A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 28 December 2020 to Sunday 3 January 2021.
Monday, 28 December 2020
One laptop per family project to be reintroduced – President
Guyana – President Irfaan Ali last week announced the re-introduction of the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative… more
Tuesday, 29 December 2020
Early 2021 Study For Third Mobile Operator ‘Feasibility’
Bahamas – Regulators will in early 2021 initiate studies to help the Government assess the “feasibility” of allowing a third operator to enter the Bahamian mobile communications market… more
Local cryptocurrency traders lament Investment Currency Market restrictions
Bahamas – Local cryptocurrency buyers and traders say they are being stymied by the inability to purchase investment currency because the Central Bank suspended access to the Investment Currency Market in May, in order to protect the country’s external reserves, but that that is only part of their ongoing struggle for the freedom to buy and trade cryptoassets… more
ANSA donates 100 tablets to Jamaican schools
Jamaica – The ANSA McAL Group has donated 100 electronic tablets to 10 schools in Jamaica… more
TSTT building 5G for new industrial park
Trinidad and Tobago – MAJORITY State-owned telecommunications provider, TSTT, is undertaking a “limited deployment” of 5G at the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in central Trinidad, but is not yet ready to roll out mobile 5G nationally, according to the local telecommunication provider’s chief executive, Lisa Agard… more
Wednesday, 30 December 2020
11-year-old girl launches initiative to teach kids how to code
Bahamas – A pre-teen Bahamian girl has launched a non-profit initiative to empower other children to “unlock” their power by learning how to code… more
Enterprise computing: digital governance
Regional – WE have been taking an intense look at critical components on the digital transformation journey for the past six weeks or so… more
Gritty reality of online school
Trinidad and Tobago – ONE characteristic of the first school term of 2020-2021 was how very different it was for almost everyone who was involved in it… more
Thursday, 31 December 2020
Bitt Inc and National Bank of Belize form partnership
Belize – The Barbados-based financial technology firm Bitt Inc. has entered into a partnership with the National Bank of Belize Limited (NBB) as Belmopan adds an eWallet to its existing mobile banking services and seeks to extend financial inclusion to its population… more
Dominican Republic prepares for 5G tender in January
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel) has presented the plans for a public tender of the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands for mobile services… more
Government putting fight to cyber criminals
Jamaica – Project portfolio manager in the Ministry of National Security, Thaddeti Tulloch, says the ministry will, as of next month, start to roll out a programme on cybersecurity as part of efforts to further protect citizens from the evolving threat of cybercrime… more
Electronic tracking bracelets being considered for high risk travellers
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Electronic bracelets are being considered by local health authorities as part of the effort to keep track of persons in quarantine… more
Ramps Logistics: Business Technology champion 2020
Trinidad and Tobago – The recent Champions of Business awards programme, hosted each year by the TT Chamber, recognises outstanding achievement in the sphere of business in four categories… more
Friday, 1 January 2021
GTT selected as telecommunications provider to Maraiko Bay Megaproject
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telecommunications Company (GTT) has been selected as the preferred telecoms provider to the billion dollar real estate, megaproject being built in Maraiko Bay, Mahaica which involves a major golf course… more
Saturday, 2 January 2021
Big BPO boost
Jamaica – OUTGOING United States Ambassador to Jamaica Donald Tapia has initiated discussions with two American firms which could see hundreds of new jobs being created in the island’s business processing outsourcing (BPO) sector… more
Sunday, 3 January 2021
BOJ Moving To Regulate, Grow $4 Billion E-Payment Business
Jamaica – It is expected that for the year just ended, there were more than the 134 million electronic retail payment transactions worth in excess of $4 billion, which the Bank of Jamaica, BOJ, recorded for 2019… more
Chinese Spying On Jamaicans, Says Tapia – Not True, Says Digicel
Jamaica – Chinese operatives are eavesdropping on mobile telephone calls being made by Jamaicans on the Digicel network, the departing top American diplomat here has alleged, opening the door for speculation on what Jamaican authorities may know… more
Web-Service Firm Pivots To E-Commerce
Jamaica – Another company has joined the growing list of firms seeking to cash in on the local electronic payment solutions business… more
Image credits: rawpixel.com (Pexels); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikimedia Commons
