A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October 2020.
Monday, 28 September 2020
Antigua and Barbuda Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Antigua and Barbuda Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Antigua and Barbuda – The report on Antigua and Barbuda Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Antigua and Barbuda Telecommunications market… more
Bahamas Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Bahamas Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Bahamas – The report on Bahamas Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Bahamas Telecommunications market… more
Central Bank: Sand Dollar nationwide rollout set for October 20
Bahamas – The Central Bank has announced it will begin a gradual release a digital version of the Bahamian dollar nationwide on October 20… more
Compliance Officers In Cyber Security Focus
Bahamas – The Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers (‘BACO’) focused on cyber security when it delivered its first lunch and learn webinar via Zoom last Thursday… more
Barbados Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Barbados Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Barbados – The report on Barbados Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Barbados Telecommunications market… more
Belize Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Belize Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Belize – The report on Belize Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Belize Telecommunications market… more
Cyber-crime legislated: “The rules as we know it in social media will be no more”
Belize – Іn ѕuрроrt оf thе Суbеr Сrіmе Віll, 2020, Lаkе Іndереndеnсе аrеа rерrеѕеntаtіvе Соrdеl Нуdе раіd trіbutе tо thоѕе whо соuld hаvе mоѕt bеnеfіtеd frоm іt… more
Dominica Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Dominica Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Dominica – The report on Dominica Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Dominica Telecommunications market… more
Dominican Republic Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Dominican Republic Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Dominican Republic – The report on Dominican Republic Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Dominican Republic Telecommunications market… more
Grenada Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Grenada Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Grenada – The report on Grenada Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Grenada Telecommunications market… more
Guyana Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Guyana Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Guyana – The report on Guyana Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Guyana Telecommunications market… more
Haiti Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Haiti Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Haiti – The report on Haiti Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Haiti Telecommunications market… more
Jamaica Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of Jamaica Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Jamaica – The report on Jamaica Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the Jamaica Telecommunications market… more
Antigua and Barbuda Re-elected To Presidency Of The Caribbean Telecommunications Union.
Regional – Represented by Melford Nicholas, Minister for Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Antigua and Barbuda was re-elected to the position of presidency of the General Conference of Ministers of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) for a further two-year term… more
Q&A: How to handle technology issues with online school
Regional – Across the world the COVID-19 pandemic has forced students to attend virtual school to prevent spread of the coronavirus… more
Educator encourages students to take up Information Technology
Saint Kitts and Nevis – COVID-19 has advanced the use of technology in our everyday lives. As such, Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Tricia Esdaille encourages students to consider taking up Information Technology… more
St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of St. Kitts and Nevis Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The report on St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications market… more
St. Lucia Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of St. Lucia Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Saint Lucia – The report on St. Lucia Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the St. Lucia Telecommunications market… more
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Telecommunications Market SWOT Analysis-Analysis of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband Markets
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The report on St. Vincent and the Grenadines Telecommunications is a comprehensive collection of all the market related information required for analyzing and understanding the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Telecommunications market… more
Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Gov’t Seeks ‘More Robust’ E-Procurement Response
Bahamas – The Government yesterday said it is seeking a “more robust” private sector response after just 30.6 percent of VAT registrants signed up to an electronic procurement initiative that is set to “ramp up”… more
Online Delivery Providers See Business Flatten Out
Bahamas – Online delivery service providers yesterday said they have experienced no major uptick in demand since COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed on restaurants and other sectors over the past month… more
URCA to host ICT webinar for seniors
Bahamas – In observance of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) will host an interactive webinar on digital skills… more
Future Of Dominica Telecommunications Market 2020 – Trends, Outlook and Growth Opportunities of Mobile, Fixed Landline and Broadband Markets
Dominica – The future value proposition for telecommunications market in Dominica to 2025 is detailed in the report… more
Fake Samsung devices hit COVID-19 education efforts; Consumer Commission gets refunds for buyers
Guyana – Several stores have been selling fake Samsung tablets to people who are eager to take advantage of Online teaching-learning devices, but the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) says consumers have been complaining that many of the devices cannot download apps… more
Cybersecurity Is A Collective Responsibility
Jamaica – In the maritime world where time is money, cybersecurity is no laughing matter. The shipment of a single container, tanker or bulk shipment can involve a multitude of cargo owners, shipping lines, ports, land transportation companies and customs authorities… more
GIS Users Invited to Test Spatial Planning Information Technology Platform
Jamaica – Local users of geographic information systems (GIS) are being invited to test and provide feedback on the National Spatial Planning Information Technology (NSPIT) Platform, which is in the final stages of completion… more
