A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 22 February to Sunday 28 February 2021.
Monday, 22 February 2021
BTC Goes Bahamian On New Top Executive
Bahamas – The two Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) trade unions yesterday voiced hope for better industrial relations with appointment of a Bahamian as chief executive once again… more
Island Pay celebrates Mastercard prepaid debit card partnership with customer giveaway
Bahamas – A few lucky customers of Island Pay Ltd (Island Pay) were recently rewarded with a prepaid MasterCard debit card loaded with $500… more
EDITORIAL: CONFIDENTIALITY IN AN AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Barbados – Barbadian social media platforms were buzzing this week because everyone wanted to know who released a questionable document containing the names, addresses, and statuses of over a hundred COVID-19 cases in Barbados… more
Entrepreneur thinks crowdfunding is the way out of economic crisis
Barbados – Dario Greenidge believes entrepreneurship backed by crowdfunding may hold the key to changing Barbados’ financial future… more
BVI Regulatory Sandbox Launched To Support Innovative FinTech
British Virgin Islands – In August 2020, the Financial Services (Regulatory Sandbox) Regulations 2020 (the “Regulations”) came into force in the British Virgin Islands (the “BVI”) to launch a regulatory sandbox (the “Regulatory Sandbox”) designed to support and facilitate innovation in the financial technology sector and allow businesses to trial new products and services which amount to “Innovative FinTech”… more
Incubator to offer workspace for small businesses
Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands Centre for Business Development is inviting owners of micro and small businesses to apply to its residential business incubator programme… more
Doctors, too, must fall in line under Data Protection Act — lawyer
Jamaica – ATTORNEY-AT-LAW Chukwuemeka Cameron has warned operators of medical practices to get their houses in order as far as the security of patients’ confidential details are concerned, to escape the penalties associated with not doing so under the pending Data Protection Act… more
‘Totally shot’ – Golding knocks JAMCOVID app as alleged second flaw discovered
Jamaica – Opposition Leader Mark Golding has declared that the credibility of the JAMCOVID portal is “now totally shot”… more
Spotify to expand international footprint across 85 new markets
Regional – Over the next few days, Spotify will be launching its service in 85 new markets, and will also roll out 36 new languages on the platform. The news was announced at its online event, “Stream On” today… more
Electronic Communications Bill, 2021 to preserve NTRC and protect consumers
Saint Kitts and Nevis – With the increasing use of technology among the population of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Vincent Byron, Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, said it was time to reform the Telecommunications Act of 2020 to preserve the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) and protect consumers… more
St. Kitts And Nevis Passes Electronic Communications Bill, 2021
Saint Kitts and Nevis – A Bill to provide for the regulation of an electronic communication network and an electronic communications service and for related matters, otherwise known as the Electronic Communications Bill, 2021, was successfully passed in the Federal Parliament on Thursday, February 18, 2021… more
Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Telemedia strategizes to reverse falling profits at Annual General Meeting
Belize – Тhе nеwlу-арроіntеd bоаrd оf dіrесtоrѕ оf Веlіzе Теlеmеdіа Lіmіtеd (ВТL) dіd nоt hаvе gооd nеwѕ fоr ѕhаrеhоldеrѕ аt іtѕ аnnuаl gеnеrаl mееtіng, hеld vіrtuаllу thіѕ раѕt Ѕаturdау… more
AMBER ALERT – JAMCOVID under more scrutiny as second data breach flagged
Jamaica – There is more scrutiny on the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) over whether officials there had flagged problems with the JAMCOVID application months ago and well before last week’s shocking discovery that thousands of travellers’ person data was… more
FLOW Foundation Observes Safer Internet Week
Jamaica – The Flow Foundation observed Safer Internet Week (February 8 – 12) with several activities geared at increasing awareness about safe online practices among young people and seniors… more
C&W Communications focused on advancing Digital Transformation in the Caribbean & LATAM
Regional – The 37th Annual General Meeting of CANTO, took place last week with a series of virtual events held under the theme: “Connect. Engage. Learn”… more
Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Software Player Has Big Caribbean Goals
Bahamas – A Bahamian software company is already targeting domestic and Caribbean expansion just over a year after it was formed, its founder revealed yesterday… more
Unbanked Bajans ‘won’t reap digital payment benefits’
Barbados – Too many Barbadians remain without a bank or credit union account, Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment Marsha Caddle declared in the House of Assembly Tuesday, suggesting that this could undermine Government’s efforts to roll out a digital payment system… more
Guyana signs order to accelerate local ISP licensing
Guyana – Guyana’s prime minister has signed an exemption order for small local internet service providers in a bid to issue them licences more quickly… more
