A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 31 August to Sunday 6 September 2020.
Monday, 31 August 2020
Antigua & Barbuda to introduce tracking bracelets for persons quarantining at home
Antigua and Barbuda – Quarantine violation has become a major headache for the Antigua and Barbuda government, so much that they have decided to place tracking devices on all those in isolation… more
Third undersea cable pointless, says C&W
Cayman Islands – Cable & Wireless, part of the consortium of members that use and operate the existing undersea telecommunications cables that keep the Cayman Islands connected to the rest of the world, has said that plans by government to sink a third undersea cable are unnecessary… more
Digicel expands LTE footprint to enable more online learning, remote working
Jamaica – With more Jamaicans turning to the Internet for online learning, Digicel is increasing access to connectivity outside the classroom through the recent expansion of its high-speed LTE mobile data network to over 100 rural towns… more
‘Tech City’ For Portmore If JLP Re-Elected, Says Holness
Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he has plans to build a “tech city” in Portmore, St Catherine, to move forward the country’s ambitions of becoming a digital society… more
Town and Country advances digitisation
Trinidad and Tobago – The Ministry of Planning and Development says today marks another major achievement for the digitisation of its Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) as several more regional corporations have been completely digitised… more
Tuesday, 1 September 2020
JAMPRO and GSAJ welcome extension of BPO work from home facility
Jamaica – JAMPRO and The Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ) are welcoming Nigel Clarke’s decision to extend the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector’s work from home facility… more
Number porting must be done at telecoms outlet, warns OUR
Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is appealing to telecommunications customers to be vigilant when porting their telephone numbers to another service provider, by ensuring that operators follow the established protocols for the porting process… more
Caribbean telecom sector revenue affected by COVID-19
Regional – Given the relative lack of economic diversity within the Caribbean, the telecoms sector accounts for a higher proportion of GDP in most markets in the region than is common elsewhere… more
Fintech and the securities market
Trinidad and Tobago – IN the past two articles, the Trinidad and Tobago Securities and Exchange Commission discussed six of the 12 considerations related to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – The Bali Fintech Agenda… more
Wednesday, 2 September 2020
BTC “ahead of the curve” on increased bandwidth demand
Bahamas – Bahamas Telecommunication’s Company (BTC) executives said yesterday the company is “slightly ahead” of the curve on bandwidth demand, having increased network capacity by some 25 percent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Barbados moves to digital ID cards
Barbados – The Barbados Digital ID and National ID Card Replacement Project officially started with the signing of a contract between the Ministry of Innovation Science and Smart Technology (MIST) and Productive Business Solutions (PBS) (Barbados) Ltd… more
Best tech sellers
Jamaica – Companies selling technology goods have seen a steady increase in sales as people move to work from home and children study online. A visit to any of the stores selling computers and accessories around Kingston and other city centres will confirm the increased demand… more
Data security is everybody’s business
Jamaica – Over the past decades, we have read reports of data breaches at some of the world’s most famous companies with millions of customer accounts hacked, raising concerns about the safety of online shopping services… more
Exceptional Young Leader — Craig Powe
Jamaica – Online marketing is essential, not just because it he lps businesses boost their online visibility, but also because it can change the way potential customers perceive a particular business. This is an area which demands specialised expertise… more
JLP: No More Shift Schools, Better Internet Connectivity
Jamaica – The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is planning to expand investments in digital technologies within the education sector while ensuring that teachers and students are equipped with the knowledge, mindset, and tools to thrive in the digital age should it form the next Government… more
PSOJ takes digital lead
Jamaica – Before the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) unveiled its two-year strategy to support growth and sustainable economic development. One critical pillar of the PSOJ’s strategy is innovation and digital transformation, deemed necessary due to the lack of digital innovation in both the public and private sectors… more
RADA encourages youth to embrace technology in agriculture
Jamaica – The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is encouraging more young people to consider career opportunities in agriculture, through the use of technology… more
Work from home part of the future — Wayne Chen
Jamaica – As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to impact businesses across the globe, some stakeholders are indicating that remote working may very well become a semi-permanent fixture in the future of work… more
Are you ready for the 5G revolution?
Regional – Let’s get past the spurious claims that 5G is a hidden demon coming out of cell towers and invading our brains, causing untold damage. Instead, look at the revolution which has occurred in the cellphone sphere over the past decade… more
Distance Learning to continue until further notice.
