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

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;