A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 14 June to Sunday 20 June 2021.
Monday, 14 June 2021
Cuba Is Making Its Own Smartphone—With China’s Help
Cuba – The Cuban government is gearing up to produce what almost every Cuban wants—unless it’s made in Cuba. A new smartphone… more
Jamaica, Cayman Islands mull digital ID for more government services, PhilSys scaling up
Jamaica – Authorities in Jamaica are considering linking the national identification number (NIN) to the taxpayer’s registration number (TRN) once pending digital ID legislation has been okayed, according to the Jamaica Observer… more
Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Survey finds more Bahamian businesses using digital payments amid COVID-19
Bahamas – A survey commissioned by the Central Bank of The Bahamas has revealed that more businesses have embraced digital payments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Technology shift needed for small business sector
Barbados – Concerns are being raised that there are still too many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean that are unable to process online transactions, limiting their ability to benefit more from the tourism sector… more
Caribbean movies and TV shows coming soon to US video streaming service Roku
Caribbean – Just in time for Caribbean American Heritage Month, Caribbean movies and TV shows are now more accessible than ever to viewers in the Caribbean diaspora across the US, UK, and Canada with FILMCO’s release of curated titles across its expansive catalogue and slate of original films on the newly launched PAVILION+ platform… more
ANNOUNCEMENT: NTRC meeting for radio operators consultation on draft amateur radio guidelines and standards
Dominica – “The National Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (NTRC) is issuing a call and reminding all Amateur Radio Operators to participate in the consultation on the draft Amateur Radio Guidelines and Standards This Thursday, June17th, 2021… more
COVID-19 Vaccination Software Launched
Jamaica – Public health officials now have faster and easier access to accurate data on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Jamaica through the full rollout of the COVID-19 Vaccination CommCare Software… more
Uber Riding Into Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica – The United States-based company had, earlier this year, announced plans to launch its services in Jamaica. The operations began on June 15th. The company says Kingston will serve as a test market… more
UHWI chief IT officer resigns amid multimillion-dollar scandal
Jamaica – The chief information technology officer at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Herman Athias, has resigned… more
Local ISPs respond to FragAttacks warning
Trinidad and Tobago – The website fragattacks.com aggregates information about vulnerabilities, (fragmentation and aggregation attacks) which can affect WiFi devices. According to the website, every Wi-Fi product has at least one vulnerability and some have several, the result of programming errors in the hardware… more
Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Central Bank Digital Currency Initiative: Eastern Caribbean Central Bank
Caribbean – Despite the pandemic, news websites were littered with announcements of new research and pilots as the world’s central banks embarked on exploring CBDC’s in more detail… more
Bridging the digital literacy divide
Jamaica – We are in a digital literacy pandemic, one that was percolating beneath our busy schedules and distracted agendas until the actual pandemic hit… more
Dr Sean Thorpe — Mentor’s touch
Jamaica – Dr Sean Thorpe wants to launch a technology park to give young people, not necessarily tech students, the opportunity to “touch the world”… more
Jamaicans log onto Skills for the Future Programme
Jamaica – Hundreds of Jamaicans are currently being trained under the free Skills for the Future Programme by the Flow Foundation, in partnership with the Caribbean School of Data (CSOD)… more
‘Smaller companies don’t have the resources to comply with Data Protection Act’ — Chris Berry
Jamaica – Chris Berry, executive chairman of Mayberry Investments Limited, says he believes that many small enterprises may not be able to comply with the Data Protection Act, 2020 due to lack of resources… more
Uber alarm
Jamaica – Ride-sharing entity Uber announced on Tuesday that it is now operational in Jamaica, sending off alarms among the thousands of taxi operators destined to collide with the Silicon Valley behemoth that has sparked conflict in transportation centres globally… more
UHWI tech project on Integrity Commission radar
Jamaica – The now-troubled board of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) meets today amid the developing scandal over how more than $500 million was spent on an IT project at the institution that is now four years past its delivery date… more
Thursday, 17 June 2021
CASHLESS TREND: Acceptance and use of electronic payments increased in 2020, Central Bank survey finds.
