A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 12 April to Sunday 18 April 2021.
Monday, 12 April 2021
FUTURE-PROOF: Island Luck CEO launches transformative technology group
Bahamas – Island Luck Chief Executive Officer Sebas Bastian recently announced that he has once again directed his focus towards technological development with the establishment of the WYYSE Technology Group… more
Ready Call Center is looking for an IT Helpdesk Support Personnel; Also hiring for immediate openings
Belize – Ready Call Center, RCCBPO is looking for a driven, detail-oriented Information Technology (IT) professional to join its team as an IT Helpdesk Support Technician… more
Curaçao Welcomes Digital Nomads to Work Remotely from the Beach for Six Months
Curaçao – It feels like we might finally be in the home stretch of this pandemic. Sure, we’ll probably all be wearing face masks and bathing in hand sanitizer for the foreseeable future, but life is otherwise slowly returning to normal… more
UG launches Zoom Rooms to enhance virtual classes
Guyana – The University of Guyana (UG) has launched 18 Zoom Rooms to enhance virtual classroom experiences for its students and staff… more
In a digital world content is king!
Jamaica – During the nineteenth century, Kodak was the leader in the photography industry throughout the world… more
Michael Treasure | Zypps, a competitor to the Uber model, is already operational in Jamaica
Jamaica – First, we would like to correct the false information recently published in the Jamaica Gleaner that quoted the President of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS), Mr. Egeton Newman saying Zypps had pulled the plug on its operations in Jamaica… more
Eastern Caribbean blazes a trail as first currency union to launch central bank digital cash
Regional – The Eastern Caribbean on Thursday became the first currency union central bank to issue digital cash, a move that comes as bigger monetary authorities such as the European Central Bank look at issuing their own electronic cash… more
Tuesday, 13 April 2021
GTT appoints new CEO
Guyana – Damian Blackburn has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), replacing Justin Nedd… more
GTT’s CEO steps down
Guyana – Mr. Justin Nedd would be stepping down from the post of Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) from May 3, 2021, he announced Tuesday… more
New CEO appointed at GTT; Nedd to overlook ATN Strategic Programs
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company is set to announce a major change to its top management with the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer who takes office from early May… more
Businesses urged to prepare for digital currency
Jamaica – Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke is encouraging businesses to prepare for digital currency, which is expected to be launched by the Bank of Jamaica in 2022… more
Wednesday, 14 April 2021
GTT gets new, non-Guyanese CEO
Guyana – For more than two decades, locals have always sat at the helm of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), a subsidiary of US-based Atlantic Tele-Networks (ATN) Inc… more
Encrypy it
Jamaica – A common misconception that many people have about securing data and privacy of data communications is “as long as the connection between the sender and recipient of information is secure then the data itself is also secure”. Well, nothing could be further from the truth… more
St Thomas residents welcome expanded Digicel LTE Home service
Jamaica – It was instant relief for Cleopatra Manderson when high-speed in-home Wi-Fi was switched on for the first time at her house in the quiet farming community of Leith Hall in St Thomas, recently… more
Social $ense For Businesses
Jamaica – Social media is a great way to communicate with your customers. Last week I spoke about common mistakes that companies make on social media… more
St. Kitts And Nevis Promotes Greater Involvement Of Girls In Information And Communication Technology
Saint Kitts and Nevis – St. Kitts and Nevis will highlight the contributions of women in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) field and promote professional development opportunities for young women by hosting a Girls in ICT Week of Activities from April 19 to 23, 2021… more
E-waste shipment sorted and ready for shipment to USA this week.
Sint Maarten – TelEm Group and the Lion’s Club of St. Maarten have successfully joined in a massive environmental effort to collect hundreds of damaged and broken computers, printers, and other electronic equipment so that they can be shipped abroad for recycling… more
Vision-Box and Princess Juliana International Airport Announce Contract Extension to Continue Deploying Biometric Technology.
