A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 19 July to Sunday 25 July 2021.
Monday, 19 July 2021
Govt bonds could crowd out new crowd funding, warns Fidelity Group CEO
Bahamas – The government could be choking out its own crowdfunding initiative for small and medium-sized businesses by seeking so much financing from local capital markets, one financial expert warned… more
Nadeen Matthews Blair talks digital transformation
Jamaica – DIGITAL is the way of the future, and one way to get Jamaicans to connect with this reality is to empower them through education in order to further the island’s digital transformation… more
Digitisation continues at Town & Country Planning
Trinidad and Tobago – THE digitisation of documents has continued at the Planning and Development Ministry’s Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) despite the current public health and state of emergency (SoE) restrictions… more
Tuesday, 20 July 2021
BTC first to introduce AI-driven customer care platform
Bahamas – Keeping its commitment to continuously deliver the best experience for its customers, BTC has introduced a new artificial-intelligence-driven WhatsApp virtual assistant aimed at providing customer support. The new solution is a “BTC Chatbot” that provides a number of services right in the palm of the customer’s hands… more
Sand Dollar rollout continues with successful implementation across government agencies
Bahamas – Bahamian residents will now be able to pay for government services with the new digital Sand Dollars… more
BVI’s Online Work Permit System Activated
British Virgin Islands –Employers and employees across the Territory are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with the user manual to allow for efficient and effective use of the recently launched Online Work Permit System… more
BPO sector striving despite COVID-19, says Hill
Jamaica – MINISTER without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), Senator Aubyn Hill last Friday congratulated the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector for its performance during the current novel coronavirus pandemic… more
How to Drive Jamaica’s Development and Create Opportunities with Technology
Jamaica – If you want to know how to use technology to help drive Jamaica’s development and create opportunities for yourself, then this Thursday, July 22nd is your day… more
Protecting your data in the event of a natural disaster
Jamaica – Local technology experts state that as Jamaica is susceptible to natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, it is important that businesses have a disaster recovery plan, or business continuity strategies in place… more
Digital dictation for tertiary education
Trinidad and Tobago – Digital access has become a make or break factor for local tertiary education institutions as the COVID-19 pandemic has dictated that most classes are now online… more
Local Government welcomes Digital Transformation
Trinidad and Tobago – The Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, Senator the Honourable Haji Kazim Hosein, hosted a meeting to chart the way forward in the Digital Transformation of Local Government… more
Microsoft supports TT’s medl with US$120,000 cloud and support grant
Trinidad and Tobago – Focusing on high-risk patients with chronic diseases, medl is a mobile application offering quick prescription medication delivery services… more
Wednesday, 21 July 2021
EMBRACE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN TOURISM
Barbados – Entities within the Tourism Sector are being encouraged to embrace digital transformation and to research the benefits of the process not just to themselves but also to clients and guests… more
Cybersecurity road map – use maximum protection
Caribbean – TO mark the 9th article in the series on cybersecurity, we are recounting the critical guidance shared to ensure that our recommendations can be taken as a whole… more
Digicel to create 200 new jobs with Finance Shared Service Centre
Caribbean – AS part of its commitment to Caribbean regional development, Digicel Group announced that it has begun an evaluation process of selecting a single Caribbean market in which to base its Finance Shared Service Centre… more
Home automation — getting started
Caribbean – Is home automation a “smart” move for your home or business? We have used the terms home automation and smart home interchangeably… more
Jamericans in Technology – Making a Difference and Giving Back to Jamaica – Virtual Chat Series With Ambassador Marks on July 22nd, 2021
Jamaica – Jamaicans in the USA are once again invited to a conversation with Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Audrey Marks, for this month’s virtual Let’s Connect on Thursday, 22nd July 2021 at 7:00PM EDT… more
Digital dominance!