Amber refutes ‘second vulnerability’ claims, explores legal action
Jamaica – Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Amber Group, Dushyant Savadia, has described recent reports alleging a second vulnerability on the JAMCOVID website as “deeply concerning… more
Brainboxx introduces paperless office
Jamaica – The offices of tomorrow are paperless. After all, going paperless is the single most important thing you can do to run a more efficient office… more
Caribshopper taking the T&T market by storm
Jamaica – Still in its infancy, Jamaica-based online marketing company Caribshopper has taken the Trinidad and Tobago market by storm, already signing several small businesses onto its network… more
Unveil Amber contract, Golding demands
Jamaica – Opposition Leader Mark Golding is demanding that Prime Minister Andrew Holness lay bare the contract it used to engage Amber Group to build out the JAMCOVID-19 application which is under increased scrutiny… more
Caribbean digital dollar makes history
Regional – News that the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union has done its first digital dollar transaction shows that some dynamic moves are occurring amid the pandemic… more
Thursday, 25 February 2021
Working parents share their struggles coping with the burden of remote learning
Antigua and Barbuda – It’s been roughly three weeks since schools in Antigua and Barbuda closed their doors for the second time in a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing students to carry on their lessons through a screen, literally, at home… more
Bitt breaks new ground with digital currency transaction
Barbados – International financial technology firm Bitt has executed its first successful retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) consumer-to-merchant transaction using DCash, in partnership with the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB)… more
New ID card won’t have medical info
Barbados – The Senate took up the new Barbados Digital ID and National ID Card on Wednesday with the promise that the new card will have general information that can already be found on the current National ID card and not any personal medical data… more
Unbanked to benefit from digital payments system
Barbados – Unbanked Barbadians will gain the opportunity to make transactions when a new national payment system is launched, Economic Affairs Minister Marsha Caddle has declared… more
Dominican water sector will be modernized with the use of technology
Dominican Republic – Bringing modernization to the water supply system is the mission that the head of the Santo Domingo Aqueduct and Sewer Corporation (CAASD), Felipe (Fellito) Suberví, seeks to achieve his tenure in the state entity… more
Amber sees red!
Jamaica – Amber Group founder and CEO Dushyant Savadia yesterday issued a strong defence of his company’s work and said he is exploring legal options, as he deems defamatory recent reports in mainstream and social media relating to the Jamcovid application and website that the firm gifted to the Government to help manage the novel coronavirus pandemic… more
Gov’t says no JamCOVID data exfiltration, database to be moved
Jamaica – The investigation into the JamCOVID app has revealed that while there is evidence of unauthorised access, there is “no evidence of data exfiltration… more
Probe ongoing into security breaches – Gov’t
Jamaica – Government investigations so far have found that while there is evidence of unauthorised access to the JamCOVID application, “there is no evidence of data exfiltration”… more
Teach coding to infants, tech expert urges
Jamaica – Jamaica has been urged by a senior technology expert to begin teaching coding to three-year-olds and even younger children who are just learning to speak in order to tap talent in an emerging industry here… more
Friday, 26 February 2021
BTC gets new chief; André Foster to become one of the youngest CEOs in company’s history
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTC) yesterday announced the appointment of André Foster as the company’s chief executive officer effective March 1, 2021… more
Mastercard Offers Full Support for Digital Currency in the Bahamas
Bahamas – The Central Bank of the Bahamas is working with Mastercard and Island Pay to improve the utility of the country’s Sand Dollar digital currency… more
BUSINESS BYTE: FLOW announces improvements to prepaid mobile plans
Dominica – Leading telecoms provider Flow has announced major enhancements to its ‘Always On’ prepaid mobile plans… more
2020 FUTURE OF DOMINICA TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET – TRENDS, OUTLOOK AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES OF MOBILE, FIXED LANDLINE AND BROADBAND MARKETS
Dominica – The Dominica Telecommunications report – 8th series from OGAnalysis provides a complete view of the Dominica telecom ecosystem along with trends and growth factors shaping the future of the market… more
Another JAMCOVID lapse
Jamaica – In another stunning development, the JAMCOVID-19 website up to Thursday evening was found to be publicly revealing personal information associated with over half-million quarantine orders issued by the Ministry of Health and Wellness… more
Global interest in 700 MHZ band licence
Jamaica – Managing Director of the Spectrum Management Authority, Dr Maria Myers-Hamilton, says the Request for Proposal for licence in the 700 MHz spectrum (Band 13) has garnered global interest… more
