A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 14 February to Sunday 20 February 2022.
Monday, 14 February 2022
PM Denies Union’s Cable Pre-Election Pledge Fears
Bahamas – A trade union leader yesterday voiced doubts that the Prime Minister will live up “a pre-election commitment” to bring BISX-listed Cable Bahamas to the negotiating table… more
Work from home trend comes with perks and pain
Cayman Islands – Staff in Cayman, like in the rest of the world, have come to grips with working from home over the past two years, as the pandemic closed offices and workplaces across the globe. One side-effect of this enforced teleworking has been the impact on the mental and physical health of employees… more
Digicel Business: 70% of Caribbean businesses haven’t upgraded cybersecurity measures
Caribbean – Digicel’s Digital Transformation Research Report surveyed 1,900 businesses across the Caribbean, and through this research, Digicel Business has been able to get a better picture of where companies are on their digital transformation journey and provide some tangible ways that organisations can invest in that journey… more
Govt. will get rid of Granger’s Cyber Crime Laws at ‘appropriate time’ — Minister Teixeira
Guyana – The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration has signalled its intention to get rid of the Cyber Crime Act of Guyana, passed in 2018 by the then coalition administration, A Partnership for Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), despite an outpouring of public criticisms at the time… more
Driving innovation in the creative industries & the Digital Age(Part Two)
Jamaica – WITH all this information and technology at our fingertips and unlimited access to global audiences, you may wonder why all creators aren’t rich… more
Tuesday, 15 February 2022
BTC: No Contract Worker Termination Over Covid Policy
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) chief executive has denied that any contract workers have been terminated with “over 90 percent” complying with its COVID policies… more
BTC To Be ‘Attacker’ In Market Share Fight
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) top executive says it plans “to become a real attacker” in the battle for market share with ambitions to build-out its new network by end-2023… more
Barbados: Malfunction on app blamed for tsunami alert
Barbados – The Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) Tuesday apologised “for any inconvenience caused” after the public was warned of a possible tsunami… more
Electronic Communications Bill (EC Bill) awareness campaign
Caribbean – The Government of Dominica is taking steps to build awareness on the draft Electronic Communications (EC) Bill… more
CANTO 38TH AGM : Public/Private Sector Partnerships Needed To Close The Digital Divide
Caribbean – Private-Public Sector Partnerships like an Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Programme, is promoted as a possible solution to bridge the digital divide in Latin America and the Caribbean… more
Digicel’s ‘Tech Talk Tuesday’ tackles latest online scams
Caribbean – As part of its Safer Internet Month awareness campaign, dubbed Tech Time Online, digital operator Digicel will be educating persons about how to spot the latest online scams… more
Chainlink sponsors Code Cayman’s blockchain programme with $20,000 donation
Cayman Islands – Chainlink sponsors Code Cayman’s blockchain programme with $20,000 donation… more
New telecoms provider gets licence to service Guyana
Guyana – A new telecommunications provider looking to operate in the domestic market has been given the formal go ahead with a formal individual Licence and Frequency Authorisation made under the Telecommunications Act… more
Soon an ultra modern digital manufacturing laboratory in Jérémie
Haiti – During the “3D Experience World 2022” which took place in Atlanta, former Ambassador of Haiti to the United States of America, Paul Altidor, Sherry Lassiter, President & CEO, The Fab Foundation and Suchit Jain, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, 3DEXPERIENCE WORKS, Dassault Systèmes, jointly announced a state-of-the-art digital fabrication lab (Fab Lab) in Haiti… more
Digital Technology Services Awarded Over US$4M In Contracts
Jamaica – The Government is to spend US$4 million on the digitisation of vital records at the Registrar General’s Department (RGD), the repository for all records of births, marriages, deaths and deed polls… more
Flow Teen Summit: Youth panel calls out cyberbulling and peer pressure
Jamaica – Student leaders are tasking their peers to strengthen their self-belief as a counter measure to negative behavioural patterns associated with internet usage that impact their self-perception… more
NIB aims for digital transformation in 2 years
Trinidad and Tobago – Executive Director of the National Insurance Board of TT (NIB) Niala Persad-Poliah has said the board is hoping to digitally transform its paper-based system within two years… more
Wednesday, 16 February 2022
PM’s cable company dominates market
Belize – Last week, Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño was asked if he believes he must recuse himself as the Minister responsible for the country’s broadcast sector given his personal investments in the cable and internet industry in Belize… more
E-commerce priorities for SME
Caribbean – E-commerce for Caribbean entrepreneurs has never been more relevant than it is now. For businesses to survive in the new normal, an active commerce mindset and model is no longer just an option… more
ADVERTORIAL: MC Systems taps top tech for businesses in 2022
Jamaica – In 2021, business was characterised by a continued reshaping of the ways of working, as the world morphed to embrace life with COVID-19… more
Bernard Lodge pitched as green, tech-savvy town of the future
Jamaica – The township being developed in the Bernard Lodge greenfield of St Catherine will be modelled as an eco-friendly hub but will see multimillion-dollar infrastructural investments in smart technology to boost public safety… more
JMMB Bank now offering ePay card services
Jamaica – The commercial banking arm of the JMMB Group, JMMB Bank, is now jointly offering ePay card services through a partnership with fintech company Norbrook Transaction Services… more
Lynk steps up security
Jamaica – Lynk, Jamaica’s newest digital wallet from TFOB (2021) Limited that is revolutionising financial transactions across the board islandwide, recently updated its security features to add an extra layer of security for users and their funds… more
Scotiabank marks 132nd anniversary with donation to bridge the ‘digital divide’
