A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 20 April to Sunday 26 April 2020.
Monday, 20 April 2020
BPSA thanks Digicel for aiding Health Ministry in COVID-19 fight
Barbados – The Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) has donated 40 smart phones to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to help facilitate ease of communication between those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response… more
Cayman Code Academy announces live remote instruction
Cayman Islands – Cayman Code Academy and Code Fellows are now offering software-development courses with full-time remote instruction to support jobseekers interested in gaining technology work skills… more
5G Technology: Development or conspiracy?
Jamaica – We are always in a search to discover new avenues for human development… more
Digicel puts up Jamaica HQ as collateral for debt deal
Jamaica – Caribbean-focused operator Digicel has put up the company’s Jamaican HQ as collateral to secure a debt refinancing deal with bondholders, reports local portal The Gleaner… more
bmobile Partners with United Way for Text to Donate National COVID-19 Relief Effort
Trinidad and Tobago – bmobile has partnered with the United Way Trinidad and Tobago (UWTT) to assist the local NGO in its national COVID-19 relief effort… more
Tuesday, 21 April 2020
Digital Move A Sensible One
Bahamas – EDITOR, The Tribune, I congratulate the government on taking the step of moving payment of NIB benefits to digital wallets… more
Ports International launches online store
Bahamas – edical supplier Ports International has launched its eCommerce online store, offering a selection of its most popular medical consumable and general merchandise health products with free delivery… more
City’s ratepayers should use GTT’s MMG
Guyana – Dear Editor, The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown is encouraging ratepayers to utilize the Mobile Money (MMG) electronic payment system, provided by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), to make payments on their general rates… more
BPO shutdown will deepen negative impact on economy – Epstein
Jamaica – Hours before the announcement of a temporary closure for BPO facilities across Jamaica, Yoni Epstein, itelbpo’s Founding Chairman and CEO, had called for the public to remain “calm and level-headed” as closing down the BPO sector was not the answer to the coronavirus crisis… more
Digicel Implements Remote Working For Customer Care Staff
Jamaica – Digicel is reporting that it’s over 300 customer care agents are now working from home… more
Digicel offers more speed, access to students
Trinidad and Tobago – As the world continues to cope with the effects of COVID-19, telecommunications companies have undoubtedly come to the forefront of the Home and Entertainment Digicel Play… more
Wednesday, 22 April 2020
BTC Develops Digital ID Card
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has created a mobile digital identification card to make it easier for authorities to identify its essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic… more
eLearning begins at colleges, private schools
Barbados – Online teaching is underway at all tertiary institutions and most private schools, the Ministry of Education has declared, even as it is yet to declare if and when the third term of the school year is to begin… more
BVI launches ‘Airmid’ app for diagnosed, suspected or quarantined COVID-19 cases
British Virgin Islands – Persons requiring medical assistance relating to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) can now access it virtually, thanks to the newly-launched mobile application called ‘Airmid’… more
BVI ready for CXC e-testing as other countries in region reject proposal
British Virgin Islands – Chief Education Officer Connie George has said she believes the recent proposal by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to possibly conduct e-testing for its 2020 examination cycle is quite viable in the British Virgin Islands… more
Online graduation likely if COVID-19 continues to affect BVI — Wheatley
British Virgin Islands – Students in the British Virgin Islands, for the first time in the history of the territory, may have to graduate online if the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect normal operations in the BVI…more
Almost a third of Digicel’s workers impacted by St Catherine lockdown
Jamaica – ONE of the country’s two major telecommunications providers, Digicel Jamaica, says almost one-third of its workforce has been affected by the lockdown of St Catherine… more
Internet costs and accessibility in COVID-19
Jamaica – Dear Editor, COVID-19 has highlighted that Jamaica is still doing poorly in telecommunications… more
Universal Service Fund spends $17.5 million to boost bandwidth of health ministry
Jamaica – The Universal Service Fund (USF) is providing $17.5 million in information and telecommunications support to the ministry of health in the fight against COVID-19… more
The Reality of Laptops for Students in Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia – Initially, I did not comment on the Saint Lucia Labour Party’s (SLP) Laptop Program because I found the argument by some “hacks” to be ridiculous… more
Thursday, 23 April 2020
Online Food Demand Rise Slows As Incomes Dry Up
Bahamas – Several online food delivery service providers yesterday said they are seeing demand level off as incomes reduce due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown… more
