A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 30 September to Sunday 7 October 2019.
Monday, 30 September 2019
Smart Barbados Week launches Monday
Barbados – The Ministry of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology (MIST) will host Smart Barbados Week – ‘A Digital Encounter’ from October 1 to 4 at the Lloyd, Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), Two Mile Hill, St Michael, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day… more
Public Telecommunications ministry to digitise employee records
Guyana – The Ministry of Public Telecommunications is preparing to roll out a pilot project that will see the digitisation of all employee records… more
Microsoft encourages Jamaican companies to accelerate digital transformation
Jamaica – Microsoft Jamaica is throwing its weight behind local companies accelerating their digital transformation to achieve robust growth and productivity… more
TVJ Goes With FLOW … Landmark Agreement Delivers Premier Content On The Go
Jamaica – Watching the best of Jamaican local television while on the go will be even more convenient for FLOW TV customers, following a newly signed agreement between the telecommunications and entertainment leader and the local broadcast television media giant Television Jamaica (TVJ), a member of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group… more
TTSEC launches virtual stock market game
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC) has developed a virtual stock market game where young adults can practise investing… more
Young: Cybercrime is biggest threat to global democracy
Trinidad and Tobago – National Security Minister Stuart Young said cybercrimes are the biggest threat to Trinidad and Tobago’s democracy… more
Tuesday, 1 October 2019
‘Get smart’, businesses urged
Barbados – As Government continues its digital transformation of the public service, Prime Minister Mia Mottley is urging the private sector to do the same… more
PM Mottley ready to see Barbados transition to a digital society
Barbados – Moving towards a smart nation does not have to compromise or erode Barbadian culture… more
Begging doesn’t work, use the Cybercrimes Act, JCF
Jamaica – Several times a year, to no avail, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), through its information arm, the Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), begs members of the public to be more responsible in their use of the various social media platforms… more
PM: I missed nothing, I saw all through technology
Trinidad and Tobago – Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has responded to critics who chastised him for leaving for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly meetings when Tropical Storm Karen hit Trinidad and Tobago last week… more
Wednesday, 2 October 2019
BTC’s ‘Marked Progress’ On Infrastructure Rebuild
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) chief executive says the carrier has made “marked progress” in restoring its Dorian-devastated network in Grand Bahama and Abaco… more
Smart Phone Launch Kicks-Off BTC’s Small Business Month
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has launched its Small Business Month by unveiling the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 – the latest in a new line of premium smart phones… more
GOVERNMENT WORKING WITH NATIONAL PARTNERS TO ATTAIN A SMART BARBADOS
Barbados – The hosting of Smart Barbados Week – “A Digital Encounter” will aid the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology in commencing the process of working with its national partners, to achieve the goal of a “Smart Barbados”… more
GOV’T PLANS TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO STIMULATE GROWTH
Barbados – GOVERNMENT on Monday night kick-started its Smart Barbados initiative with Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology, Senator Kay McConney saying that the programme intends to put Barbados on a trajectory of transformation and economic growth… more
Surepay now linked with mMoney digital cash
Barbados – Paying bills via the Massy-owned SurePay one-stop payment shop has now been made available by smartphone, using the mMoney digital currency app… more
GTT you have frustrated me for the last 52 days
Guyana – Dear Editor, It has been fifty-two days since I have been without telephone and internet service due to a cable problem at 3rd Street, Ocean View, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara… more
GTT rolls out 4G LTE in selected areas, calls for more spectrum to expand mobile services
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) rolled out its 4G LTE mobile service to customers on Wednesday in selected areas of Guyana, saying it needed more spectrum to provide that upgraded mobile internet service for both 4G LTE and 5G… more
Bad Telecoms Service In Clarendon
Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: We, as consumers, should take a stand against the failings of telecom providers FLOW and Digicel… more
Planting High-Tech Seeds Of Change – Farmers Urged To Utilise More Technology To Boost Yields, Income
Jamaica – Jamaica’s agricultural sector has the potential to churn out higher yields if farmers adopt more technology in their production techniques, according to information and communication technologies (ICT) and agricultural experts… more
Is there growth in the BPO sector? (Part 2)
Regional – Some markets in the Caribbean region, namely the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago are considered some of the more attractive destinations for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)… more
bmobile, Huawei join forces with UWI for world class innovation lab
Trinidad and Tobago – TT has received yet another notch in its belt and is one step closer to becoming a technologically developed nation, thanks to a tripartite agreement between The University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus, bmobile and Huawei for a state-of-the-art innovation lab… more
Flow leads Netflix ISP speed ranking in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago – Flow Trinidad and Tobago (Liberty Latin America) posted the country’s fastest average residential broadband connection to Netflix in the latest ISP speed index published by the video streaming giant… more
Tech Beach talks fintech in Bermuda
Trinidad and Tobago – Technology is rapidly changing the business landscape. People can cash their cheques by their phones, transfer funds to their friends and in some countries, no longer need to walk with cash. These changes are all because of fintech… more
