A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 7 May to Sunday 13 May 2018.
Monday, 7 May 2018
ARIN And Antigua & Barbuda Government To Hold Workshop On Internet Resilience
Antigua and Barbuda – The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) is collaborating with the government of Antigua and Barbuda to strengthen the technical capacity of local network operators… more
First WiFi gazebo in Silver Sands
Barbados– After years of waiting, Silver Sands, Christ Church finally has a gazebo of its own… more
C&W Networks Improves Network Optimization of Pan-Caribbean Backbone With Coriant mTera Universal Transport Platform
Regional – Coriant, a global supplier of SDN-enabled end-to-end packet optical networking and DCI solutions, today announced that C&W Networks, a Liberty Latin America company, has deployed the Coriant mTera® Universal Transport Platform in its Pan-Caribbean network to optimize its network backbone for current and future high-speed service demands and simplify multiservice bandwidth management… more
Canaries To Have Free Wi-Fi!
Saint Lucia – I was hopeful last year when trying to organise a STAR-sponsored essay competition. I thought it would have been encouraging to parents and students to purposefully seek out a newspaper and read it, even just for one issue… more
Tuesday, 8 May 2018
Bahamas Companies Warned: ‘Hackers Don’t Discriminate’
Bahamas – An international cyber security expert yesterday stressed the need for heightened awareness of The Bahamas’ potential vulnerabilities, warning: “Hackers don’t discriminate… more
Scrap, replace Cybercrime Bill – Ram
Guyana–Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram has recommended that Government produce a new Cybercrime Bill to the National Assembly that conforms to the internationally-accepted Budapest Convention… more
Promoting ICT Development in Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis – As most Caribbean islands seek to improve their information and communications technology (ICT) sector, Nevis is also aggressively developing their digital economy through e-government transformation… more
Wednesday, 9 May 2018
BTC Profits Slump 75% Amid 2-Year Owner Wait
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) 2017 profits plunged by around 75 per cent amid its owner’s continuing two-year wait for the Government to approve its takeover… more
Flow observes girl in ICT Day
British Virgin Islands – Flow joined the global community in celebrating Girls in Information Communication Technology (ICT) Day observed on April 26, 2018 under the theme ‘Expand Horizons; Change Attitudes’… more
BLOCKCHAIN CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN CAYMAN
Cayman Islands– Industry leaders say demands for cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology continue to rise and they think Cayman’s position as a place to establish these types of businesses will pay dividends… more
Ministry of Public infrastructure website hacked
Guyana – Anyone attempting to access the Ministry of Public Infrastructure website last evening was greeted by a message declaring the space owned by Egyptian Hackers, a development which has crystalized a fear expressed by local technological experts that Government’s Cyber security is not up to par… more
Cable & Wireless Reports Preliminary Q1 2018 Results
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications Limited (“C&W”) is a leading telecommunications operator in its consumer markets, which are predominantly located in the Caribbean and Latin America, providing entertainment, information and communication services to 3.4 million mobile, 0.6 million internet, 0.6 million fixed-line telephony and 0.4 million video subscribers… more
CWC sales flat at USD 589 mln in Q1, EBITDA up 8%
Regional – Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), part of Liberty Global’s Liberty Latin America unit, reported organic revenues of USD 589.3 million in the first quarter of 2018, down 0.3 percent year on year in part due to the negative impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean region, offset by sequential growth in revenue generating units (RGUs)… more
Digicel 2030 transformation process ongoing
Regional – In a release sent on Wednesday, Digicel announced that the company’s group transformation programme, Digicel 2030, which was launched in February 2017, is continuing as planned… more
SportsMax, Digicel secure World Cup 2018 rights
Regional – SportsMax and Digicel announced, in a media release yesterday, that they have secured broadcast rights for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, for 22 countries, through an agreement signed with DIRECTV… more
IT director: Technology implementations put NIA at forefront of delivering more effective services
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Quincy Prentice, director of the Information Technology (IT) Department, believes that the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) is at the forefront of implementing technologies that deliver effective services to the people of Nevis… more
Thursday, 10 May 2018
BTC Owner Predicting ‘Light At End Of Tunnel’
Bahamas– The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) ultimate owner yesterday said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” in its battle to fight off Aliv’s competitive threat… more
Web Shop Locations Decline Near 60%
Bahamas – WEB shop locations have decreased by some 60 per cent since the industry’s regulation, it was revealed yesterday, with the industry’s Association dismissing the perception of “proliferation”… more
OfReg to commission study on internet speeds
Cayman Islands – The Utility Regulation and Competition Office has signed a memorandum of understanding with U.K. researcher SamKnows to study local internet speeds, OfReg telecommunications regulator Alee Fa’amoe told the Public Accounts Committee Wednesday… more
Digicel to cut T&T staff
Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel T&T staff are being briefed this week on organisational restructuring and other plans arising out of a decision by the telecommunications giant to cut its global headcount by 25 per cent… more
Friday, 11 May 2018
E-textbook, a “colossal failure’ if changes are not made
Antigua and Barbuda– The government’s electronic textbook initiative is at great risk of becoming a “colossal failure” if changes are not made immediately to the content that is provided to teachers and students… more
Teachers demand better public school internet
Antigua and Barbuda– Public school teachers are reminding the government how critical internet connectivity is to the teacher and learning process… more
ALARM OVER CYBERSECURITY THREATS
Bahamas – The Minister of National Security Marvin Dames says last year there were eight leading cyber security threats which encompassed both fraud and ransom. He said cybercrime includes damage and destruction of data and stolen money… more
