A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 8 June to Sunday 14 June 2020.
Monday, 8 June 2020
‘Digitise aspects of your business & get it online’ – Premier Fahie
British Virgin Islands – Addressing the economic impacts of COVID-19 on businesses around the world, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has called on local businesses in the Virgin Islands (VI) to start making moves to take advantage of technology and overcome shortfalls while boosting trade… more
1,000 disabled students get online access to classes
Jamaica – SETTING up distance learning for students who were forced out of school by the coronavirus pandemic is a challenge, but it’s even more of a challenge for educators to figure out how to best educate students with disabilities… more
Zacca backs proposal for National ID system
Jamaica – THE Government’s thrust for a national identification system has received support from the head of one of the country’s largest financial players… more
Digicel Announces Extension of Consent Solicitation Expiration Date
Regional – Digicel Holdings (Bermuda) Limited (“Holdings”) and Digicel International Finance Limited (“DIFL,” and together with Holdings, “Digicel”) 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 8.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 co-issued by DIFL and Holdings (the “DIFL Secured Notes”), which will permit, among other things, the incurrence of additional debt under DIFL’s senior credit facility of up to $100 million… more
Digicel: US bankruptcy filing won’t impact operations
British Virgin Islands – A Digicel Group affiliate has filed for Chapter 15 recognition in a federal bankruptcy court in New York, but company officials described the move as an administrative proceeding that won’t affect the firm’s operations in spite of falling profits as customers in the region increasingly turn to data to make calls… more
Roadmap committee recommends e-ID for nationals
Trinidad and Tobago – The Roadmap to Recovery team has recommended fast-tracking a unique digital identifier to every citizen and legal resident, according to a draft report… more
Tuesday, 9 June 2020
Flow Ready For Active Hurricane Season
Regional – Telecommunications firm C&W Communications, which operates Flow, says it is implementing comprehensive measures for the current hurricane season… more
Digital marketer driven by data
Trinidad and Tobago – In the sphere in which she serves, La Shaun Ramdin has stiff competition… more
Wednesday, 10 June 2020
App development program to train 100 Grand Bahamians
Bahamas – Delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, an app development program which would train 100 Grand Bahamians for the tech industry, will move ahead in the coming weeks, Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson said yesterday… more
Govt ‘Dedicated’ To Technology Hub Goal
Bahamas – A Cabinet minister yesterday said the government has not abandoned its Grand Bahama “technology hub” ambitions as it refocuses on training to drive a “resurgence” in entrepreneurs… more
40,000 Tablet Computers For Needy Students
Jamaica – Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Alando Terrelonge, says 40,000 tablet computers will shortly be distributed to needy students across the island… more
ADVERTORIAL | Audit And Analytics Solutions Securing IT Infrastructure During COVID-19
Jamaica – In just a few months, COVID-19 has swept around the world and brought the total number of confirmed cases to more than 4.15 million worldwide… more
COVID-19 catalyst for digital transformation, digitise it — tTech’s Chris Reckord
Jamaica – WHILE many established companies may have discussed and even strategised their digital transformations, the unique set of circumstances surrounding the novel coronavirus have propelled such plans into action… more
Jamaica using geospatial technology to combat COVID-19
Jamaica – JAMAICA is employing the use of geospatial technology in combating COVID-19… more
Protecting personal data while working from home
Jamaica – COVID-19 has undoubtedly transformed the manner in which businesses are now operating. With the “stay-at-home” order that had been issued by the Government of Jamaica, all non-essential employees across Government and the private sector were encouraged to work from home (“WFH”)… more
Leadership in the Digital Age
Regional – There is a rather witty image circulating on the Internet asking a poignant question: Who led the digital transformation for your organisation? The response options are… more
Thursday, 11 June 2020
Bahamas First Fights Off It System Hackers
Bahamas – A major Bahamian insurance company has revealed it almost fell victim to computer hackers “during the height” of the COVID-19 pandemic’s lockdown… more
E-renewal . . . Online option to pay for driver’s license ‘by month-end’
Barbados – Drivers licence renewals are to go online by month-end, Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology Senator Kay McConney has announced… more
Technological and social challenges complicate remote learning
Cayman Islands – For Cayman’s schools, the COVID-19 crisis came with an immediate impact… more
Samsung gears up for new Galaxy push
Trinidad and Tobago – Even months later, it wasn’t hard to hear the regret in the voice of Terry Weech as he acknowledged that Samsung’s new line of Galaxy smartphones, the S20 series, was launched just before the lockdowns accompanying the spread of covid19 began… more
Friday, 12 June 2020
‘Tremendous Uptick’ In Cyber Breaches
Bahamas – A cyber security specialist yesterday said urged companies to identify gaps in their information technology (IT) defence after seeing a “tremendous uptick” in attacks on Bahamian networks… more
A digital payments solution
Barbados – The flow of money into and out of the Caribbean has run into a snag. International financial transactions which are key to E-commerce are encountering more than a fair share of challenges, according to financial sources… more
BVIEC and local cable company resolve pole-sharing dispute
British Virgin Islands – The dispute between BVI Cable TV and the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) about the two companies utility pole-sharing agreement has now come to an end… more
Start-up company iCreate emerges from the red with 106% increase in revenue
Jamaica – Start-up company iCReate is reporting its best quarter since its February 2019 listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange by recording a 106 per cent increase in revenue for the three months ending March 31, 2020… more
TelEm Fiber announce new plans and upgrades for fiber customers
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group’s internet infrastructure provider, TelEm Fiber, has announced new Fiber Plans for new and existing customers already enjoying the fastest internet connections on St. Maarten… more
Digicel Foundation launches disaster preparedness app for special needs citizens
Trinidad and Tobago – With three-six major hurricanes forecasted in 2020’s above-average hurricane season, the Digicel Foundation launched its Masters of Prep game, aimed at teaching special needs students to identify and remedy potential hazards… more
Saturday, 13 June 2020
Phone App to aid CXC students’ preparation
Antigua and Barbuda – Education officials are introducing a new phone app, “LernPrep,” by FortunaPIX, to assist fifth form students in the final stages of their preparation for the July sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations … more
Data Protection Bill passed amid calls for custodial sentences
Jamaica – THE Senate yesterday passed the long-delayed Data Protection Bill; however, there is a substantive issue regarding what should be the alternative to fines imposed by the courts… more
Nobel prize winner Michael Kremer calls for Digitalizing Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean to Overcome the Impact of Covid-19 and Alleviate Poverty
Regional – Michael Kremer, who was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics for his studies aimed at alleviating global poverty, recommended that Latin America and the Caribbean develop public policies that focus on agricultural digitalization, which he considers to be a key tool for improving the situation of rural populations and overcoming food vulnerability, which has been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic… more
Sunday, 14 June 2020
Big Award For Computer Programmer Against Paymaster
Jamaica – The 20-year legal battle between Paymaster Jamaica Limited and Paul Lowe over breach of copyright ended on Thursday with the Supreme Court ordering the company to pay the computer programmer and software developer $282 million in damages… more
Privacy, Distrust And Big Data
Jamaica – When we think of countries sharing common problems, we do not readily think of India and Jamaica. One is a populous multifarious behemoth, home to 1.3 billion people, while the other is a tiny island, the home of reggae and barely 2.7 million people… more
WiPay scores first in Jamaica
Jamaica – WHILE Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s Road Map committee is proposing to develop cashless modes of payment for the T&T Government, his Jamaican counterpart Andrew Holness went a step further by personally supporting a cashless payment system developed by a T&T company… more
Image credits: filipe ferreira (flickr); Brands of the World; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikimedia Commons
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