A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 6 January to Sunday 12 January 2020.

 

Monday, 6 January 2020

Bahamas rolls out first phase of CBDC pilot

Bahamas – The Central Bank of the Bahamas has rolled out the first phase of its digital currency pilot, with plans to extend it to a second region in the first half of 2020… more

Benefits of Sand Dollar digital currency highlighted

Bahamas – The Bahamas’ Sand Dollar is the first digital fiat currency that is consumer-ready, according to global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, which advised NZIA Limited, the company that helped the Central Bank of The Bahamas (CBOB) to develop and launch the digital Bahamian dollar, making the country one of the first nations in the world with a “postmodern financial system”… more

Digital payments provider nets more than 1,100 users and 90 merchants

Bahamas – A Bahamian digital payments provider says this year it plans to expand significantly expand its merchant footprint as it highlights a number of enhancements and initiatives designed to get users acclimated to its app-based offering… more

Barbados Telecommunications Industry Analysis of Barbados Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets

Barbados – Barbados Telecom outlook report is a comprehensive analytical research on the Barbados’s cellular, fixed telephone and fixed broadband segments… more

Cayman Islands Telecommunications Industry-Analysis of Cayman Islands Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets

Cayman Islands – Cayman Islands Telecom outlook report is a comprehensive analytical research on the Cayman Islands’s cellular, fixed telephone and fixed broadband segments.. more

BUSINESS BYTE: US$20,000 won in Digicel’s ‘Shake to Win’ Regional Grand Prize

Regional – After one month of customers in 20 different countries shaking things up and winning with Digicel’s ‘Shake to Win’ Christmas campaign, one winner snagged the regional grand prize of US$20,000, and he is Emerson (surname withheld for privacy), an 18-year-old amateur football (soccer) player from Haiti… more

Cabinet Goes Digital

Jamaica – Cabinet today (January 6) transitioned to a paperless system. All Ministers received secure laptops to facilitate the electronic upload and dissemination of confidential Cabinet papers at the first sitting for 2020… more

JN apologies for making reference to Iran in cyber attack advisory

Jamaica – The Jamaica National Group has apologised for making specific references to the Iranian government and people as well as the US government, in a cybersecurity advisory that the company sent out on Tuesday… more

Stop Peddling Gore On Social Media

Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Madam: The rapid scaling up of electronic and digital communication technologies in the past decade has been nothing short of stunning… more

St. Kitts And Nevis Continues To Transform Through The Use Of Information Technology, Says PM Harris

Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to make enormous strides infusing technology into the everyday lives of citizens to ensure that the twin-island Federation remains competitive in a globalized world… more

 

Tuesday, 7 January 2020

Central bank pilots digital currency in the Bahamas

Bahamas – The Central Bank of The Bahamas has begun pilot testing a digital version of the Bahamian dollar that uses QR codes to let users make payments and transfer funds using their smartphones… more

Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain Technology and the Real Property Market

Barbados – Cryptocurrency is the peer-to-peer transfer of digital currency in which encryption techniques, independent of a central bank, are used as a regulatory system, based on blockchain technology… more

International company Belize Virtual Center Ltd to present at Startup Huddle St. Lucia in February 2020

Belize – One of Belize’s fastest growing service companies has been selected to present at STARTUP HUDDLE ST. LUCIA on February 12th 2020… more

PM: St. Kitts and Nevis Continues to Transform Through Information Technology

Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to make enormous strides infusing technology into the everyday lives of citizens to ensure that the twin-island Federation remains competitive in a globalized world, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, said during his Fifth Annual New Year’s Gala held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Saturday… more

Know your data rights

Trinidad and Tobago – Educate yourself and know your data rights… more

 

Wednesday, 8 January 2020

Digital currency launch in Bahamas a good move

Bahamas – Dear Editor,  The recent pilot launch of the digital currency, Sand dollar, by the Central Bank of The Bahamas in Exuma is quite a progressive move in this ever-changing and fast-paced economic climate… more

Pay the ransom

Barbados – I visited the Bahamas to examine the damage from Hurricane Dorian… more

