A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 23 March to Sunday 29 March 2020.
Monday, 23 March 2020
Accelerating Barbados’ Digital Transformation
Barbados – The results at CivTech have been remarkable. Not only is it producing solutions to public sector problems that help efficiencies, reduce costs and make lives better, it’s also triggering new businesses, new jobs, and new revenues – and for the right products, new markets on a worldwide basis… more
GTT takes safety measures over Covid-19
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) says it is taking a range of measures to keep customers and employees safe… more
BPO sector to introduce measures to protect employees from COVID-19
Jamaica – The global services and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies are putting in place measures to protect their employees in light of the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Caricel officials charged with breach of Jamaica Telecom Act
Jamaica – Officials at Jamaican telecommunications firm Symbiote, trading as Caricel, have been charged on grounds of infringing the country’s Telecommunications Act, reports local daily the Jamaica Gleaner… more
Digicel joins forces with health ministry in COVID-19 fight
Jamaica – Digicel customers are now able to receive timely, accurate text message updates on the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation as a result of a public education partnership between Digicel and the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the telecommunications firm has said… more
E-LJAM to provide support to schools
Jamaica – Learning Jamaica Company Limited (e-LJam) is seeking to increase the availability of virtual learning platforms for students, amidst the closure of schools, due to the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19)… more
Covid-19: The TSTT response
Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT’s CEO Dr. Ronald Walcott (above) today assured the nation that the national telecommunications company has put in place robust measures to ensure that customers’ communications needs will be adequately managed throughout these unprecedented times… more
Tuesday, 24 March 2020
BTC increases broadband speeds during COVID-19 shutdown
Bahamas – BTC has announced a number of offerings to ‘keep the country connected’ during the COVID-19 crisis… more
65,000 tablets being procured for schools, teachers
Jamaica – Chief Executive Officer of e-Learning Jamaica, Keith Smith, says Cabinet has approved the procurement of 40,000 tablet computers for students and 25,000 devices for teachers, under the Tablets in Schools Project… more
Dr warns against social media information on COVID-19
Jamaica – A doctor is cautioning Jamaicans to be mindful of where they get medical information on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as a lot of misinformation about the disease is being disseminated… more
Government partners with Cable to ensure connectivity amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Saint Kitts and Nevis – As part of its stimulus package to cushion the impact of the health crisis on individuals and the economy, the Government of National Unity has embarked with the Cable on several initiatives to ensure connectivity of all homes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic… more
311 is the Number to Call
Saint Lucia – Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sharon Belmar-George, today announced that the 311 line is now up and running. The line is geared at providing the public with direct access to general information on and about COVID-19… more
NTRC holds workshop “Get safe online”, aimed at keeping businesses safe
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – A REPORT by ‘RiskIQ’, an Internet security company, says that in 2018, cyber-criminals cost the global economy $2.9 million every minute, a total of $1.5 trillion… more
Samsung launches S20 in T&T
Trinidad and Tobago – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has launched the Samsung Galaxy S20 in Trinidad & Tobago. The Galaxy S20 series introduces a brand-new camera architecture that combines AI with Samsung’s largest image sensor yet for stunning image quality… more
Wednesday, 25 March 2020
Cayman schools test distance learning
Cayman Islands – Cayman schools have responded to disasters in the past. Emergencies like hurricanes and fires are events administrators know to prepare for. But a global pandemic is a challenge like no other… more
Altice Dominicana EBITDA up 6% in Q4 on fixed customer adds
Dominican Republic – Altice announced revenues of EUR 141 million for its Altice Dominicana brand in the Dominican Republic in the final quarter of 2019, up 1.1 percent year on year on a constant currency basis thanks to fixed customer additions and improved mobile subscriber trends… more
Jamaica Customs encourages use of online payment services
Jamaica – In observance of the health protocols being promoted by the Government of Jamaica (through the Ministry of Health and Wellness) and the nation’s efforts to minimise the spread of COVID-19, the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) is encouraging its customers — including importers, customs brokers and cargo agents — to undertake payments to the agency using its online payment services, which are as follows:… more
Jamaica urges school principals to access leadership training online
Jamaica – Director/Principal of the National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL), Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, is encouraging school principals and administrators who are at home due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) to utilise its online platforms to continue their leadership training… more
Modern technology changing education
Jamaica – The importance of research as a driver of change and a tool of problem-solving in national development, found consensus among representatives of academia at the 5th annual Research Day conference and workshops of Church Teachers’ College (CTC) at its Mandeville campus, earlier this month… more
Young Entrepreneur Launches Successful Digital Media Agency
Jamaica – Starting a full-service digital media agency was nowhere near Alex Morrissey’s mind when he obtained his Industrial Design degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida… more
The world is online, where are you?
