A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 6 April to Sunday 12 April 2020.
Monday, 6 April 2020
Digicel reconnects customers, extends payment deadlines during curfew
Barbados – Digicel (Barbados) is working to keep its customers connected during this COVID-19 pandemic… more
Education Ministry assessing if students have the tools to access online classrooms from home
British Virgin Islands – The Ministry of Education will be conducting a territory-wide evaluation to determine how well students will be able to access online classroom platforms while schools remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic… more
GTT workers take COVID-19 induced pay cuts
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) says it will be cutting salaries temporarily in an effort to ensure the country’s largest telecommunications company survives the “turbulent times during the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Ministry of Education, Digicel team up to offer subsidized data plan for teachers, students
Jamaica – In light of the continued home-schooling efforts due to the impact of COVID-19, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and Digicel Jamaica have joined forces to offer increased access to the internet through the provision of a subsidised data plan and zero-rated data access to frequently used learning platforms and websites… more
Agenda: Denis O’Brien will pay later for the time bought now
Regional – Denis O’Brien has mastered the art of buying time, cheaply… more
Digicel restructuring plan aims to cut debt by $1.7B
Regional – Digicel Group has issued a new restructuring plan intended to cut its debt burden by as much as US$1.7 billion… more
FLOW enabling students to benefit from Virtual Learning Platform
Regional – Students in Anguilla and across the Caribbean can benefit from the Flow Study programme free of charge, from now to June 15… more
TUTTA: TT not ready for CXC e-testing, consider 2021
Trinidad and Tobago – Though the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) postponed its traditional May/June exams to July and announced plans to roll out the exams digitally – in light of the covid19 pandemic – president of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TUTTA) Antonia DeFreitas questions this country’s readiness for e-testing… more
Tuesday, 7 April 2020
Cable Bahamas Group sees ‘significant’ demand for data across fixed and wireless networks
Bahamas – The Cable Bahamas Group’s top executive said yesterday there has been a ‘significant’ increase in demand for data across its fixed and wireless networks since the COVID-19 restrictions came into effect… more
Cable Bahamas Teams For Cash Bill Payments
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas has teamed with a Bahamian money transmission services provider to enable customers to pay their REV bills in cash during the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Cable Bahamas temporarily lays off 96 workers
Bahamas – The Cable Bahamas Group today announced that it will temporarily lay-off 96 employees in response to the economic fall-out from the COVID-19 global pandemic… more
Lloyd Urges Online Learning As Schools Set To Stay Closed
Bahamas – EDUCATION Minister Jeff Lloyd has said schools will not open until the competent authority gives approval as he urged parents to ensure students are registered for online learning… more
Cultivating community online: YEP adapts to pandemic
British Virgin Islands – Though the Youth Empowerment Programme has shut its doors as part of territory-wide efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, it remains committed to the approximately 130 children enrolled in the after-school programme… more
Growth & Jobs | Ricardo Allen: Revolutionising Online Education
Jamaica – WHEN RICARDO Allen declined his Fulbright Scholarship, little did he know he would be helping to further the educational development and achievement of thousands of secondary-school students across the Caribbean by creating One on One Educational Services Limited… more
Parliament creates history – holds first virtual meeting
Jamaica – The Jamaican Parliament made history today (April 7), with its first virtual parliamentary meeting, using the remote conferencing platform, Zoom… more
Cybersecurity takeaways as COVID-19 outbreak grows
Regional – As a result of the COVID19 outbreak, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting organizations that now have more remote workers and fewer IT and security staff ready to detect and mitigate attacks and intrusions… more
Digicel aims to slash debt burden
Regional – Digicel is aiming to shave $1.7 billion off its $7 billion debt burden through a debt restructuring which could eventually result in creditors owning nearly half the company… more
Government to spend $4 million on computer tablets for students
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – FOUR MILLION dollars of a Supplementary Appropriation Bill, which will be debated in Parliament today, will go towards buying computer tablets for students… more
TelEm Group taking corporate citizenship serious during Coronavirus emergency
Sint Maarten – -TelEm Group said it is taking its corporate citizenship seriously during the ongoing coronavirus emergency… more
Wednesday, 8 April 2020
100,000 Students in The Bahamas served with virtual Education; Minister’s remarks
Bahamas – Today, I update this Honourable House and the nation of the progress by the Ministry of Education is delivering ‘live’ instructions, making educational resources available, and assisting parents, teachers, administrators and all stakeholders in the execution of the online educational system that is now full steam in the Bahamas… more
Digital payments provider sees COVID-19 spike
Bahamas – A Bahamian digital payments provider says it has seen a significant spike in transactions on its platform and downloads of its application in recent weeks… more
Hundreds Lose Jobs As Cable Bahamas And John Bull Shut Shops
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas yesterday confirmed the temporary lay-off of almost 100 staff as its top executive revealed that major corporate clients are warning “daily” they may stop using its services… more
Layoffs at Cable Bahamas, Aliv
Bahamas – The Cable Bahamas Group of Companies announced in a statement yesterday that almost 80 Rev employees and 20 Aliv employees have been let go from the company as a result of the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in The Bahamas… more
Ministry of Education designing platform for internet-deprived and device-challenged students
