A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 4 June to Sunday 10 June 2018.
Monday, 4 June 2018
Ozone facing possible takeover
Barbados – Less than a year after setting up shop in Barbados, telecommunications company Ozone Wireless faces possible take over by its competitor Flow… more
Mose Hyde – Is BTL the property of the UDP?
Belize – Last week, BBN reported that Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) pulled the plug on all advertisements with KREM Radio, KREM TV, and The Amandala Newspaper… more
Court hearing begins for telecom fiber network dispute
Cayman Islands – A judicial review hearing began on Monday over a dispute between Caribbean Utilities Company subsidiary DataLink and the Utility Regulation and Competition Office, known as OfReg… more
Guyana Gov’t Promises To Liberalise Telecommunication Sector By Year-End
Guyana – The Guyana government Monday promised to fully liberalise the telecommunication sector “before the end of 2018”… more
Moïse launches the Technology Incubator Incubator «Alpha Haïti»
Haiti – Following the promise on June 6, 2017 at the official opening of the Technology Summit “Haiti Tech Summit to continue the Martelly government’s initiative to set up a technological innovation incubator, Saturday President Moïse has kept his promise… more
Data centre upgrade for bmobile
Trinidad and Tobago – Bmobile already had one of the best data centres in the region but recently went a step further to become one of the first to receive the latest international standards in certification—the TIA-942-B certification, an upgrade to the TIA-942-A which the company previous attained… more
Tuesday, 5 June 2018
Letter: BPP condemns rumours of BTL boycott of Kremamdala and Plus TV
Belize – Dear Sir: Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) belongs to the people of Belize and not to the United Democratic Party or the government of the day… more
GPS tracking leads cops to accused phone thief
British Virgin Islands– GPS tracking of a stolen cellular phone reportedly has led police to the suspected thief… more
New conference focuses on Cayman’s digital economy
Cayman Islands – CyDEC 2018, Cayman’s first digital economy conference, will showcase new ideas and applied technological advancements in the financial, technological, legal and public sector industries… more
Telecoms liberalization date set for year-end
Guyana – After several years of delays and promises, the opening of the telecoms sector may finally be in sight, with a senior government official tagging the end of 2018 for liberalization… more
Jamaica implements second area code
Jamaica– Jamaica recently became the first country in the English-speaking Caribbean to utilize an additional area code… more
Flow customers get new features with latest release of MyFlow app
Regional – The customer self-care app from Flow called “MyFlow” was recently relaunched with several new features that make it even easier to use and more convenient for customers… more
GINet Free WIFI Service Conducted an Online testing Operation in Castries
Saint Lucia – The Government Island-wide Network (GINet) Project, a joint-initiative between Saint Lucia and Taiwan, conducted an on-line testing operation to public In Castries on May 25, 2018 and attracted hundreds of local people to experienced free WIFI service… more
Wednesday, 6 June 2018
Flow in talks to take over Barbados MNO Ozone Wireless – report
Barbados – The Flow Barbados subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications is in active negotiations to take over new MNO Ozone Wireless just a year after launching, according to unnamed sources cited by local daily Barbados Today… more
BTL DECLARES WAR ON KREMANDALA!
Belize – Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), one of the biggest advertisers in the country, has not been doing any advertising business with KREMANDALA’s three companies, the Amandala newspaper, KREM Radio and KREM Television, for several weeks now… more
BTL responds to criticism of politically targeting Kremandala
Belize – Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) issued a release today responding to criticism for reportedly pulling ads from the Kremandala media house and particularly the Amandala newspaper for political reasons… more
Cayman Islands: Protecting Personal Data – Is The Financial Industry Prepared?
Cayman Islands – The new Cayman Islands Data Protection Law (“DPL”) is due to come into effect in January 2019 and will regulate the future processing of all personal data in the Cayman Islands… more
Flow, C3 customers facing World Cup TV blackout
Cayman Islands – Rival cable companies will be forced to black out television channels carrying coverage of the World Cup football tournament, which starts next week, broadcast rights holder Logic has confirmed… more
Weather service strives to restore radio broadcasts
Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands National Weather Service is still attempting to repair the damage from a lightning strike last year that knocked its public radio broadcasts off the air… more
This behaviour by GTT could only create disrespect for my fellow Guyanese
Guyana – DEAR EDITOR, I had decided some time ago to remain silent on the issue of GTT sending messages to me, encouraging me to call my relatives and friends who reside in North America and ask them to top up my cell phone account so that it can be multiplied three or four times over… more
Soon launch of the selection competition for the incubator Alpha Haiti
Haiti – The first Haitian technology incubator “Alpha Haiti” implanted in the complex Ciné Triomphe, aims to provide an environment conducive to the creation of start-up, the support of innovative projects and training in the field of new technologies and entrepreneurship… more
Thursday, 7 June 2018
Web Shop Industry: 2,000 Jobs Will Be Lost Due To Tax Hikes
Bahamas – The web shop industry yesterday warned that 2,000 jobs will be lost, and 75 per cent of its locations will close, if the Government follows through with aggressive triple-digit tax hikes… more
Reporters Without Borders urges Guyanese Parliament to amend drafted Cybercrime Bill
Guyana – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Thursday urged the Guyanese Parliament to amend its drafted Cybercrime Bill, which could have a damaging effect on press freedom… more