B’DOS NOT READY FOR E-LEARNING
Barbados – Online teaching in the public school system is far from ready to be rolled out… more
Virtual classes to start in May
British Virgin Islands – Virgin Islands teachers are currently taking lessons of their own… more
Virtual training for secondary school educators to start today
British Virgin Islands – Private and public secondary school teachers will commence online training in the Google Classroom today, April 23… more
Focus: Girls In ICT
Dominica – Today is Girls in ICT Day, an initiative to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of information and communication technologies… more
GTT warns of scam: We’re not selling COVID-19 packages; offering pick-up options for payment of bills
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) is urging the public to be aware of scams as persons may try to capitalize on vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic… more
BPO association to quantify layoffs due to 14-day closure of the sector
Jamaica – The Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ), the umbrella body representing business process outsourcing (BPO) firms operating on the island, is conduction a survey, aimed at determining the number of employees in the sector who have been laid off due to government’s 14-day closure order… more
Digicel celebrates International Girls in ICT Day digitally
Jamaica – Telecommunications firm Digicel has joined the global community in celebrating International Girls in ICT Day today in the only form truly consistent with the day’s significance－digitally… more
Jamaica 2020: Statistics & Analyses of Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Markets – ResearchAndMarkets.com
Jamaica – This report contains overviews, analyses and statistics of the Jamaican fixed-line, mobile and broadband markets together with information on convergence issues and on the country’s fixed line incumbent and major mobile operators… more
Sagicor honouring Telemedicine claims to flatten COVID-19 curve
Jamaica – Customers who have medical insurance policies with Sagicor can rest a little easier now knowing that the insurance company is honouring telemedicine claims… more
Web-based credit institution offering COVID Relief loans
Jamaica – Term Finance (Jamaica) Limited, an associated company of PanJam Investment Limited, is offering a pre-approved COVID Relief Loan to employees of organisations who enrol in the relief programme, including those who have been temporarily laid off… more
CARICOM Girls in ICT Partnership Hosts
Regional – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Girls in ICT Partnership will host an online regional event to celebrate International Girls in ICT Day on 23 April, 2020… more
Digicel in mourning following death of former Group CEO, Colm Delves
Regional – The Digicel family has been plunged into mourning following the death of Group Board Director and former Group Chief Executive, Colm Delves… more
International Girls in ICT Day goes virtual!
Regional – Today (April 23) is celebrated internationally as Girls in ICT day, an observance geared towards encouraging women and girls to consider studies and careers in the field of Information Communication & Technology (ICT)… more
Strengthening Caribbean Internet Capacity to Support Local Online Services
Regional – The Caribbean needs more robust infrastructure to support the delivery of local online services during the COVID-19 pandemic and for crises to come… more
Flow observes Girls in ICT Day
Trinidad and Tobago – Flow’s Country Manager, Kurleigh Prescod believes it is important to recognise the role women play in the ICT field, as he reflected on this year’s theme of International Girls in ICT Day – ‘Expand Horizon, Change Attitudes’… more
Some children at online-learning disadvantage
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Presbyterian Secondary and Primary Schools Boards of Education have expressed concern that a significant portion of the school population are without electronic devices and internet to access online education and curriculum delivery with the closure of schools during the Covid-19 pandemic… more
Friday, 24 April 2020
URCA: Service providers must adapt to remain sustainable
Bahamas – The utilities regulator yesterday said it must find ways to adapt and innovate to ensure that service providers remain sustainable amid the COVID-19 crisis, noting that with decreased commercial demand some utilities are using the opportunity to address maintenance… more
Use Of Digital Contracts And Electronic Signatures In The Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands – In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and with many people around the world working remotely, we have received a number of queries from clients who are increasingly considering the use of digital contracts and electronic signatures… more
GoDominica Shop – Online Orders with Contactless Delivery
Dominica – GoDominica, a locally owned and operated digital marketing services company is proud to launch GoDominica Shop… more
GTT apologises for internet disconnections
Guyana – GTT last night apologised “profusely” to a batch of customers whose internet service was disconnected yesterday though they claimed to have made on-time payments… more
GTT bundles services in bid to reduce costs to customers
Guyana – In an effort to help its customers weather the coronavirus crisis, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has introduced a new rate structure designed to ease the financial burden… more
