A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 18 October to Sunday 24 October 2021.
Monday, 18 October 2021
AG Urges IT Audits In Pandora Papers Wake
Bahamas – The Attorney General has urged all Bahamian financial services firms to assess IT security following the Pandora Papers’ disclosures since such leaks can “deal a devastating blow” to the sector… more
ArawakX awarded $400K in financing from Bahamas Development Bank in orange economy investment push
Bahamas – Fintech in The Bahamas has found a champion in the Bahamas Development Bank (BDB), which has awarded over $400,000 in financing to local crowdfunding platform ArawakX… more
Crowdfunder Hits ‘Tourist Tech’ Path
Bahamas – One of the first entities to seek capital in The Bahamas via crowdfunding says it has created “tourist-tech” via technology that co-ordinates the visitor experience in-country… more
Thousands tune in to ArawakX inaugural ecosystem seminar
Bahamas – Under the theme of “How to Grow the Economy Multiple Times”, the inaugural Investor Ecosystem Seminar was held at Baha Mar… more
FREE WIFI PROJECT UNDERWAY
Barbados – A local charity’s WIFI project has made an online schooling programme initiated by the Haynesville Youth Club a reality… more
NTRC launch “Net 4 All” new Social Broadband Programme
Dominica – The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Dominica (NTRC) has launched a new Social Broadband Programme, ‘Net 4 All’… more
Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Drones: Eyes in the sky and in the sea
Cayman Islands – In a continuing Cayman Compass Issues series examining the use of technology in the Cayman Islands, this week we look at smart-tech as it relates to environmental and conservation matters… more
Survey: Tech underinvestment among financial services firms
Cayman Islands – Financial services providers rate themselves only average when it comes to digitalisation, according to a survey by technology company TrustQuay… more
Digicel Business remains ahead of the curve with webinar series
Caribbean – Digicel Business kicks off its Ahead of the Curve business webinar series on October 21, 2021, with a session on Cyber Security. Hosted by Digicel’s Jerren Lewis, Head of Marketing for Digicel Business Trinidad & Tobago, the sessions will feature some candid conversations with solutions experts and business authorities across the region… more
Tech in bricks and mortar fields
Cayman Islands – In a continuing Cayman Compass Issues series examining the use of technology in the Cayman Islands, this week we look at smart-tech as it relates to environmental and conservation matters… more
Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Cable Bahamas Readies For Growing Cyber Threat
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas is “simplifying tasks” and “reducing compliance costs” as its moves to combat fraud in a period of accelerated “digital transformation” driven by COVID-19… more
Caribbean start-up, LUHU, secures Silicon Valley funding
Caribbean – SOCIAL networking and e-commerce app LUHU has signed on the dotted line, confirming its partnership with Silicon Valley venture capitalist (VC) firm, Plug and Play Tech Center… more
‘Customers loving digital,’ says Digicel on one year anniversary
Caribbean – Digicel is declaring its relaunch as a Digital Operator one year ago today a success as customers fully embrace the benefits of a digital lifestyle delivered on a supercharged network… more
Galaxy Z Fold 3 opening new possibilities
Caribbean – BUYING a phone is now down to a science. Being able to make phone calls is not even close to being the most important aspect some buyers look for… more
Loop app users, here’s your chance to win Digicel Prime Bundles
Caribbean – Loop News is celebrating with Digicel its one-year anniversary as a Digital Operator with giveaways to lucky app users… more
Youth benefit from trained in coding, robotics
Caribbean – Participants and stakeholders have hailed the IGT Coding and Robotics Rock! Camp as an appropriate model approach towards bridging the digital divide in education and filling the technological skills gap in the job market within the Caribbean… more
Bottleneck: Digital wallet buildout slow in Jamaica
Jamaica – Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor Richard Byles is calling on commercial banks and cash intensive businesses to prepare to pull more people into using the digital currency, but efforts by several entities to do the same over the last few years show this may not be an easy task… more
Esther Finance eyes growth after $22.5-m private equity deals
Jamaica – Fintech start-up Esther Finance Limited has secured $22.5 million in private equity through two early stage financing deals following its launch in August this year… more
Express Fitness launches automatic membership renewal platform
Jamaica – Express Fitness has launched its new automatic membership renewal platform Auto-Charge. The solution, which leverages unique technology, provides gym-goers with the ease of automatically renewing their monthly membership with auto-payments from their credit card… more
Red Stripe Flavours Game App Competition winners awarded
Jamaica – The first and second place winners of the Red Stripe Flavours Game App Competition received their prizes last Friday, October 15, at the Red Stripe headquarters… more
The new role of the CIO: Are Jamaican CIOs ready?