Digital education project launched in Region 1

Guyana – Over 5,000 primary school students across Guyana are set to benefit from the launch of a digital education project… more

JN urges customers to protect themselves against cyber-attacks

Jamaica – The JN Group Cybersecurity Unit has told the bank’s customers to increase their vigilance when using email communications at this time… more

Technology Trends For 2020

Jamaica – Local information and communications technology (ICT) experts state that 2020 is poised to become a breakthrough year, as several leading or new technology trends will impact the lives of Jamaicans and citizens around the world… more

 

Thursday, 9 January 2020

Central Bank of the Bahamas might deliver CBDC before China

Bahamas – As many might remember, China became the focus of the world’s attention in late 2019 due to its new fascination with blockchain technology and the idea of developing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)… more

Social Media And Its Role Connecting Earthquake Survivors With The Diaspora

Haiti – The 2010 earthquake severed many traditional lines of communication in Haiti. It toppled cell phone towers, damaged a major fiber-optic cable, knocked television and radio stations off the air and made telephone communication via landlines nearly impossible… more

Gov’t to roll out free Wi-Fi service at Sam Sharpe Square

Jamaica –  The Government says it will be rolling out free secured Internet access (Wi-Fi) in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, St James, on Friday, January 24… more

Proven Wealth launches digital IPO tool

Jamaica – Proven Wealth Limited (PWL) has launched IPO PRO; an online tool that will allow persons with a Jamaica Central Securities Depository (JCSD) Number to participate in local initial public offerings (IPOS) from anywhere in the world… more

Trini app developer finds success in New York

Trinidad and Tobago – There was no plan B. Jonathan Agarrat knew that as he walked through the departure gates at Piarco International Airport to get on his flight to New York, there was no turning back… more

 

Friday, 10 January 2020

Gov’t blames delinquent property owners and bad telecoms deal for non-payment

Antigua and Barbuda – The Cabinet, on Wednesday, made a commitment to begin making payments of $3.4 million towards outstanding salary and wages owing to many of its public sector workers and private contractors on January 31st, 2020… more

Digicel introduces plan changes

Barbados – Some postpaid Digicel (Barbados) customers will have to dig a little deeper in their pockets to cover their bill as the telecommunications provider introduces some “upgraded postpaid plans”… more

BVI: eVisa border system to be installed at local ports of entry next week

British Virgin Islands – The process to install government’s proposed Border Management & Electronic Visa System across various ports of entry throughout the British Virgin Islands is scheduled to start next Monday, January 13… more

Sam Sharpe Square to get free Wi-Fi from January 24

Jamaica – Friday, January 24 is the date set for the Government to start providing free, secured Internet access (Wi-Fi) at Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay, St James… more

Up-skilling will drive BPO wage rates, says Jampro

Jamaica – The local Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) industry is expected to grow by an estimated 5,000 jobs in the fiscal year 2019/20, according to Jampro – the state agency with responsibility for investment promotion… more

TATT expresses condolences on passing of former CEO

Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecom­mu­ni­ca­tions Au­thor­i­ty of Trinidad and To­ba­go (TATT) ex­press­es its sin­cer­est con­do­lences to the fam­i­ly of Dr John Prince, for­mer chief ex­ec­u­tive of­fi­cer (CEO) of the or­gan­i­sa­tion, on his pass­ing… more

 

Saturday, 11 January 2020

– Nil –

 

Sunday, 12 January 2020

Data use becoming the game-changer in Jamaica

Jamaica – Did you know that Jamaica is ranked sixth in the world for ease of starting a business… more

Flow restores Internet

Jamaica – Dear Claudienne, I have been without Internet and have been going into the Flow office in Fairview- Montego Bay every other week at minimum, to get an update as an email or call cannot be initiated on their part… more

Govt seeks new TSTT chairman

Trinidad and Tobago – Government is in the process of identifying a new chairman for the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), Public Utilities Minister Robert LeHunte said yesterday… more

TSTT’s new guessing game

Trinidad and Tobago – National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), be aware there is a new game in town: TSTT’s Guess Your Bill… more

 

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