Tech Beach: ushering in the next gen of ICT leaders
Trinidad and Tobago – Digital adoption appears to be slow in TT. Any millennial could express their frustrations at seeing rapid change happening in the world, such as artificial intelligence in the workplace, data-driven decisions calculated by data scientists and flexi-time facilitated by remote work… more
Thursday, 3 October 2019
Dorian Can ‘Accelerate’ Gb Tech Hub Planning
Bahamas – The government’s focus on restoring information and communications services to small Bahamian businesses in Dorian’s wake links directly to the restart of its “technology hub” plan, a Cabinet minister said yesterday… more
GB tech-hub aspirations to be ‘accelerated’ post-Dorian
Bahamas – The government tech hub aspirations for Grand Bahama will be ‘accelerated’ in the wake of Hurricane Dorian Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson… more
Customer Service Touch Terminals to be launched throughout the BVI
British Virgin Islands – Government has revealed plans to launch Customer Service Touch Terminals throughout the British Virgin Islands… more
Free internet for Kumu villagers
Guyana – Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, and Chairman of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Floyd Levi announced the establishment of internet service in the community of Kumu… more
GTT unveils “fastest” mobile internet
Guyana – The promise of competition in the telecoms business has in recent years sparked the big player, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), to announce a number of new services… more
FLOW accuses unregistered green energy businesses of stealing batteries
Jamaica – Telecommunications provider FLOW is cautioning members of the St James business community trying to go green to avoid using uncertified contractors and companies, some of whom he accused of using stolen telecommunications equipment in their trade… more
JCA to launch JSWIFT website for licence applications
Jamaica – The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) will launch its Jamaica Single Window for Trade (JSWIFT) website, that will allow importers and exporters to apply for licences, permits, certificates and any other international trade-related documents through a single portal in November… more
Republic Bank to acquire 19.99% stake in Nobis BaaS
Trinidad and Tobago – Republic Bank Limited has agreed to acquire a 19.99 percent equity stake in Caribbean FinTech Nobis BaaS Limited, a subsidiary of WiPay Holdings Limited, subject to regulatory approval… more
Friday, 4 October 2019
`Georgetown, the Smart City’ could and should be the reality
Guyana – Dear Editor, The year is 2077. The last traffic jam that occurred in Georgetown, Guyana was recorded in September 2029. The last blackout recorded in June 2039… more
GTT launches 4G in Guyana
Guyana – Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) is now offering commercial 4G services across several cities in the country… more
Blue Dot Transforming Market Research Through Data
Jamaica – DATA ANALYTICS and market research company Blue Dot Data Intelligence Limited is a start-up that appears to be defying the slow growth and funding profile of small entrepreneurial ventures… more
Google takes headline sponsorship of Tech Beach Retreat
Jamaica – Google will be partnering with TechBeach to host a series of events throughout their annual conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica on December 5-7… more
Jamaicans Encouraged To Protect Their Data
Jamaica – As Jamaica joins a number of other countries around the world in observing Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Fayval Williams, is calling on Jamaicans to become more aware of cyberthreats and to take the necessary steps to safeguard their data… more
Saturday, 5 October 2019
EMBRACING DIGITAL MINDSET
Barbados – Scotiabank has introduced new digital technologies in response to customers’ demands… more
The Data Protection Bill and the Barbadian Private Sector
Barbados – Today, more than 120 countries have privacy and data protection laws or regulations in place… more
‘Digitised payment options soon… Pensioners can buy groceries, other items with special reloadable card
Guyana – The government is working on a plan to make it easier for pensioners to receive their funds… more
CARDI Trains Farmers and Stakeholders on ICTs for Climate Smart Agriculture
Regional – CARDI St Lucia hosted a training workshop on Crop Scheduling and Water Use Efficiency for Climate Change on September 24-25, 2019… more
Digicel may seek to refinance debt
Regional – The Irish Times is reporting that Digicel may seek to refinance at a discounted price US$1.3 billion of bond debt due to be repaid in early 2021… more
Regional Collaboration Urged To Fight Cybercrime
Regional – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), John Curran is suggesting that Caribbean countries collaborate to better fight cybercrime… more
$13m tech lab for UWI
Trinidad and Tobago – GLOBAL technology giant Huawei has donated over $13 million (US$2 million) in equipment for a state-of-the-art innovation lab at UWI, St Augustine, that could see T&T-designed tech products emerging on the world stage… more
TSTT looks to raise US$
Trinidad and Tobago – Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd (TSTT) announced that it intends to make an international offering of US dollar denominated bonds and Trinidad and Tobago dollar denominated bonds, subject to market conditions and applicable corporate and regulatory approvals… more
Sunday, 6 October 2019
DIGITAL INCLUSION A PRIORITY FOR BARP
Barbados – Senior citizens do not intend to be left behind as the island shifts gears towards becoming digitally smart… more
Pro-PPP radio, TV stations take GNBA to court over alleged freedom of expression violations
Guyana – Two radio and television stations closely associated with the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) want the High Court to find that their constitutional right to freedom of expression has been violated by a hearing committee of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) which they say has not been legally constituted… more
J’can law students win cybersecurity moot contest in Doha
Jamaica – Four Jamaican final year Norman Manley Law School students, with the backing of their coaches, Hanielle Hines and Meridian Kohler, were declared champions of the Cybersecurity Moot at the inaugural Qatar International Cybersecurity Contest on October 3… more
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