Parliamentary Statement on the National Identification System Delivered by The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, MP, Prime Minister on Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Jamaica – Madam Speaker, according to the World Bank (2020), the massive shock of the coronavirus pandemic and the associated containment measures have severely contracted the global economy – the worst since World War II… more
2020 Future Of St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications Market 2025- Trends, Outlook and Growth Opportunities of Mobile, Fixed Landline and Broadband Markets
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications report – 8th series from OGAnalysis provides a complete view of the St. Kitts and Nevis telecom ecosystem along with trends and growth factors shaping the future of the market… more
Rowley: TSTT overbilled taxpayers by $300m
Trinidad and Tobago – State telecoms company TSTT overcharged taxpayers by $300 million for providing cameras to the government, the Prime Minister said Monday… more
Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Parliament green lights gov’t to guarantee EC$169M APUA loan
Antigua and Barbuda – The government will take on approximately EC$169 million of financial liability to allow the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) to improve utility infrastructure on the island… more
Child pornography, cyber bullying now a crime
Belize – At last Friday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, the Cyber Crime Bill 2020 was returned to the House and received bipartisan support from members of the House… more
Cyber Crime Bill – questions of free speech, support for data-driven businesses
Belize – The Senate lined up today to support the Cyber Crime Bill, 2020, as the House did on Friday… more
The perversion of social media
Belize – Last Friday, September 25, it was announced that there would be a sitting of the House of Representatives. It was widely speculated that at this House’s sitting, the Prime Minister would announce the date of the upcoming general elections… more
Digital access enabling investor participation in local market
Jamaica – Digital access is making it easier for local investors to buy into new securities issued in the market under COVID-19 conditions… more
Education Ministry Partners with Technology Firms to Facilitate Internet Access
Jamaica – The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is partnering with Flow, Digicel and ReadyTV to facilitate Internet access and broadband services to enable teaching and learning utilising the G-Suite learning management system… more
IT evangelist Trevor Forrest
Jamaica – Like a voice crying in the wilderness of these modern days, Trevor Forrest, a proud graduate of Jamaica College, has been an evangelist for the technology industry for nearly 30 years, praying that his words would not fall on stony ground… more
New portal for jobs, small and micro businesses
Jamaica – The Jamaica National Group (JN), through its philanthropic arm, the JN Foundation, has launched a JN Listing career resource website… more
Revised NIDS bill could become law by year end
Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness, says his administration is seeking to pass the revised National Identification and Registration Bill into law before the end of the year… more
Satellite broadband can deliver universal access
Jamaica – Achieving universal Internet access is a lofty goal that many world economies are yet to achieve. Well documented are the benefits such as access to education, commerce and health services from the comfort of your home or office… more
Tablets For 20,000 Teachers In Jamaica.
Jamaica – E-Learning Jamaica Limited (eLJam) has reported that the distribution of more than 20,000 computer tablets to the nation’s teachers under the government’s Tablets for Teachers program is complete… more
Teachers/students being provided with access to Google Classroom
Jamaica – Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, in partnership with Google, is providing each educational institution with a G-Suite for Education account through the MOESCHOOLS.edu.jm domain… more
Leslie Buckley retires from Digicel Group board
Regional – Leslie Buckley, Vice-Chairman, Digicel Group, is to retire from the company’s Board of Directors on Thursday… more
Prime Minister Mitchell advocates advancing digital transformation
Regional – Dr. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada and Caribbean Community CARICOM Chair for Science and Technology including Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet, made the call for regional leaders to adopt a new strategy towards achieving digital transformation… more
Flow Home Internet is now even faster thanks to FREE speed upgrade
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Flow’s Home Internet customers have gotten a major boost to their internet speeds as the company implemented a FREE speed increase for the next 3 months… more
Thursday, 1 October 2020
Ministry of Education extends partnership with BTC to power virtual school year
Bahamas – BTC and One on One Educational Services will continue its partnership with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to provide an end to end learning management system for the upcoming academic year… more
Belize’s central bank must improve cyber regulation – IMF staff
Belize – International Monetary Fund staff have advised the Central Bank of Belize to improve its cyber security regulation and establish a new IT supervision team… more
E-Networks launches 5G internet services in Guyana – 20 Mbps for $8,990 monthly
Guyana – As the global pandemic continues to expose the economies of developing countries, there is good news for the Guyana telecoms sector… more
Cornerstone Jamaica to install Internet in 11 Westmoreland schools
Jamaica – In response to the COVID- 19 pandemic, Cornerstone Jamaica has partnered with Digicel Jamaica and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, to provide Internet access for 11 Westmoreland-based primary schools… more
Social Media Abduction Prank Under Police Probe
Jamaica – The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) says it is concerned about a video circulating on social media platforms portraying a young woman being abducted by a group of men as a prank… more
Sykes calls for tech investments to improve delivery of justice
Jamaica – Chief Justice Bryan Sykes says the novel coronavirus pandemic has presented Government with the golden opportunity to invest in technology in the court system… more
USF Encourages Adherence to COVID-19 Safeguards When Public Internet Facilities Are Used
Jamaica – The Universal Service Fund is encouraging citizens to adhere to the Government coronavirus (COVID-19) infection-prevention safeguards and protocols when using the entity’s public Internet facilities… more
Montserrat is connected to the world and primed for business
Montserrat – Long-awaited connectivity for Montserrat via subsea cable is now a reality thanks to the Government of Montserrat’s collaboration with Southern Caribbean Fiber (SCF), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Digicel Group, and its subsidiary SCF Montserrat… more
Caribbean Tech businesses get new access to global gateway
Regional – As companies struggle to survive amidst the COVID pandemic, a host of Caribbean technology businesses are poised to benefit from a major boost which will spur their further growth and scaling potential… more
The Sint Maarten Police Force donates tablets to six secondary schools.
