A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 11 May to Sunday 17 May 2020.
Monday, 11 May 2020
Digital Provider Handles 20% Of Nib Payments
Bahamas – A digital payments provider says it is now handling 20 percent of COVID-19 benefits payouts on behalf of the National Insurance Board (NIB)… more
Tech donors urged to contact Ministry of Education
Barbados – Companies and individuals seeking to donate devices for the Google G Suite Tech Drive for Education Project should liaise with the Ministry of Education Technological and Vocational Training (METVT), or Haigh Communications Inc. the public relations firm retained to assist with the project… more
Can Digi and Smart rebound from COVID-19?
Belize – A report released this week discusses the long-term forecast for the survival of Belize’s telecoms industry after more than a decade of upheaval… more
Distance learning in the COVID-19 age
Jamaica – As the debate escalates as to whether or not online lessons are reaching Jamaica’s most digitally disadvantaged children in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) continues its e-training programme for Jamaican teachers… more
Flow wires Gov’t Quarantine Facility
Trinidad and Tobago – The C&W Business/Flow Trinidad teams demonstrated their ability to deliver under challenging conditions as they provided free internet and television services for 62 rooms at the most recent Quarantine Facility at the TTFA Headquarters in Couva… more
Tuesday, 12 May 2020
Antigua’s UWI Open Campus to lead the way in digital learning
Antigua and Barbuda – In plotting the map through sustained online learning – brought to the fore by the coronavirus pandemic – the University of the West Indies (UWI) will be depending on its Open Campus for directions… more
EDITORIAL: ONLINE LEARNING PART OF THE NEW NORMAL
Barbados – According to the World Economic Forum, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever… more
The post-COVID-19 classroom
Jamaica – As we begin to explore how best to reopen our economy, it behoves our educators, in preparation for the reopening of schools in September for the 2020-21 academic year, to initiate conversations in regard to the implementation of physical distancing and good hygienic practices to safeguard against any further outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus due to community spread in Jamaica… more
Digicel’s US$1.7-b debt restructuring deal amounts to default, says Moody’s
Regional – Moody’s, one of the world’s leading credit ratings agencies, is describing Digicel’s plan to wipe away as much as one quarter of its US$7-billion (€6.5bn) debt through restructuring as defaulting… more
Digital Arts Operator Holds Animation Training Online
Jamaica – David Martin is staging online workshops to help persons learn a new skill in animation and the digital arts as they spend more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Wednesday, 13 May 2020
Communications Sector Rebounds From 5-Year Low
Bahamas – The Bahamian electronic communications industry recovered from a five-year low in 2018 to grow its total revenues by three percent to $390m in 2019, sector regulators have revealed… more
We ‘dropped the ball’ on eLearning
Barbados – The country has failed to capitalise on the opportunity presented 25 years ago to make a significant change to teaching methods, a retired principal has said… more
Bushlot Library/ICT Hub destroyed in early morning fire – arson suspected
Guyana – The Guyana Fire Service on the West Coast of Berbice is currently investigating a fire that occurred at Bushlot Village… more
Iwokrama to use high-tech drones to spot illegal miners
Guyana – The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation says it will be using technology to monitor and catch gold miners and other people engaged in illegal activity in or near the 371,000 hectare (almost one million acre) reserve, in the wake of unauthorised mining that has damaged the forest floor… more
FLOW Parent Promises No Disconnections
Jamaica – Liberty Latin America, the parent company of telecom FLOW, indicated that it will hold prices firm and generally not disconnect customers in arrears for the moment… more
USF Donates ICT Equipment To JCPD
Jamaica – The Universal Service Fund (USF) has donated information and communications technology (ICT) equipment, valued at $1.5 million, to the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), to improve the Council’s communication with its clients… more
Thursday, 14 May 2020
Online festival
Barbados – There is growing optimism among local promoters and entertainers about the possibility of producing some aspects of the Crop Over festival online including a Soca Monarch Competition or similar event with a different name… more
iConnect launches online marketplace for small businesses, customers
Jamaica – A technology solutions provider has launched an online marketplace it says will allow small businesses to be able to connect with potential customers and sell their services to buyers across the Caribbean… more
Food leads in digital innovation
Trinidad and Tobago – Last month, Food-TT.com, an online aggregator for all the food delivery services in TT was launched – and within six weeks, has seen over 30,000 unique visits to the site… more
Friday, 15 May 2020
App To Monitor Those In Self-Isolation
Bahamas – THE Ministry of Health has signed a contract for a web and mobile app which will provide a 24-hour monitoring service for those in self-isolation amid the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Webshops Gearing Up To Challenge Close Order
Bahamas – Several web shops will take legal action over the sector’s renewed closure as early as Monday if they do not receive the desired response from the Prime Minister’s Office, a prominent QC revealed yesterday… more
Lotomobil: An Ultra-Modern App; A Unique Opportunity For Haiti
Haiti – Lotomobil is a new mobile application that aims to revolutionize gambling in Haiti. It makes every experience a chance to win… more
IT experts urge SMEs to utilise productivity apps and tools during COVID-19
Jamaica – Information technology experts are urging small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to utilise productivity software to manage their business operations during the COVID-19 pandemic… more
SmartTerm to offer services for free until new school term
Jamaica – With schools closed to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), online learning platform SmartTerm says students and teachers can access the platform at no cost until the start of the new school year, which will begin on September 7… more
Data—solution for the elderly, disabled
Trinidad and Tobago – To approach life with any form of accountability, only a structured method of design can be predictable… more
Technology boost for health workers
Trinidad and Tobago – Health officials will be better placed to continue the battle against Covid-19 thanks to the donation of 20 high-quality laptops from the Calvin Ayre Foundation… more
Saturday, 16 May 2020
– Nil –
Sunday, 17 May 2020
FLOW BARBADOS ZERO-RATES MORE THAN FIFTY WEBSITES
Barbados – Flow Barbados has zero rated more than 50 websites to facilitate online schooling for students at primary, secondary and tertiary level institutions… more
Flow makes online learning easier
Barbados – Flow Barbados has zero rated more than 50 websites to facilitate online schooling for students at primary, secondary and tertiary level institutions… more
BOJ wants more applications for mobile payment technology
Jamaica – As economies remain under lockdown and movement restricted as a result of COVID-19, there has been the growing need for more digital payment technology to access services… more
E-Sports – the new frontier?
Guyana – Has the electronic sports (e-Sports) phenomenon officially arrived in Guyana? This is the firm belief of sports journalist Michelangelo Jacobus, who served as the coordinator of the recent inaugural I-Bet Supreme FIFA 20 ‘League of Champions’ e-Sports tournament… more
NCEL to launch new online course for principals, vice-principals
Jamaica – The National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL) is now accepting applications for its Virtual Instructional Leadership (VIL) online course that will be launched within weeks… more
Point Fortin mayor launches digital grant
Trinidad and Tobago – MORE than three weeks after Point Fortin Mayor Kennedy Richards Jr placed a video on Facebook announcing the imminent launch of his digital grant initiative, the young councillor made the first disbursement under the programme to ten single mothers from the southern town on Friday… more
Image credits: rawpixel.com (Pexels); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
——————-