Regional – During this time of COVID-19 countries have been shut down, borders have been closed, companies have been asked to close their doors, and employees have been asked to work remotely. And while more physical doors are being closed every day, the Internet is still up and running and open for business… more
Thursday, 26 March 2020
Cable To Waive Reconnect Fee
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas yesterday said it will waive reconnection fees for all customer accounts previously disconnected for non-payment as it moves to lessen the COVID-19 fall-out for Bahamians… more
Digital service providers see a doubling in demand
Bahamas – While most businesses are suffering from mandated closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak locally, digital service providers are seeing an increase in business demand from companies seeking to have their businesses transition online… more
With schools closed, learning goes online
Cayman Islands – While government has ordered all of the territory’s schools and daycares to close until at least April 20, students will bring their learning home by using various online instruction platforms, according to Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley… more
Home-based Learning Continues; BJAT, PSE and CXC Postponed Indefinitely
Jamaica – Schools across the country have closed due to COVID-19 as a way to enforce social distancing among the young… more
NO INTERNET!
Jamaica – – President of West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) Pastor Glen Samuels says the lack of internet connectivity is negatively impacting the delivery of online sermons… more
Technology is now essential
Trinidad and Tobago – The scramble is on. For businesses, technology is no longer just convenient. It is essential to our very survival… more
TT’s networks can handle it
Trinidad and Tobago – Two weeks ago, La Toya Tracey, a social work consultant and family therapist, saw clients exclusively at her Woodbrook office. Now, to preserve vital patient-therapist relationships, she conducts hour-long sessions using the popular video chat app Skype… more
Friday, 27 March 2020
BTC In Covid-19 Customer Boost
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday said it has increased broadband Internet speeds at no extra cost as part of multiple measures introduced amid the COVID-19 pandemic… more
IT Firms: We’ll ‘Stress’ Business Resiliency
Bahamas – Information technology (IT) firms yesterday said their will “heavily stress” the importance of business resiliency to every client once the COVID-19 pandemic is over… more
UCCI transitions to online teaching and learning
Cayman Islands – Monday, 30 March will mark two weeks since the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) transitioned to online teaching and learning as part of the university’s contingency plan to minimise the risk of transmitting COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, to its students, faculty and staff and the greater com munity… more
DCS orders 40 digital thermal scanners to help detect COVID-19
Jamaica – The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has ordered 40 digital thermal scanners to help with prevention and detection of COVID-19 among staff, inmates and children in its care… more
Digicel Continues to Engage in Discussions Regarding Potential Exchange Offers
Regional – Digicel Group Limited (“Digicel”) today announced that it has been engaged in discussions with certain debtholders regarding potential transactions (the “Transactions”) involving exchanges of existing debt of entities in the Digicel Group for new securities to be issued by existing and newly formed entities in the Digicel Group… more
Digicel International keeps families connected amid COVID outbreak
Regional – During this time, where all of us have to take extra precautions and most likely stay at home, being able to talk to the people we care for the most is extremely important… more
World Bank with $12M Grant for Eastern Caribbean Communications
Regional – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved additional financing of US$11.9 million for the Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (CARCIP) underway in Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines… more
Flow supports customers with Faster Broadband Speeds
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Flow customers in the Federation have received a tremendous boost to their current Broadband speeds at no additional cost thanks to a FREE broadband speed upgrade for all Flow Basic Broadband customers from 6 Mb to 15 Mb… more
Saturday, 28 March 2020
Bigger role for technology in education post-COVID-19, says principal
Jamaica – President of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools Linvern Wright believes that during the post-COVID-19 period, schools will begin to make better use of existing technology in the delivery of education… more
DEADLY CELLS: Concern about mobile phone use amid COVID-19 fight
Jamaica – Health officials globally have been pointing to the importance of persons keeping their mobile phones clean, as the instruments can act as conduits for the spread of germs, which is of even more significance amid the ongoing outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic… more
Gov’t vows to push national ID system
Jamaica – THE Jamaican Government has indicated that it will be fast-tracking the implementation of the national identification system (NIDS) as part of its response to the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Online teaching now made easier
Jamaica – WITH the Government opting to keep schools closed at least until after the Easter holiday, local technology company Zed-Makeyla is ramping up its online learning portal — RenWeb/FACTS SIS (School Information System)… more
Poverty Alleviation Program Application Process Moved Online
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Mrs. Elreter Simpson Browne, wishes to inform the general public that due to the confirmation of cases of the Coronavirus, COVID-19 in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Ministry will be suspending face to face interviews for the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP)… more
The Cable Letter To Stakeholders
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Dear Valued Customers, We are all now in a heightened state of awareness since the declaration by the World Health Organisation of COVID-19 as a pandemic… more
Scotia encourages customers to bank at home… Use online, mobile banking
Trinidad and Tobago – Scotiabank T&T Limited has said that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it many changes– including the ability to move around and get usual day- to- day business done. It said banking remains a critical service and access to customers’ finances is important… more
Sunday, 29 March 2020
Digicel Home & Entertainment Customers To Receive 50% More Speeds, Free Access To Movie Pack & Key Information Sites
Saint Kitts and Nevis – In light of the current social and economic impact being caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Digicel St. Kitts & Nevis is making moves to ensure that the citizens of the Federation remain entertained and connected… more
Image credits: geralt (Pixabay); The Eleutheran; Wikimedia Commons; Wikipedia; Brands of the World; Wikipedia
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