Bahamas Targets Seat On Global Telecom Body
Bahamas – Campaigning for The Bahamas to obtain on the International Telecommunications Council (ITU) is among the sector regulator’s priority projects for 2018… more
Companies Warned: Don’t Lay Out ‘Hacker Red Carpet’
Bahamas – Bahamian businesses were yesterday warned that they are effectively “laying out the red carpet” for hackers if they do not take cyber threats seriously… more
Minister Dames: Bahamas not Immune to Cyber Crimes
Bahamas – During his remarks at the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) Cyber Security Forum, on May, 10, 2018, Minister of National Security the Hon. Marvin Dames noted that while The Bahamas, being a member of the global community, has embraced cyber opportunities, it is, of course, not immune to the negative effects of cyber crimes… more
Police Must ‘Recruit By Need’ On Cyber Crime
Bahamas – The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) needs to “build capacity” to handle cyber crimes, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday, adding: “We need to recruit based on needs and not numbers… more
Ain’t No Sunshine: Gov’t Company Shut Out of B.T.L. Compensation
Belize– After three days of litigation, Supreme Court Justice Courtney Abel issued a comprehensive judgment against Sunshine Holdings Limited’s claim for compensation, in respect of shares it owned in Belize Telemedia Limited before its acquisition in 2009, and again in 2011… more
BTL ranked #1 for mobile data download speed
Belize– Belize Telemedia Ltd. (BTL), via a press release, announced that it has been ranked number 1 in Latin America and the Caribbean in Mobile Data Download Speeds by Ookla in December 2017 and February 2018… more
Cable cost to rise
Belize – While Belizeans have seen the cost of various goods and services rising consistently in recent months, the cost of cable will also be going up as early as June 1, to assist cable service providers in managing the cost of becoming compliant with international copyright laws… more
Ain’t no sunshine for Sunshine Holdings as Justice Abel dismisses case
Belize– Today Justice Courtenay Abel dismissed a claim brought by Sunshine Holdings Limited against the Government of Belize and the BTL Employees Trust… more
GOB Falls To Ashcroft Alliance Again
Belize– For 3 days now, Justice Courtney Abel has been listening to arguments on the last court fight over money connected to the half a billion dollar settlement over BTL… more
Is B.T.L. Litigation Over?
Belize – So at long last, is it over? The now nearly nine-year saga of Telemedia’s acquisition by government started in August of 2009 and effectively concluded with the settlement in 2015… more
Scotiabank donates computers to Holy Cross Anglican School
Belize – The Holy Cross Anglican Primary School in the San Mateo Area of San Pedro Town received two desktop computers courtesy of the Scotiabank San Pedro Branch on Wednesday, May 9th… more
Cyber Crime Bill contains “tool” to crackdown on seditious posts on Facebook, other computerised posts – AFC Chairman
Guyana – Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan on Friday insisted that sedition must be listed as an offence in proposed Cyber Crime legislation to crack down on those who use Facebook and other Internet-based media to threaten the stability of the government… more
Bartlett embraces technological thrust in local tourism marketing
Jamaica– Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has cited a refreshing and technologically-driven thrust being taken within the local tourism marketplace to generate even more growth than has been realised over recent years… more
Scotiabank Offers Virtual Reality To Students At ICT Hackathon
Jamaica – Students with a penchant for thrilling rides treated themselves to a range of virtual-reality experiences while visiting the Scotiabank booth at the recently held Girls in ICT Day Hackathon… more
Blockchain Milestone: CariNet Will Introduce National Nodes
Regional– CariNet, also known as the Caribbean Digital Finance and Free Trade System, has been officially launched, applying blockchain technology to help the Caribbean FTA member countries to build digital payment and digital financial infrastructures in order to build a platform for international trade… more
Students in hurricane impacted markets get free access to Flow Study exam material
Regional– Students in the Hurricane affected Flow markets of Anguilla, BVI, Dominica and Turks & Caicos now have access to Flow Study CSEC and CAPE exam material for free until June 30, 2018… more
Saturday, 12 May 2018
E-textbook, a “colossal failure’ if changes are not made
Antigua and Barbuda– The government’s electronic textbook initiative is at great risk of becoming a “colossal failure” if changes are not made immediately to the content that is provided to teachers and students… more
Teachers demand better public school internet
Antigua and Barbuda– Public school teachers are reminding the government how critical internet connectivity is to the teacher and learning process… more
NGOs To Host Town Hall Meeting On Data Protection Act
Jamaica – The spotlight will be on the ground-breaking and far-reaching Data Protection Bill in a specially convened town hall being organised to stimulate debate and answer questions from the public about the legislation… more
Online CXC exams coming
Jamaica – JAMAICAN students sitting Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) subjects will soon be required to take some aspects of their examinations online… more
Sunday, 13 May 2018
GECOM made request to UN for internationally recruited IT specialist
Guyana – The United Nations (UN) team that held discussions here about what electoral assistance may be needed for the two upcoming elections, visited after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) formally requested an internationally recruited Information Technology specialist… more
iGovTT partners with ALTA
Trinidad and Tobago– The National Information and Communications Technology Company Ltd (iGovTT) is working with the Adult Literacy Tutors Association (ALTA) to create a system that will allow literacy students to learn to read online… more
Digitizing of GRO records to be completed in 2020 – Felix
Guyana – The digitizing of records at the General Register Office (GRO) is now set to be completed by 2020, according to Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix who says that the delivery of printed birth certificates is one of the aims… more
Online training related to ICT for Haitian women
Haiti– “Ayitic Goes Global” is an online training program, related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Haitian women, initiated by the Registry of Internet Directions of Latin America and the Caribbean (LACNIC ) and the International Research and Development Center (IDRC)… more
Image credits: Nicolas Alejandro (flickr); The Eleutheran; Wikipedia; Belize Web; Wikipedia