Sint Maarten – Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Rodolphe Samuel announced on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers press briefing that due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Annual Sport & Creative Industries Open House, will be presented as a virtual online event, via the Facebook pages of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, the Department of Sports and the Department of Culture, on September 14th, 2020 at 10 am… more
Corporate TT ready to help students get online
Trinidad and Tobago – Corporate TT is ready and willing to assist students with the resources needed for the virtual reopening of schools… more
Thursday, 3 September 2020
Digitization of client services underway at DOSS
Bahamas – Representatives of the Information Technology and Communication Unit of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development began the digital transformation of client information/services at the Department of Social Services (DOSS) on Thursday (August 27) with the capturing of updated client information and the onboarding of clients of the Pitt Road, Wulff Road, Robinson Road and Fox Hill Community Support Services Centres… more
Covid19, education, technology – the way forward
Regional – The covid19 pandemic has forced our educational institutions to change from face-to-face classes to online instruction (The Gleaner, 2020; UNESCO, 2020). This is accompanied by wider use of WhatsApp, e-mails and other digital applications to provide course materials and information to learners. These strategies will most likely continue in varying degrees, when the crisis ends… more
NHC introduces ePay as additional payment option
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has introduced ePay, an online platform to make it easier for its homeowners to pay their mortgages and land loans… more
Conquerors tops girls power tech
Trinidad and Tobago – THE winners of the Digicel TT Foundation’s Hackathon, the Ryu Dan Dojo Conquerors, presented a concept of using mixed realities to enable secondary school students to attend school virtually from their homes. Their project will be developed by Digicel as part of their prize winnings… more
Envisioning a path to T&T’s Digital Society
Trinidad and Tobago – Jarrod Placide-Raymond, Head of Web Development, Royalty Club, wrote and published this essay charting considerations for a Digital Society for Trinidad and Tobago this week on Medium. He graciously gave permission for the reproduction of the work on this website… more
Online learning, the future
Trinidad and Tobago – Schools reopened this week, but the teaching/learning will be online for those who have at home both the access to telecommunications and the digital devices that can receive this instruction… more
Nominate a champion of business technology
Trinidad and Tobago – Today’s business world is a digitally connected one. Companies must constantly re-invent themselves and their products, delivering goods and services that are personally relevant to consumers, yet meaningfully different from the competition… more
Trini US-based inventor: Why TT needs data and innovators
Trinidad and Tobago – Patrick Hosein is homesick. When he speaks you can hear the wistfulness in his voice… more
Friday, 4 September 2020
Cable Bahamas Accepts Payment Via Mobileassist
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas has become the second utility company to accept bill payments via the MobileAssist app, the latter announced yesterday… more
Local web developer launches site for curbside, takeout and delivery needs
Bahamas – With the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions giving rise to more curb side and food delivery options, a local web developer has launched a site designed to assist consumers in finding the services they desire… more
Internet: Does Cayman need a third subsea cable?
Cayman Islands – As COVID-19 has prompted government to put tech at the centre of Cayman’s economic recovery with its smart island initiative, some of the topics taking centre stage are internet costs, speed and accessibility… more
Caribbean broadcasters call for suspension of fees
Regional – MEMBERS of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) are appealing to media policymakers and regulators across the region for two forms of relief during the Covid-19 pandemic… more
Imbert: Taxes removed on computers, laptops and tablets
Trinidad and Tobago – Government has removed all taxes on laptops, computers, notebook computers and tablet computers with immediate effect… more
Saturday, 5 September 2020
Cyber-Sovereignty and Guyana
Guyana – In its most recent avatar of its future areas of focus, the now opposition APNU+AFC Coalition has floated, without details, the concept of the Digital State… more
Taxes removed from laptops, Imbert tweets
Trinidad and Tobago – LAPTOPS sourced both locally and abroad are exempt from taxes, with immediate effect, Minister of Finance Colm Imbert has announced… more
Sunday, 6 September 2020
4000 free online courses available to Guyanese
Guyana – The Ministry of Education has announced the provision of free access to 4,000 certified online courses, following a partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL)… more
Image credits: Omni Matryx (Pixabay);; Brands of the World; The Eleutheran; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
