International Girls in ICT Day on April 26
Jamaica – Jamaica today (April 26) joined 166 other countries in celebrating International Girls in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Day… more
OUR calls on businesses to prepare for new 10-digit dialing
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is reminding business operators that significant planning will be required in adopting the new 10-digit dialling to be introduced at the end of May 2018… more
Terrelonge Bats For Girls In STEM
Jamaica – State Minister in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Alando Terrelonge has challenged students at St George’s Girls’ Primary and Infant School in Kingston to strive to achieve at the highest levels… more
Western Union extends digital footprint to Panama and Jamaica
Regional – Global payments firm Western Union has launched its digital money transfer services in Panama and Jamaica… more
Flow Saint Lucia marks Girls In ICT Day
Saint Lucia – Scores of schoolgirls in Saint Lucia were this week exposed to the plethora of possibilities in the sphere of information and communications technology, or ICT… more
Saturday, 28 April 2018
Easy access to technology has led to an increase in cyberbullying
Belize – As technology has become more accessible to young people, cyberbullying has increased in our society. According to a report by I-SAFE Foundation, cyberbullying has become a serious problem among teens and it is up to everyone in the community to help fight the problem… more
Cybercrime Bill clause sparks public outcry – – Persons believe it could be used to silence Govt. critics
Guyana – A clause in the Cybercrime Bill that is before Parliament for debate and passage has sparked a public outcry, with claims that it seeks to silence persons who criticize the Government… more
Digicel faced with an accidental rupture of optical fiber
Haiti – Digicel informs its customers that it has faced an accidental breakage of optical fiber in Chalon, near Miragoâne, which occurred during road infrastructure works… more
Businesses told to make adjustments for new area code
Jamaica – With Jamaica set to launch an additional Area Code in a matter of weeks, the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is reminding business operators that significant planning will be required in adopting the new 10-digit dialing that will be introduced at the end of May… more
Watch: Chaguanas North Sec girls reign as tech bosses at Girls in ICT
Trinidad and Tobago – The next time you look up ‘perseverance’ in the dictionary, you’ll most likely find the faces of Seanelle Regis, Lawanda John, Samantha Richardson, Tineil Sahadath, and Sha’uri Gordon… more
Sunday, 29 April 2018
Electrocuted GTT technician succumbs after hospital release
Guyana– David Kunath, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) technician who sustained burns about his body more than two months ago after an accident in which he was electrocuted, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday… more
Parts of Cybercrime Bill have no place in a modern liberal democracy
Guyana – Dear Editor, To reinforce and put structure to comments I have made on social media, Section 18.1 (a) of the 2016 Cybercrime Bill has no place in the laws of a modern liberal democracy… more
Sedition clause in cybercrime bill must be scrapped – TIGI President
Guyana – Local transparency watchdog, Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), has called for the scrapping of the sedition clause in the Cybercrime Bill which is currently before the National Assembly… more
Promoting Financial Inclusion with FinTech
Regional– Throughout the Caribbean region, island states are recording sluggish economic growth and rising poverty and inequality…more
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