Bahamas – Both acceptance and use of electronic payments increased in The Bahamas in 2020, according to a survey commissioned by the Central Bank, which also found that 64 percent of businesses surveyed believed fees charged by financial institutions require major improvements… more
Crowdfund Platform’s Launch Eyes Start-Ups Looking For $1m-$2m
Bahamas – A Bahamas-based crowdfunding platform will showcase “four, maybe five” start-ups each seeking between $1m-$2m in financing when it launches by the second week in July, it was revealed yesterday… more
Island Pay prepaid Mastercard kiosk supports Café Johnny Canoe cashless restaurant concept
Bahamas – Island Pay Group Ltd (Island Pay) has established digital payment kiosks at high-traffic locations across New Providence, with one of its newest kiosks having been recently installed at Café Johnny Canoe on Baha Mar Boulevard… more
OFFICIAL LAUNCH: Bahamian crowdfunding platform and stock exchange to go live early next month
Bahamas – Bahamian crowdfunding platform and stock exchange ArawakX, which is licensed and regulated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas, is set to go live early next month… more
CYBERCRIME ON THE RISE
Barbados – As countries in the Caribbean continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, a regional security expert is warning that cybercrime is on the rise, and contends that the region must get prepared for that growing threat… more
FLOW commits to regional clientele
Barbados – With a very active 2021 Atlantic hurricane season predicted, Telecommunications giant Cable & Wireless, the company which operates here as Flow, is giving its corporate clients the assurance that its infrastructure is secure… more
Keep eyes on cybercrime, warns RSS chief
Barbados – One of Barbados’ top security officials is warning that cyber-attacks and fraud will become more prolific in Barbados and the rest of the region as countries engage in more e-commerce and online methods of doing business… more
Online sales have transformed the market!
Belize – With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses around the world found new and innovative ways to reach customers and potential customers… more
FLOW commits to regional clientele
Caribbean – With a very active 2021 Atlantic hurricane season predicted, Telecommunications giant Cable & Wireless, the company which operates here as Flow, is giving its corporate clients the assurance that its infrastructure is secure… more
Over US$250M at TBR Lab Demo Day
Caribbean – One of the primary barriers to growth for Caribbean technology startups is funding. With a very nascent early-stage investment culture, the Caribbean is a challenging place to identify angel and venture capital investors… more
Cyber attacks increasing in Cayman
Cayman Islands – Cayman’s Digital Forensic Hub has noted a spike in online attacks from cyber criminals seeking to defraud unsuspecting members of the public through scams varying from email phishing to cellphone messaging… more
Latin America and the Caribbean’s digitization: Time to scale-up investments
Haiti – Even as the region is more connected than ever, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) still face multiple digital gaps… more
Banks want protection of data under Cybercrimes Act
Jamaica – FINANCIAL institutions are concerned that they could face serious risk and liability exposure from clients if not properly protected under the Cybercrimes Act, from the authorities having access to information or data which are not relevant to their investigations of an offence… more
Review of Parliament’s HR capabilities to be undertaken
Jamaica – Minister of Tourism and Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives, Edmund Bartlett, says an organisational review of the human resource (HR) capabilities required for an efficient Parliament is being commissioned… more
Transport minister hails Jamaican-owned Redplate Transporter app
Jamaica – The app, which was launched virtually on Wednesday, offers services to persons in the trucking, taxi, bus and biker businesses, providing a platform for drivers and riders to subscribe to an all-in-one application for daily transporting, delivery, shopping and mobile money needs… more
Uber might require special licence to operate in Jamaica
Jamaica – THE Transport Authority says Uber’s “vehicle with driver lease agreement” is a new designation in the local public transportation landscape and may not eliminate the need for the company to engage licensed public transportation operators to provide its ride-sharing services locally… more
Retailers get creative: Using simple technology to generate income
Trinidad and Tobago – Finding new, innovative and convenient ways to do things has always been a part of human nature, for example, the evolution of transportation, education and shopping… more
Where are the digital transformation specifics?