GovNet Officially Launched
Jamaica – The Government’s communications network, GovNet, which is expected to result in greater public-sector interconnectivity and efficiency, was officially launched today (June 6)… more
Ready TV brings sporting action ‘home’
Jamaica – Jamaica’s first digital prepaid cable television service Ready TV has been receiving rave reviews for its broadcasting of niche sports, claims Content Manager Kia McIntosh… more
Canadian Bank to Initiate Contacless Payment Cards in Caribbean
Regional – The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has revealed plans to introduce contactless payments across the Caribbean by enabling ‘Tap-and-pay’ capability on its point-of-sale devices in the region… more
Single ICT Space, Cyber Security on Agenda of ICT Officials
Regional – Progress on the development of the Single Information and Communication Technology (ICT) space in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and cyber security, are among the main areas that ICT officials will discuss when they meet today… more
National Tech Expo shows off technology at its best
Trinidad and Tobago – After partnering with the non-governmental organisation ‘Restore a Sense of I Can’ (RSC), to implement a Digital Citizenship Programme for four secondary schools in February this year, the Digicel Foundation collaborated with the RSC to host the first National Tech Expo at the Chaguanas South Secondary School, on Friday June 1, 2018… more
Friday, 8 June 2018
BTC Is Ready For The 2018 Hurricane Season
Bahamas – With a major overhaul of its main network hub, The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC) has confirmed that it is ready for the 2018 Hurricane Season… more
Ex-Minister ‘Totally Opposed’ To Web Shop Taxation Hike
Bahamas – The ex-Cabinet minister who oversaw the web shop industry’s legalisation yesterday queried why it was being hit with “destructive” taxation despite meeting all its obligations to date… more
Web Shops Urged To Withhold Due Taxes
Bahamas – Web shops were yesterday urged to withhold all revenues currently due to the government, amid claims planned tax hikes were intended to wipe them out in favour of a national lottery… more
COLA stands WITH KREMANDALA!
Belize – C.O.L.A. in a press release issued today says that they stand with the Kremandala organization against the ill-explained decision by government-owned Belize Telemedia Limited to withdraw advertising from the media group… more
DISRESPECT, AND DISCRIMINATION
Belize– Our position at AMANDALA presently is that we are in search of a small radio transmitter. As soon as we locate and acquire same, we are going to equip a small studio on Partridge Street and begin broadcasting… more
Is GOB using BTL to punish Kremandala? BTL stops advertising with media entity; defends position
Belize – On May 11, Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), one of the two major telecommunications company and one of Belize’s biggest advertisers, wrote to Krem Radio, Krem TV and the Amandala newspaper informing that it would no longer advertise with the three companies, with immediate effect… more
Columbus Business Solutions Now Operating as C&W Business in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic – Columbus Business Solutions, part of Cable & Wireless Communications, a Liberty Latin America company, announced today that it will be operating under the trading name of C&W Business in the Dominican Republic, effective immediately… more
ReadyTV Goes Rural To Reach MoBay, St Bess By July
Jamaica – Co-Chief Executive Officer of ReadyTV Christopher Dehring said that 15,000 households in St Catherine which comprise a traditional blind spot for television and radio signals will, by the end of June, begin receiving the station’s 100 high-definition channels as well as the island’s two traditional stations as the company commissions its second broadcast tower in Linstead… more
BATT sees potential in blockchain
Trinidad and Tobago – Cryptocurrencies are not the only way to make use of blockchain technology, says President of the Bankers Association of T&T (BATT) Nigel Baptiste who believes financial technology holds great potential for T&T’s financial sector and economy… more
Saturday, 9 June 2018
BTL’S FAILED ATTEMPT AT DAMAGE CONTROL
Belize – The news that Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), a telecommunications company that the government nationalized and “enshrined in the Constitution of Belize,” had implemented an unannounced advertising boycott of the three KREMANDALA companies — KREM Radio, KREM Television and Amandala newspaper — began resonating on social media last week…more
GINet Free WiFi Service Launched in Dennery North
Saint Lucia – THE Government Island-wide Network (GINet) Project, a joint-initiative between Saint Lucia and Taiwan, was officially launched on June 6 at Dennery North… more
Sunday, 10 June 2018
Dehring, Ready TV banking on human nature
Jamaica – ALMOST a year into officially launching his newest project, Ready TV, Chris Dehring is confident that things are moving apace, and his vision of providing affordable television for all Jamaicans is becoming more convincing… more
Fiwi Productions relaunches e-commerce site
Jamaica – Fiwi Productions, a media, entertainment, and marketing company headquartered in New York City, but highlighting Jamaican, Caribbean, and African-American cultures, has re-launched its e-commerce site, Fiwiproductions.com, 18 years after its first launch… more
Teen trends and technology
Jamaica – “Recently, I thought of deleting my Facebook account and start using Twitter, but realised it’s not easy. Facebook has become like the boyfriend I no longer like but am scared to dump because I’ve invested so much time in the relationship.” — Manasa Rao Saarloos, author… more
Startup Huddle To Launch in St. Lucia
Saint Lucia – SLUDTERA would like to inform all St. Lucians, particularly St. Lucian Entrepreneurs, of Startup Huddle to launch in St. Lucia in November 2018 around the time of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)… more
Image credits: filipe ferreira (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Marketing Magazine; Wikipedia