GTT introduces bundled services to help customers spend less
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) on Wednesday launched its ‘2 for 2 Covid-19 response campaign’ in a bid to curb customer costs and provide bonus data during the current pandemic… more
Ministry donates 20 tablet computers to GPHC’s COVID-19 isolation unit
Guyana – The Ministry of Public Telecommunications has donated 20 tablet computers to the GPHC for use by COVID-19 patients in its Isolation Intensive Care Unit (ICU)… more
UB “Steps Up” Using Online Education
Guyana – The University of Belize has made plans for its student body and while its president, Professor Clement Sankat, hopes to complete semester-two of this academic year, those hopes depend entirely on the COVID-19 situation in Belize… more
Digicel mentors young women online for Girls in ICT Day
Jamaica – Girls in ICT Day took on a different flavour in Jamaica on Thursday as team members from communications company Digicel encouraged young women to pursue careers in Information and Communications technology (ICT) during a mentoring session via the teleconferencing site Zoom… more
FLOW/Digicel say attacks on infrastructure network have escalated
Jamaica – The country’s two main telecoms firms are complaining that attacks on their network infrastructure have escalated… more
NCB Capital Markets introduces online equity trade
Jamaica – The National Commercial Bank Capital Markets Limited (NCBCM) this week introduced online equity trading through which their customers are now able to execute equity trades from the comfort of their home or office… more
USF partners with tourism ministry to provide online courses
Jamaica – THE Universal Service Fund (USF) has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism to facilitate Wi-Fi access in the delivery of Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) online courses… more
International Girls in ICT Day
Regional – April 23, 2020 commemorates the 4th International Girls in ICT Day (Information and Communications Technology). Girls in ICT day is a global initiative that seeks to inspire, empower and encourage girls to not only take up studies and careers but to take leadership positions in ICT… more
Digicel Looking After Customers
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – “We regard the work we do as critical to the entire population of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and are committed to being there with our customers in these challenging times… more
Front Line workers donate tablets to their alma mater
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Two Vincentians working on the ‘front line’ of the COVID-19 battle in the United States have donated tablets to disadvantaged students at their alma mater, the Girls’ High School (GHS)… more
Local schools begin to embrace e-learning
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Multiple schools started their remote e-learning programs in full force this week, and while others have not started with all levels, they have started with their fifth formers and grade sixers… more
TelEm Group to repair badly damaged underground cables in St. Peters, Saunders areas starting Saturday.
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group’s Outside Plant (OSP) technicians and sub-contractors will be replacing badly damaged underground cables in St. Peters, Saunders, and surrounding areas this coming Saturday and for the following eight days, during which internet and landline customers are being told to expect interruptions in service… more
Suriname stays in middle rank for Telecom Maturity Index
Suriname – Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communication’s focus report on Suriname outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets… more
Saturday, 25 April 2020
Judiciary, lawyers at odds over tech
Barbados – The judiciary and the Bar Association seem to be at odds over the manner in which cases are being dealt with during the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Lack of internet may force Cave Hill students to quit semester
Barbados – Dozens of University of the West Indies students unable to afford internet may be forced to withdraw from their classes following unsuccessful attempts by campus administration to secure free data for an array of online academic resources… more
GTT reconnects over 1,200 internet customers after error
Guyana – Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has apologized to a batch of its customers whose internet service was disconnected on Thursday, although they claimed to have made their payments on time… more
TTOC/CANOC hosts online coaching course
Trinidad and Tobago – Coaches will not be left out during the lockdown due to the dreadful coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which is raging around the globe… more
Sunday, 26 April 2020
Bluedot Founder Buys Back SSL Stake
Jamaica – arren Peart, founder and CEO of Bluedot Data Intelligence Limited, has reacquired SSL Venture Capital Limited’s 50 per cent shareholdings in his company… more
Parliament turns to Zoom, Warmington objects
Jamaica – The matter of coronavirus (COVID-19) has certainly raised alarm bells across the island, and therefore it is not surprising that the response has also become an issue in the Houses of Parliament… more
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