Jamaica – On the cusp of the pilot phase of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the Bank of Jamaica is forecasting its new digital currency “will be the preferred means of payment…in ten years from roll-out if not before”… more
John Matthew Sinclair — Making The Future Easier
Jamaica – THRILLED by the idea of creating something and solving problems with every project he was presented with, John Matthew Sinclair had his heart set on pursuing a career as an architect… more
One Caribbean — the future of tech success in the region
Jamaica – The Caribbean region as a whole is one of the most fertile regions when it comes to the potential to be extracted from technology enablement, digital transformation and tech investments… more
Digital dictation for tertiary education
Trinidad and Tobago – Digital access has become a make or break factor for local tertiary education institutions as the COVID-19 pandemic has dictated that most classes are now online… more
Thursday, 22 July 2021
Basic Broadband package roll out coming from APUA
Antigua and Barbuda – The Minister of Public Utilities Sir Robyn Yearwood has agreed that the Antigua Public Utility Authority will introduce a basic broadband package at a minimum of 10MBps at a rate below EC$ 100.00 per month on its Fiber to the Home service… more
Bahamas implements Sand Dollar digital currency
Bahamas – Bahamian residents will now be able to pay for government services with the new digital Sand Dollars… more
Audit found CBC website at risk of cyber attack
Cayman Islands – A heavily redacted report by the government’s Internal Audit Service about the vulnerabilities of the Customs and Border Control website said that it needed to be protected from the “growing rise of cyber attack”… more
E-Networks submarine cable to create ‘significant’ opportunities in Essequibo – President
Guyana – The landing of the E-Networks submarine fibre optic cable in Essequibo, a first for the region, is considered to be a “significant” development for the county that will create numerous opportunities for socio-economic development, job creation and wealth generation, according to President Irfaan Ali… more
Technology Innovators to Feature on Let’s Connect At 6:00 p.m
Jamaica – Using technology to drive Jamaica’s development will take centre stage at the upcoming monthly town hall meeting with Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States… more
Government Using IT For Better Physical Planning
Jamaica – The Government’s capacity to make better planning and development decisions will be improved with the launch of the National Spatial Planning Information Technology (NSPIT) platform. The NSPIT will provide reliable, accurate and updated data on distribution of people and activities… more
Friday, 23 July 2021
Antiguan crypto exchange closes US $900-m fund-raise
Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua and Barbuda-based cryptocurrency trading platform, FTX trading Limited, has closed a US$900- million fund-raising round, describing it as “historic”… more
URCA Demands Cable Bahamas Pull Political Ad
Bahamas – THE Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority has ordered Cable Bahamas Limited to immediately cease and desist from broadcasting a political advertisement of Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis that has been showing on its channels… more
Barbados prime minister: Caribbean must use digital technology to be competitive
Caribbean – Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has said the Caribbean has many untapped digital possibilities and opportunities that can make the region a strong competitor globally… more
Digicel Ja to pump $30b into digital deployment
Jamaica – Declaring that Digicel is back, CEO of the telecom’s Jamaica operations, Jabbor Kayumov, says the company will be investing US$200 million, or nearly $31 billion, to accelerate the build-out of infrastructure and deployment of new technology over… more
Preparing for the next wave of digital transformation
Trinidad and Tobago – At the recently concluded 12th Mansmith Market Masters Conference, we asked three seasoned marketers about the next wave of digital transformation… more
Three antenna towers installed to enhance emergency communication
Turks and Caicos Islands – The Turks and Caicos Islands has three new mobile antenna towers to ensure emergency communication is available during and swiftly after disasters… more
Saturday, 24 July 2021
Public Works’ Building Control implements new digital system
Bahamas – The Ministry of Public Works yesterday announced a new era of digitalization for its Buildings Control section is on the way… more
URCA orders Cable Bahamas cease and desist political ads against Opposition Leader Philip Davis
Bahamas –The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has issued an interim order mandating Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL) cease and desist its broadcast of political ads against Opposition Leader Philip Davis and the Progressive Liberal Party… more
Agreement signed for increased wages and salaries for GTT workers
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) and the Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union (GPTWU) on Friday signed an agreement for the increase in wages and salaries of workers… more
Global Technology awards scholarships to 10 David Rose Special School teachers
Guyana – Ten teachers from the David Rose Special School are to benefit from sponsored Computer Science scholarships from Global Technology to advance the teaching offered at the school while the company is also upgrading the school’s IT capability… more
FLOW to Provide Tech Training to Jamaican Teachers
Jamaica – Caribbean telecom firm FLOW has agreed to train as many as 1,500 Jamaican teachers in digital technology so they can teach their students online during this COVID-19 era… more
Sunday, 25 July 2021
Digicel urges gov’t to free up spectrum
Guyana – As it announced a rollout of state-of-the-art mobile service in Region Two, Digicel Guyana has called on the government to free up spectrum for the expansion and upgrade of its services… more
GTT commits to act based on customers’ needs
Guyana – Dear Editor, I write in response to a letter published in your newspaper on July 16, 2021 under the caption “GTT can certainly care more for their customers” by M. Abraham… more
Mahfood prioritising market access, e-commerce as new JMEA president
Jamaica – Newly elected president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association John Mahfood has set himself a goal of increasing the quantity of goods that manufacturers – particularly those producing on a smaller scale – sell to Caribbean markets… more
Image credits: Suzy Hazelwood (Pexels); Twitter; Wikipedia Commons; E-Networks; Wikipedia; Guyana Chronicle;