Trinidad and Tobago – IF THERE had been even one major development resulting from the Government’s plan to demonstrate digital transformation, it would have been trumpeted from the rooftops… more
Friday, 18 June 2021
Cryptocurrencies, central banks and the Caribbean
Caribbean – In less than three months’ time, El Salvador intends becoming the first country in the world to make bitcoin its official currency alongside the US dollar… more
itel Introduces New Brand Celebrating International Expansion and Strategic Position in the New Economy
Caribbean – itel, an award-winning international customer experience partner with operations across the Caribbean, Latin America, U.S., and Canada, today announced a rebrand of the outsourcing company… more
Youth Innovation lab to be launched by Trust for the Americas, CARIRI, Citi
Caribbean – Trust for the Americas, a non-profit organisation affiliated with the Organisation of American States, has partnered with the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) and the Citi Foundation to host a new virtual event designed to support young innovators and distruptive entrepreneurs… more
DigiPlay customers in Dominica unhappy about rate increase
Dominica – Customers of Digicel Play are expressing concern over a recent rate increase from the company, which many say came with no prior notice… more
E-networks offering sign-up discounts to vaccinated customers
Guyana – In a statement today, the company said as an incentive to encourage more Guyanese to get vaccinated, it is offering discounts for new services to customers who have been vaccinated… more
FSC wants Cybercrimes Act to flag computer-related fraud, forgery
Jamaica – A key financial regulatory body in Jamaica is recommending that lawmakers expand offences under the Cybercrimes Act to tackle computer-related fraud and forgery… more
PSOJ panel bats for lower consumer tax rates to drive digital economy
Jamaica – A panel of digital experts brought together by the PSOJ Economic Policy Committee is pushing for a reduction in the general consumption tax, GCT, for transactions done electronically, saying it would provide an incentive for consumer migration to digital services… more
Security expert: Region not properly prepared for cyber attacks
Jamaica – A regional security expert has warned Caribbean leaders to be prepared for more cyberattacks as criminals have been capitalising on the digital transformation that has been taking place due to the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Saturday, 19 June 2021
PAHO/WHO donates computer equipment to strengthen the Immunization Information Systems of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ COVID-19 Vaccine Response
Belize – The donated equipment will also strengthen the information system to provide fast, frequent and accurate reporting and measure the progress of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and coverage… more
Bitt Globally Awarded As Central Bank Digital Currency Partner
Caribbean – For its work on the DCash pilot, global fintech company, Bitt, was awarded as the 2021 Central Bank Digital Currency Partner by the industry’s leading information resource – Central Banking Publications… more
Jamaican-Born Engineer Leads Team Working to Improve Web Connectivity Worldwide
Jamaica – Jamaican-born engineer, Dr. Charles Anthony Barnett, a former student at Cornell College and a senior vice-president of Hughes Network Systems based in Maryland, is the head of a technical team that has joined with the OneWeb system to bring faster broadband internet connectivity speeds to unserved and under-served communities around the world… more
Rock Mobile confirmed as third Jamaican player
Jamaica – Days after confirming that Jamaica’s 700MHz tender had been successful, the Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Daryl Vaz has named domestic operator Rock Mobile as the island nation’s third licensee… more
Sunday, 20 June 2021
Hi-tech inspection
Jamaica – Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang examines a tablet attached to this police service vehicle, witnessed by Commissioner of Police Antony Anderson (centre), during the handing over of 47 – L200 Mitsubishi pickup trucks and 73 motor bikes by the ministry to the police force at the commissioner’s office, on Old Hope Road, St Andrew, on Friday… more
Huawei to host Seeds of the Future programme
Jamaica – Huawei has announced its support for the fifth annual staging of Seeds of the Future programme, with students from The University of the West Indies and The University of Technology, Jamaica participating… more
New twists in UHWI tech system saga
Jamaica – AS The $500-million information technology scandal rocking the Mona Campus of The University of the West Indies (UWI) deepens, former Principal Professor Archibald McDonald has admitted that there is “solid basis” for the contract for the Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) software that is four years past its April 2017 delivery date be renegotiated… more
Rock Mobile quietly preparing roll-out
Jamaica – Rock Mobile, the newly crowned third mobile operator, continues to keep a low profile while it prepares to launch… more
What to expect at a digital bank?
Jamaica – AT the end of May, Scotiabank branches located in Christiana, Falmouth, Portmore, Port Antonio, Port Maria and St Ann’s Bay were converted to the digital model, which essentially means many day-to-day transactions, including cash transactions, will now be conducted using a digital channel… more
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