Bahamas – The Ministry of Education (MOE) in collaboration with its providers, Aliv and BTC, is designing a platform to allow internet-deprived students, or device-challenged students, to access internet capability, get devices, and alternatively view lessons on two dedicated Cable Channels that will be populated with the appropriate content for their use… more
BACK ONLINE
Barbados – Supermarkets are restarting operations today, but will not be allowing in-supermarket shopping… more
GTT staffer in quarantine after displaying “COVID-19 symptom” on the job
Guyana – After displaying at least one symptom, consistent with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) staffer has been placed in a quarantine setting… more
Digicel launches Education Plan to further support e-Learning options
Jamaica – In keeping with its pledge to keep everyone connected during Jamaica’s response to Coronavirus, Digicel has introduced the 14-day Education Plan – giving students access to their schools’ virtual learning sites from the safety and comfort of their homes… more
Digicel Announces Extension Of Consent Solicitation Expiration Date
Regional – Digicel Finance Limited (“DIFL”) and Digicel Holdings (Bermuda) Limited (“Holdings,” and together with DIFL, the “Issuers”) today announced the extension of the expiration date of the consent solicitation (the “Consent Solicitation”) seeking consents to effect certain proposed amendments (the “Proposed Amendments”) to the indenture governing the existing 8.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 co-issued by the Issuers (the “Existing DIFL Notes”)… more
TSTT seeing 40% hike in broadband demand
Trinidad and Tobago – Homes into offices. Homes into classrooms. Homes into entertainment centres… more
Thursday, 9 April 2020
CaribNOG and ARIN launch “COVID-19 and the Caribbean Internet” webinar series
Regional – With many organisations now mandating that employees work from home amid concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, millions around the world are seeing major disruptions to their daily routines… more
COVID-19 fight: Digicel keeps Cuban medics in Barbados connected
Barbados – Digicel (Barbados) donated 105 SIM cards to the Cuban health professionals who recently arrived in Barbados to stop the spread of COVID-19… more
COVID-19 crisis proves the internet is indeed a Caribbean right
Regional – The coronavirus pandemic has, in the most emphatic way, shown us all just how interconnected everything and everyone is… more
Education continues in OECS Member States as educators facilitate and support at home learning
Regional – As countries around the world adjust to a new normal with social distancing and self quarantines, the Education Ministries of the Member States of the OECS in collaboration with the Education Development Management Unit (EDMU) and the OECS/USAID Early Learners Programme (ELP) are activating programmes to support students while at home… more
400 teachers being trained to administer lessons online to students
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – At least 400 teachers are being trained locally to administer lessons online to students who will have to remain at home due to COVID-19… more
High school students receive tablets and Wifi routers for home studies
Sint Maarten – Students from the two Lycées in Marigot and Cité Scolaire in La Savane have received a significant amount of digital materials to assist them in their studies at home during the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis… more
TelEm Group reactivating expired Prepaid customers, adding credit to depleted accounts.
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group is helping its Prepaid customers whose accounts have expired by restoring their prepaid balance and reactivating their mobile accounts… more
Digicel changes network identifier during COVID-19
Trinidad and Tobago – Hundreds of thousands of Digicel mobile users are now seeing ‘Stay Safe’ at the top of their screens as the company has changed its network identifier in light of COVID-19… more
Friday, 10 April 2020
I urge GTT to reconsider the pay cuts
Guyana – Dear Editor, That announcement from GTT about a pay cut leaves a bad taste in the mouth and all over… more
Carib NOG and ARIN launch “COVID-19 and the Caribbean Internet” webinar series
Regional – With many organisations now mandating that employees work from home amid concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, millions around the world are seeing major disruptions to their daily routines… more
CSEC Students access free online Math Programme with bmobile’s help
Trinidad and Tobago – Over 20,000 students, who will be writing the 2020 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) mathematics examinations across Trinidad and Tobago, will be provided with free online mathematics revision through a partnership between bmobile and local NGO, Restore A Sense of I Can (RSC)… more
Saturday, 11 April 2020
No 5G in Barbados
Barbados – There are no 5G stations in operation in Barbados… more
CTU: No 5G, COVID-19 link
Regional – The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) has weighed in on the debate about whether the next generation of wireless technology, 5G networks, is fueling the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, insisting that there is no link… more
Sunday, 12 April 2020
BPO Worry – Workers Scared After Colleague Tests Positive For COVID-19
Jamaica – Call-centre workers employed to a business process outsourcing (BPO) outfit are now concerned following the announcement that one member of staff has tested positive for COVID-19, triggering fear across its Portmore and Kingston locations… more
Respect The Digital Algorithm
Regional – When I speak on this topic, I must admit that almost always, I get a stuttered response from a baby boomer: “W-Wait, what’s what?” …more
Open schools online: Catholic Archbishop wants classes to resume
Trinidad and Tobago – NO child will be left behind… more
Teachers, principals, Garcia clash over ‘data collection’ drive
Trinidad and Tobago – THE TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) has said its recent response to requests made by the Education Ministry was not “combative” as claimed by Education Minister Anthony Garcia… more
TSTT: Deferring customers payments ‘complex matter’
Trinidad and Tobago – THE national lockdown over the covid19 pandemic has led to a surge in online activity for which TSTT has had to respond to by upgrading its infrastructure, the company said on Thursday… more
Image credits: (Mick Baker)rooster (flickr); Brands of the World; Bahamas Local; Wikipedia; Guyana Chronicle; CaribNOG; Wikipedia
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