Jamaica – The role and function of the chief information officer (CIO), the most senior IT leader in an organisation, has evolved quite significantly in recent years… more
‘We’ve Got Game’
Jamaica – THE Red Stripe Flavours Game App Competition officially ended on Monday, October 12, 2021 with exciting pitch presentations and a winner emerging from a creative group of six shortlisted entries… more
ISACA hosts webinar on Blockchain use
Trinidad and Tobago – Blockchain technology is based on distributed and secure protocols that allow data blocks to be generated, added and validated by the network and provide security guarantees such as immutability. To help our members and fellow colleagues understand this technology, the Chapter is pleased to present the webinar titled, Blockchain Technology and Security… more
Thursday, 21 October 2021
C&W Communications focused on ‘Small Business Month
Caribbean – October has been designated Small Business Month across the operations of C&W Communications in the Caribbean… more
Digicel Business kicks off webinar series with cybersecurity session
Caribbean – Digicel Business, on Wednesday, kicked off its Ahead of the Curve business webinar series with a session on Cyber Security… more
NTRC helps provide affordable internet access to students and their families
Dominica – The National Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (NTRC) is subsidizing the cost of basic internet service through its Net4All programme for the benefit of students and their families who find it difficult to access the internet… more
15% of Digicel antennas non-operational
Haiti – In a press release of Thursday, October 21, Digicel informs the general public and its customers in particular, that due to persistent fuel availability problems and other challenges relating to insecurity, more than 15% of its sites are non-operational despite the titanic efforts made… more
RJRGLEANER looking to digital future
Jamaica – A digital future is coming into sharp focus for the RJRGLEANER Communications Group as the company readies for digital switchover (DSO). The company is planning to spend about $1.5 billion on the project to digitise its operation, according to CEO Gary Allen… more
US$1m for robotics, telemedicine systems for Trinidad and Tobago’s covid19 fight
Trinidad and Tobago – A partnership between India and the UN Development Partnership (UNDP) Fund will see the introduction of robotics and telemedicine systems to Trinidad and Tobago… more
Friday, 22 October 2021
#BTColumn – Digital equity for all ages (Part 1)
Barbados – There have been countless discussions regarding growing old and the desperate search for the fountain of youth. Millions of dollars are spent annually on numerous products and surgical interventions which are touted as having the properties and powers to make us look youthful and forever young… more
GOB Receives Donation of ICT Equipment from the US Government
Belize – Today, the Government of Belize received a donation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment from the US Embassy… more
Mastercard and TBR Lab partner to supercharge fintechs success
Caribbean – Mastercard has teamed up with TBR LAB by Tech Beach Retreat to radically transform the digital landscape of the Caribbean and emerging markets through a two-year partnership that will help fintechs throughout the Caribbean… more
Regional students take part in Huawei ICT programme
Caribbean – Students from three Caribbean countries will participate in the 6th instalment of the 2021 Huawei Seeds for the Future ICT study programme… more
Green Gibraltar to get 5G licence
Guyana – With approval from government already granted, a locally created telecommunications company has partnered with United States investors to plug a large sum into 5G services which will add to Guyana’s growing telecommunications pool… more
GTT to step up delivery of bills by email
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) will soon be increasing its digital footprint as plans are in the works to offer all of its billing online… more
“Customers Loving Digital,” Says Digicel
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Digicel is declaring its relaunch as a Digital Operator one year ago a success as customers fully embrace the benefits of a digital lifestyle delivered on a supercharged network… more
Google volunteers, STEM SVG team up with kids to make music