Sint Maarten – The KPSM Community Police Officers (CPOs) collaborated with various companies on the island to be able to collect several tablets that were donated to six secondary schools on the island… more
Lights, cameras and TSTT debt?
Trinidad and Tobago – The statements made on Monday by the Prime Minister in relation to TSTT and the provision of cameras to the Government raises disturbing questions about effective oversight of state entities as well as public procurement… more
Samsung excited for TT’s response
Trinidad and Tobago – Product manager at Samsung Electronics Gianmarco Leri said the tech giant’s new flagship devices – the Note20 and Note20 Ultra – are as powerful and capable as any desktop computer or laptop on the market – complete with specifications to suit the changing world of work following the global covid19 pandemic… more
Friday, 2 October 2020
Antigua and Barbuda Will Allow Digital Nomads to Work From the Beach for 2 Years
Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua and Barbuda is joining the growing list of destinations looking to lure digital nomads to work from paradise… more
BTC celebrates Small Business month
Bahamas – BTC will host its second annual, ‘InKnowVation’ Conference virtually, under the theme ‘Powerful, Real World Business Solutions’ with a month of activities… more
Cable Bahamas to redeem million-dollar preference shares
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL) which used funds raised on the Jamaican market to build out its triple play service provider through subsidiaries Revoice for mobile, RevTV for cable and Revon for Internet, is ready to redeem the preference shares it offered to Jamaican investors… more
New TV Project For Grand Bahamian
Bahamas – GRAND Bahamian Raquel Beneby Hart did not let COVID-19 avert her plans of launching and developing a new television project, and creating a platform to connect with audiences through innovative, transformative, and empowering television shows… more
Reports of cyber crime and fraud increased, commissioner says
Bahamas – Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle said that in the past six months, particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a notable increase in the number of fraud and cyber crimes being investigating by the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit, adding that there was a 36 percent increase in hacking and extortion… more
Sagicor’s new app aimed at customer satisfaction
Barbados – Customers’ next motor insurance quote is literally in the palms of their hands, thanks to Sagicor General Insurance (SGI) and the latest update to the Sagicor Go mobile app… more
Guyana looks set to end telecoms monopoly next week- Jagdeo
Guyana – Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday announced that Guyana would next week be formally liberalising the telecommunications sector, four years after modern legislation was passed, marking the end of a more than 30-year old monopoly on international voice and data… more
Jamaica’s Smart City New Kingston gets a boost
Jamaica – Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has been awarded funding to advance the Smart City New Kingston within the country’s capital… more
Tobago students using cellphones for online classes
Trinidad and Tobago – THE majority of Tobago students are using cellphones and not laptops or tablets to access online teaching platforms, Secretary for Education, Innovation and Energy Kelvin Charles has revealed… more
Saturday, 3 October 2020
Caren Waugh | Sustaining Online Education During COVID-19 And Beyond
Jamaica – The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of the education system in history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion students in over 190 countries, including Jamaica, where approximately 31,656 teachers and 627,000 students are affected, according to UNESCO’s August 2020 report… more
REGIONAL: 1500 UWI students without Internet access take leave of absence
Jamaica – AT least 1,500 University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona students have applied for leave of absence from their studies because they were either without Internet access or did not have devices to access their online last semester… more
Sunday, 4 October 2020
Digicel scores big
Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica was designated Fastest Mobile Network and Fastest Internet Provider in the 2020 Ookla Speedtest Awards, making it the go-to place for a superior mobile data experience… more
Lost In A Gap – Electricity, Internet Issues To Continue Plaguing Remote Learning In COVID-Era Classes
Jamaica – Ten-year-old Jayden Blair sat in a corner of his humble shipping container home in St Elizabeth, listening intently beyond the squeaks and static that sometimes accompanied his teacher’s voice during online classes last Tuesday… more
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