‘Increase in malicious cyber activity against Gov’t, private entities’
Jamaica – There has been an increase in instances of malicious cyber activity directed at both Government and private entities over the past few weeks, according to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)… more
MOCA Continues Cyber Defence Probe
Jamaica – In our ongoing review of the security of Government’s systems and networks including the JAMCOVID19 platform, the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption (MOCA) Cyber Investigators have observed persistent attempts to gain unauthorized access… more
MOCA observes persistent attempts at unauthorised access in Jamcovid19 probe
Jamaica – The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) says that in its ongoing review of the security of the Government’s systems and networks, including the Jamcovid19 platform, cyber investigators have observed persistent attempts to gain unauthorised access… more
One laptop per child initiative just 12 per cent of target; minister still confident
Jamaica – WITH lower school students in public schools forced away from face-to-face classes because of the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases across the island, the Ministry of Education is pushing even more on its One Laptop or Tablet per Child Initiative… more
Sean Thorpe | Robust plans needed to secure IT data
Jamaica – The claims of a second data breach of JamCOVID is not only worrisome about the safeguards of personal data of travellers; it also highlights a significant issue of data security, governance and trust that need to seriously be in place, no matter how real or perceived the problem is… more
IDB announces US$3.5-billion initiative to advance technology and resilience in the Caribbean
Regional – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) yesterday announced its new Build Forward initiative, a US$3.5-billion multi-year programme to help Caribbean countries sustainably recover while making technological leaps that will facilitate a transformational future… more
St Lucian company produces software to help manage C’bean’s vaccination rollout
Regional – As Caribbean countries roll out COVID-19 vaccination programmes, a St Lucian technology company has announced the production of a software solution that will enable early identification of anyone willing to be vaccinated… more
Minister Ludmila de Weever delivers on securing outstanding concessions for TelEm.
Sint Maarten – Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications, Ludmila de Weever, is very pleased that the Governor has signed off the national ministerial decrees thereby finalizing the outstanding concessions for the Sint Maarten TelEm Group of Companies… more
Social media: good, bad and ugly
Trinidad and Tobago – In today’s society, technology plays a very important role; not just with the adult population, but those budding small “human beings”—our children… more
Saturday, 27 February 2021
BTL’s profits fall 77%!
Belize – This past weekend, Belize Telemedia Limited hosted a virtual annual general meeting (AGM) with its newly appointed board of directors… more
Halting BTL’s “race to the bottom”
Belize – Belizeans who pay keen attention to the financial landscape have been aware that Belize’s most celebrated company, Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), has for some time not been doing as well as it used to, and when it surfaced last year that the company might have been dodging taxes owed to the government, Belizeans knew for sure that something was very wrong… more
GTT helps health business combat COVID-19 challenges with new technology solution
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) recently engineered technological solutions to assist local tele-health business, OnCall Medical Solutions Inc., in combating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Cybersecurity threat level raised to high
Jamaica – The Cyber Incident Response Team in the national security ministry yesterday raised the island’s cybersecurity threat level in relation to government systems to high. The heightened threat level comes on the heels of a number of weaknesses… more
Sunday, 28 February 2021
EDITORIAL: ARE WE READY FOR A DIGITAL ID CARD?
Barbados – This week, the Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Dale Marshall indicated that the new digital ID and national ID card can store fingerprints, driver’s license, and other personal data… more
Company owned by Cathy Hughes received $6M in contracts from Ministry of Telecommunications
Guyana – Public Affairs Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy has publicized that former Minister of Public Telecommunications and Alliance For Change (AFC) Senior Executive and Member of Parliament, Catherine Hughes had her company, VideoMega Productions Limited receive over $6M in contracts from the ministry, which she presided over… more
HACKED! – Israeli company engaged by Jamaica targeted by cyber crooks
Jamaica – The Jamaican Government, after months of silence, has disclosed that it has signed a five-year J$4-billion contract with the Israeli firm ELTA Systems Limited, but has sought to assure Jamaicans that they have nothing to fear… more
Image credits: Markus Spiske (Pexels); Wikipedia; Belize Web; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikimedia Commons; Spectrum Management Authority; Wikipedia; Guyana Chronicle