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – A GROUP of young Vincentian minds were recently given an opportunity to produce music using a high-level programming language, Python, when they participated in the first ever hackathon to take place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG)… more
Online Classes Interrupted
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Students and teachers engaged in online classes were dealt an unexpected blow on Wednesday, Oct. 20, when the internet service provided by Flow was interrupted for the better part of four hours… more
Robotics, technology soon to be used to battle COVID-19
Trinidad and Tobago – In less than one year, workers at hospitals and health centres will get much-needed assistance in the battle against COVID-19, in the hope that this, in turn, will make healthcare more accessible to vulnerable patients… more
Saturday, 23 October 2021
Op-Ed: The future of finance in The Bahamas
Bahamas – With the rise of smartphone adoption across the Caribbean, many industries have sought innovative ways to engage consumers by digitalizing their services… more
Automattic seeks remote work developers from the Caribbean
Caribbean – Small states and fragmented economies have rendered the Caribbean vulnerable to the “brain drain curse” for decades. In fact, the region has one of the highest rates of tertiary educated emigrants in the world as some of the islands’ most skilled labour seek out lucrative opportunities in larger markets… more
Seniors attend smart phone workshop training
Cayman Islands – The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) confirmed that six seniors attended the Older Persons Month (OPM) smartphone workshop on Monday, 18 October 2021… more
PM Roosevelt Skerrit hands over smart devices to primary school children
Dominica – Prime Minister of Dominica Dr Roosevelt Skerrit distributed 55 smart devices to Tete Morne and Grand Bay Primary School students. During his address, he said the government asked the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) to find solutions to reduce internet costs for households with students… more
GTT launches Fibre Education Campaign
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) yesterday launched a major fibre education campaign aimed at giving its GTT Fibre internet subscribers, a better understanding of the function and benefits of the technology and how it can work to improve their quality of life… more
Health+Tech | Patient portals can enhance patient engagement
Jamaica – Patient engagement is one of the most important parts of healthcare. While healthcare providers can advise and prescribe, it is up to patients to ensure that they stick to the routine given and take the best decisions to improve their health… more
JPS, IDB Lab establish fund to assist entrepreneurs with EV financing
Jamaica – The e-mobility project launched by the Jamaica Public Service Foundation and the Inter-American Development Bank’s innovation unit, IDB Lab, to accelerate the development of electric vehicle technology in Jamaica, has established an electric mobility fund that entrepreneurs can tap for concessionary financing, particularly women in the micro and small business sector… more
TSTT: No special payment made to Bacchus when he left
Trinidad and Tobago – National telecoms company, Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) is refuting claims by the Communications Workers Union that Minister of Digital Transformation, Senator Hassel Bacchus, was given special payments upon his retirement from the company… more
Sunday, 24 October 2021
How telemedicine can aid in breast cancer treatment
Caribbean – OCTOBER is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as the month rolls on you will get a great deal of information on how to identify the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and how to make sure you can catch it early… more
Digicel conference sets tone for further inclusion of disabled
Jamaica – THE infrastructural and cultural changes necessary to facilitate universal access in corporate Jamaica was the main topic of discussion during Digicel Foundation’s high-level conference on ‘Overcoming Challenges to Workplace Inclusivity’ last week… more
Bank card skimming concern for cybersecurity in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago – In movies bank heists are depicted as action-packed situations where robbers armed with automatic weapons overpower security, grabbing as much cash as they can before escaping in dramatic fashion… more
Image credits: Gerd Altmann (Pixabay); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Facebook; Wikimedia Commons; Wikimedia Commons; Guyana Chronicle
