A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 3 September to Sunday 8 September 2018.
Monday, 3 September 2018
Ministry of Education and BTC Sign Contract for Public School Technological Upgrade
Bahamas – The Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd, Minister of Education, said “students and teachers throughout The Bahamas will benefit from equal access to modern technology,” during a press conference announcing the signing of a five-year technology upgrade agreement between the Ministry of Education and the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd. (BTC)… more
Public schools get $12M WiFi upgrade
Bahamas – The educational system in the country is on the cusp of a digital revolution as government signed a multi-million-dollar contract with Bahamas Telecommunication Company (BTC) for fiber optic infrastructural upgrades, and donated 2,500 tablets for teachers and students in public schools nationwide… more
Ozone floored
Barbados – Embattled third player in the Barbados mobile market, Ozone Wireless, has been dealt a massive blow by Flow Barbados, which has barred the cash strapped mobile provider from using its signal stations because of its failure to pay an outstanding debt… more
Telecommunications provider responds to customer complaints
Barbados – Digicel Barbados customers who have been complaining about their data plans ending “too quickly” are getting some relief… more
Poor GTT response to erratic DSL service
Guyana – Dear Editor, It seems we have become so inured to inefficiencies in Guyana that the current erratic DSL internet service in Georgetown is simply accepted as “normal”… more
Tuesday, 4 September 2018
Flow accused of strong-arm tactics in Ozone pull out
Barbados – The decision by telecommunications giant Flow Barbados to bar its cash strapped competitor Ozone Wireless from using its signal stations due to an unpaid debt, may have been a power play to drive out the competition, a local consumer rights advocate charges… more
Utility regulator appoints more bosses
Cayman Islands – J. Paul Morgan, the first CEO of the Utility Regulation and Competition Office (OfReg), has left office after just over 18 months on the job and the board of directors has now appointed two people to act in the post while a recruitment process to fill the CEO post is undertaken…more
Govt. ‘more inclined to arbitration’ in bid to recover US$5M for GT&T shares
Guyana – A legal team from the Chambers of the Attorney General is actively reviewing the agreement between the Government of Guyana and Hong Kong Golden Telecom Limited (HKGT) with regard to monies owed for the purchase of shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company… more
Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company fires 12 over suspected fraud
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has fired 12 persons following the discovery of “suspicious activities”… more
Digicel launches ‘The Digicel One Million’ for its customers
Regional – The telecommunications company launched its newest promotion, ‘The Digicel One Million’ at an event held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Monday in the presence of specially invited guests… more
Nationwide LTE by November, says Digicel
Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel is promising nationwide 4G LTE by November… more
Wednesday, 5 September 2018
APUA pay dispute before the Industrial Court
Antigua and Barbuda – The ongoing pay dispute between the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) and its workers is now before the Industrial Court… more
C&W cuts Ozone over $1.5m debt
Barbados – ABOUT 700 OZONE CUSTOMERS are without service after Cable & Wireless abruptly pulled the plug last Friday… more
Digicel selected to rebuild telecoms, ICT services in Dominica
Dominica – The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica – and by extension the people of Dominica – are poised for a major technology transformation with the news that ICT managed services provider, Digicel, has officially been selected as the winning bidder to provide the rebuild of the Telecommunications and ICT services to the country… more
GTT sacks 12 staffers over alleged manipulation of Mobile Money
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has sacked 12 staffers for alleged fraud with its Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) service… more
New CEO Named At The Cable
Saint Kitts and Nevis – After 35 years in charge of the St Kitts-Nevis Cable Communications Ltd (The Cable), Managing Director Bill Ewing is stepping down and handing the reins over to Patricia Walters, a former CEO of Cable and Wireless… more
Thursday, 6 September 2018
Call Centre Aims to Create Almost 20,000 More Jobs in Guyana in Five Years
Guyana – Teleperformance, an international call-centre hub, says it intends to employ about 20,000 people in Guyana within the next five years, significantly more than the 600 it currently hires… more
GTT’s lousy service had pensioners waiting for hours to pay their phone bills
Guyana – Dear Editor, I have seen, with distress, the daily deterioration of the standards at GTT… more
Friday, 7 September 2018
Cable theft affects over 600 BTC customers in Grand Bahama
Bahamas – Over 600 BTC customers in the Sunrise Park community in Grand Bahama were again inconvenienced due to a deliberate act of sabotage… more
GB Crypto Firm To Brief On ICO Offer
Bahamas – A Grand Bahama-based cypto-asset firm plans to brief Nassau residents today on its initial coin offering (ICO), which is scheduled to take place in 42 days… more
Cayman tests emergency disaster communications capability
Cayman Islands – The Governor’s Office and Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI), on Thursday tested new emergency satellite communications equipment on the roof of the Government Administration Building…more
Dominican Rep. Stands Out in Implementation of Electronic Government
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic is among the countries with greatest growth in the implementation of electronic government, local media reported today in this capital… more
Guyana Lands and Survey Commission enters 21st century with Global Satellite Systems
Guyana – The Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) is collaborating with United Kingdom (UK) based company, Ordnance Survey (OS) to build capacity and implement the use of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)… more
PSOJ says BPO sector retarding economic growth
Jamaica – The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has criticised the current state of the Business Process Outsouring (BPO) sector in Jamaica… more
Digicel Group Limited Extends Early Tender Date for Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations
Regional – Digicel Group Limited (“Digicel”) today announced that two of its subsidiaries are extending the early tender date (the “Early Tender Date”) of each of their previously announced Exchange Offers (as defined below) with respect to certain series of Digicel Group Limited’s outstanding senior notes… more
Digicel MyCash To Roll Out In Florida, New York
Regional – Simultaneous with the Jamaica roll-out of MyCash, Digicel Group will be offering the mobile wallet and prepaid card to subscribers in the United States, but there its banking partner is Metropolitan Commercial Bank… more
Trinidad to host CaribNOG Internet conference next month
Regional – Trinidad and Tobago will host a major regional gathering to advance Internet development in the Caribbean… more
Government Of St. Kitts-Nevis Endorses New CEO Of The Cable
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis highly endorses the new Chief Executive officer (CEO) of the St. Kitts-Nevis Cable Communications Ltd- The Cable, Patricia Walters, who assumed the position on Wednesday, September 5… more
Saturday, 8 September 2018
Broadcasters get the facts on copyright
Belize – The Belize Broadcasting Authority (BBA) met with local broadcasters who are licensed by the BBA to discuss the importance of copyright compliance… more
Sunday, 9 September 2018
Health + Tech | Mental Health Care And Technology
Jamaica – It’s estimated that at least 25 per cent of Jamaicans have mental illness… more
Image credits: Kaboompics-Karolina (pexels); Wikipedia; Brands of the World; Wikipedia