Sint Maarten – Vision-Box announced that it has extended its contract with the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), in St. Maarten… more
Thursday, 15 April 2021
Dominican Republic to update 23-year-old telecommunications law
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic’s telecommunications regulator Indotel has launched a public consultation on plans to update the country’s General Telecommunications Law No. 153-98, which was enacted back in 1998… more
Honey Bun, Digicel foundations launch business diagnostic app
Jamaica – The Honey Bun Foundation has launched, the Gapp App, a business diagnostic tool for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)… more
Flow Customers get FREE Smart Tablet device in new promotion
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Flow’s latest promotion is generating a massive buzz in the market with customers getting a new Samsung Tablet valued at EC$900 in addition to FREE installation and 50% off the first three months when they sign up for the company’s new Broadband & TV promotion through April 30th, 2021… more
Cable & Wireless Communications Stands With the People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Aftermath of La Soufrière Eruption
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – In the immediate aftermath of the first major eruption of La Soufrière, Cable & Wireless Communications activated its emergency teams on the ground in St. Vincent and across the region to quickly respond to the needs of employees, their families, customers, and the broader community… more
Why blockchain, with bitcoin and NFTs, is a good thing
Trinidad and Tobago – As the rich world gradually becomes less religious, with the developing world soon to follow, something is rushing in to fill the void. Enter blockchain, and its bitcoin and non-fungible tokens… more
Friday, 16 April 2021
GET A GRIP: Cable Bahamas CEO says private sector must acknowledge digitization fears and embrace new opportunities
Bahamas – A top private sector executive said yesterday that there remains a tremendous opportunity for Bahamian businesses to embrace digitization, adding that the private sector must “come to grips” with its own fears and lack of investment in digital technology… more
NO ONE LEFT BEHIND: Govt workers will be included in digital transformation plan, Thompson says
Bahamas – Minister of State for Finance Kwasi Thompson yesterday acknowledged that as the government forges ahead with its digital transformation, it cannot leave its employees behind, noting that they likewise need to be upskilled and retooled… more
‘Nothing Meaningful’: Niche ISP Bashes Cable, BTC Offers
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and Cable Bahamas have been accused of doing “nothing substantial or meaningful” to lower charges levied on niche providers for using their networks… more
BVI Gets Licenced Radio Operator And Examiner
British Virgin Islands – The Territory’s emergency communications capabilities have been strengthened by the addition of two licenced amateur radio operators, including one who has achieved the rank of examiner… more
GTT’s parent company may seek compensation for any loss of exclusive rights over market
Guyana – Even though the PPP/C Administration broke the back of its monopoly over the telecommunications market, Atlantic Tele-Networks Inc. (ATN), the US-based parent company of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT), is of the impression that its June 18, 1990 licence is still intact and therefore, gives it exclusive rights over “domestic fixed and international voice and data services… more
ENDS to expand after tweaks to resolve glitches
Jamaica – With more than two thousand participating companies so far, the e-commerce platform that kept food companies and other retailers connected to customers during the three-week soft lockdown to bend the COVID curve, is soon to broaden its footprint… more
Honey Bun launches free diagnostics tool Gapp App for SMEs
Jamaica – Small enterprises have a new diagnostic tool to work with as they try to establish and grow their businesses… more
Outsource2Jamaica conference to take digital format from June 11-12
Jamaica – The third annual Outsource2Jamaica 2021 Conference and Expo is expected to connect international investors with local service providers within the Global Services Sector (GSS), which continues to make a significant contribution to Jamaica’s economic development… more
UWI Seismic communications team receives boost from Digicel
Regional – Digicel is making sure that Vincentians continue to get timely updates and information on La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent from the experts at theUniversity of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC)… more
Saturday, 17 April 2021
New app teaches ancient Indian language to Antiguans and Barbudans
Antigua and Barbuda – Students in Antigua and Barbuda now have access to an app that will teach them the ancient language of India… more
Blockchain education coming to Cayman
Cayman Islands – The Blockchain Education Network (BEN) and the Caribbean Blockchain Alliance (CBA) are partnering with the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) to offer a course on blockchain, the mechanism that keeps track of cryptocurrency exchanges across the world… more
Cayman Islands Digital Economy Conference slated for June
Cayman Islands – The 4th annual Cayman Islands Digital Economy Conference (CyDEC) is set to take place on Thursday June 3… more
Guyana – Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Growth Dynamics 2028, Trends Compititors Analysis – Company 1, Company 2, Company 3, etc
Guyana – Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband market study compilation denoting overall marketplace situation of international marketplace is an effort from Orbis Research to unravel crucial marketplace developments including different business opportunities, seller profile in addition to technological leaps that layout and influence market expansion travel… more
Go global
Regional – Economist Avinash Persaud is eager to see the Caribbean region getting back to the days of favourable economic performance and job creation though, he says, greater unity was needed in several areas to spur economic activity and growth… more
Sunday, 18 April 2021
Smart classroom commissioned at President’s College
Guyana – Minister of Education Priya Manickchand on Friday commissioned the first smart classroom in Education District Four at President’s College… more
Tech service allowed entrepreneur to remain relevant during lockdown
Jamaica – Entrepreneur Curtis Davis is happy that he was able to keep his doors open in the early days of the novel coronavirus pandemic when many businesses were forced to shutter their operations… more
Girls in ICT:One woman’s story
Trinidad and Tobago – When Mariana Ramroop started her first permanent job about 15 years ago her supervisor told her something that has stayed with her ever since… more
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (Pixabay); Wikipedia; Guyana Chronicle; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Bahamas Local; Wikimedia Commons; zcopley (Flickr)