Jamaica – SCOTIABANK Jamaica Foundation has donated 132 tablets valued at $3.9 million that will benefit 13 schools across the island through the ‘Digital Divide 2022’ programme being spearheaded by the United Way of Jamaica… more
Thursday, 17 February 2022
BTC successfully tests MARCO’S Alert
Bahamas – The blaring sound of an alarm that echoed from various mobile phones at the Ministry of National Security on Wednesday was evidence that the official test of the Marco Alert system on BTC’s mobile network was indeed a success… more
Marco Alert Final Testing ‘In Coming Weeks’
Bahamas – THE Ministry of National Security in partnership with Bahamas Telecommunications Company yesterday conducted the final testing of the MARCO Alert system, with full rollout of the platform expected “in the coming weeks”… more
Upgrade skills to remain globally relevant, says regional consultant
Barbados – One financial industry expert is advising consultants in Barbados and the rest of the region to invest in technology use and the upgrade of their skills in order to meet the needs of companies around the globe that are now engaging in a “war” for talent due to a disruption in traditional work models… more
Euler Digital buys research firm AI Forum
Cayman Islands – Euler Digital has acquired 100% of the equity of independent artificial intelligence (AI) research platform AI Forum… more
Jamaicans Urged To Use Free Wi-Fi Service To Transform Lives
Jamaica – As the Government continues to roll out free secured Wi-Fi hotspots in communities across the island, citizens are being urged to make use of the service to transform their lives… more
Manchester school gets ICT room from Digicel Foundation
Jamaica – Harry Watch Primary School is one of two schools selected to receive a fully outfitted information and communication technology (ICT) room courtesy of the Digicel Foundation… more
TSTT’s statement on the impact of the blackout on its operations
Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT has engineered most of the network to maintain service in adverse events including those triggered by loss of commercial power. This is part of TSTT’s disaster business contingency planning… more
Friday, 18 February 2022
GOING DIGITAL: First digital nat’l census set for April
Bahamas – The Bahamas National Statistical Institute is pleased to announce that the Census will take place starting April 5 and will be completely digital… more
Become A Financial Technology Professional
British Virgin Islands – The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College will be offering a Financial Technology (FinTech) programme for persons interested in becoming professionals in the field… more
Towards a digital region
Caribbean – Steps to accelerate the region’s digital transformation gained momentum recently after information, communication and technology (ICT) ministers across the Caribbean unanimously approved some Caricom Secretariat-led action plans to fast-track the objective… more
Dominica Citizens Required to Switch to e-Passports By August 30
Dominica – Citizens of the Caribbean island nation of Dominica will soon be required to obtain biometric e-passports… more
PM presents telecommunications licence to new provider Green Gibraltar
Guyana – Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips presented a telecommunications licence this afternoon to a new local telecommunications provider, Green Gibraltar… more
Hugo after slice of $400b pie
Jamaica – Alyssa MooYoung, the general manager for Hugo, Jamaica/ Trinidad & Tobago, a delivery service company which has indicated that it is considering bill payment services as a new business line, indicates that the company is partnering with an established service provider to do so… more
UTech student pursuing degree while running online business
Jamaica – First year University of Technology Jamaica student Serena McNeil, 19, is celebrating her all-A’s profile this semester after a trying year of balancing her studies alongside her part-time job and running her own business… more
St Lucia minister urges NTRC ‘to bring closure to … SKY FM’
Saint Lucia – In furtherance of the announcement of a new board of directors to govern the National Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (NTRC) for three years, senior minister with responsibility for telecommunications, Stephenson King, on Wednesday, February 16, 2022,“met with members of the newly constituted National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) under the chairmanship of Mary Polius ,” the ministry announced Friday… more
bmobile helps 6 women in e-commerce
Trinidad and Tobago – HARNESSING opportunities the internet offers many different pathways for income and personal growth, bmobile continues to work with young people to identify ways and means to bring these opportunities to them… more
JMMB rolls out new Smart ATMs today
Trinidad and Tobago – From today customers will have access to a new Smart automated teller machine (ATM) at the JMMB Bank in Chaguanas… more
The beauty of a cell tower
Trinidad and Tobago – I awoke one morning to see some email from the property manager of our residential community stating that TSTT would beginning works on two cell towers within our community. Not one, mind you, but two. There was no warning, no conversation, just an email stating that works would be beginning… more
Saturday, 19 February 2022
Police to boost training with use of technology
Barbados – The Barbados Police Service (BPS) is embarking on a process of training to improve the level of efficiency and transparency from officers carrying out criminal investigations… more
Jamaica Has Everything Ready For Its New Jam-Dex CBDC
Jamaica – No cash, no problem! If you are one of those who think that physical money is old-fashioned, you might want to move to Jamaica, where the Central Bank has a similar stance and is getting closer each day to launching its own CBDC… more
TSTT: Duration of power outage caused mobile network issues
Trinidad and Tobago – Wednesday’s island-wide power outage led to a domino disruption in other services such as telecommunications. Notably, customers on TSTT’s bMobile network were most affected, complaining of an inability to contact loved ones… more
Sunday, 20 February 2022
Revolutionising education
Jamaica – Today, his remains could have been nearly 20 years old, but instead, his life was saved by a certificate of excellence in instructional technology mounted on the wall of the August Town home he shared with family members… more
Image credits: Ono Kosuki (Pexel); Wikipedia; Wikimedia Commons; Wikipedia; The Eleutheran; Wikipedia; Wikimedia Commons;