A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 2 May to Sunday 8 May 2022.
Monday, 2 May 2022
DARE Act must evolve quickly with cryptocurrency sector, says SCB chief
Bahamas – The digital assets space is evolving so quickly that the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) will need to begin tweaking its Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges (DARE) Act in order to keep up with evolving trends, SCB Executive Director Christina Rolle said on Friday, explaining that the commission now needs to take a closer look at stable coins… more
Digital assets firms in talks with FTX about Bahamas move
Bahamas – About 20 to 30 digital assets firms are talking with locally domiciled cryptocurrency exchange FTX about bringing their companies to The Bahamas, FTX’s Chief Executive Officer Ryan Salame told cryptocurrency news website Theblockcrypto.com last week… more
Digital Assets ‘Shot In The Arm’ Sparks Accountants To Reunite
Bahamas – The Bahamas’ entry into the digital assets space sparked two well-known accountants to speed up their reunion after a decade apart by merging their two firms with effect from yesterday… more
Pay TV subscriptions continue their decline
Bahamas – Pay TV subscriptions have continued their downward trend, with the largest fall-off in subscribers taking place between 2020 and 2021, when there was an 11 percent decrease… more
Digital ecosystem ‘a threat’
Barbados – Barbados and the world’s push towards expanding the digital economy is a threat to the environment… more
Is TATT becoming a runaway regulator
Trinidad and Tobago – IN MARCH, the Telecommunications Authority (TATT) published its most recent consultative document on the subject of net neutrality, the Framework on Net Neutrality in Trinidad and Tobago, as a precursor to its final round of consultations on the issue… more
Tuesday, 3 May 2022
Website, app focused on helping small businesses grow
Bahamas – A new local website and app, Everything-local.com, hopes to become the premier one-stop-shop informational portal for The Bahamas, the company’s president Jason Taylor told Guardian Business yesterday, explaining that the functionality of the platform could help small businesses to grow… more
Government commissions submarine cable feasibility study
Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure, has contracted advisory firm Grant Thornton Specialist Services to carry out a formal feasibility study into the modernisation of the Islands’ submarine cable infrastructure… more
Guyana Press Association, Association of Caribbean Media Workers worried about spyware
Guyana – The Guyana Press Association (GPA) and the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) said on Tuesday- World Press Freedom Day- they were worried about whether governments were using spyware to go after journalists and their sources… more
Hanover residents encouraged to put public Wi-Fi to good use
Jamaica – The historic town of Lucea, Hanover is the latest recipient of a public Wi-Fi hotspot and its residents were urged to maximise the opportunities internet access provides… more
PBS returns to profitability
Jamaica – TECHNOLOGY outfit Productive Business Solutions (PBS) has returned to profitability after a year of being in the red… more
Massy Card system remains down
Trinidad and Tobago – Five days after a cyber attack halted sales at Massy Stores across the country, the company’s Massy Card system is still offline… more
Wednesday, 4 May 2022
DIGITAL CURRENCY: Central Bank pushing for wider uptake of Sand Dollar on Family Islands
Bahamas – The Central Bank is aggressively working toward integrating more Bahamians onto its Sand Dollar platform, according to Central Bank Governor John Rolle, who flagged the bank’s considered focus on Family Island residents… more
Pay TV subscriptions continue downward decline
Bahamas – Pay TV subscriptions in the country remain on a downward decline, with the largest decrease seen in the past year… more
You are reading an NFT
Caribbean – Last week covered cryptocurrencies; this week will journey into the crazy and infinitely creative world of NFTs, non-fungible tokens. You may have heard of a piece of digital art sold by an artist named Beeple for US$69 million at Christies Auction or kids as young as 12 selling their art as NFTs for hundred of thousands of US dollars… more
Businesses urged to publicly declare data protection officers
Jamaica – The identity of data protection officers, who are to act as the vanguards of data security within an organisation, should be clearly promulgated, according to Information Commissioner Celia Barclay… more
George Henry: Connect, Build, Optimise
Jamaica – George Henry, CEO of Appfinity, recounts that while at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), he pursued his undergraduate studies to become an English teacher… more
Your bag of digital currency is secure
Jamaica – We’ve heard the phrase “secure the bag” more times than we care to count over the last two years, and it has evolved from simple Internet slang to an actual way of life… more
Fire contained at iGovTT Port of Spain building
Trinidad and Tobago – The National Information and Communication Technology Company Ltd (iGovTT) building in Port of Spain was evacuated after a fire began thereon Wednesday afternoon… more
TSTT: Police held 161 for copper cable theft
Trinidad and Tobago – SOME 161 people have been taken to court this year for stealing copper cable, with TSTT lamenting “a significant increase” in such theft during the pandemic, in a TSTT statement on Wednesday… more
TSTT takes a hard line on copper theft
Trinidad and Tobago – In 2018, TSTT announced that as part of its digital transformation thrust, the Company would be sunsetting its copper plant and migrating customers to wireless and fibre solutions; both of which are better suited to meet the needs of customers in this digital age… more
Thursday, 5 May 2022
FORGING AHEAD: Digital Advisory Panel announced
Bahamas – Attorney General Ryan Pinder yesterday revealed the names of the members of the Digital Advisory Panel that will be charged with keeping the government, regulators, and the policy committee headed by the prime minister, updated on developments and associated risks in the digital assets space… more
Govt appoints nine-member Digital Advisory Panel
Bahamas – The government has appointed the nine-member Digital Advisory Panel for the development of the digital assets policy and industry… more
BTC Revenues Up 6% As Subscribers Decline
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) revenues increased by 6 percent year-over-year for the 2022 first quarter as the carrier continued its steady recovery from the lows caused by the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Banking Association assures customers their data is safe
Barbados – The Barbados Banking Association is assuring Barbadian customers that their information is safe after several reports of security breaches associated with bank cards… more
Cybercrime poses biggest threat to businesses
Barbados – Business leaders in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean are being urged to see cyber risk as a serious threat to their operations and become proactive and nimble in their response to such threats… more
5 reasons to have WhatsApp Business
Caribbean – WhatsApp is the number-one communication platform around the world: it boasts over two billion monthly active users, far ahead of second-place Facebook Messenger, at 1.3 billion monthly active users… more
Digicel claims top spot for the Caribbean in Ookla speed tests
Caribbean – Ookla, the global leader in leaders in internet testing and analysis, confirmed that Digicel mobile customers benefit from the fastest network in the Caribbean, it was announced today… more
Survey: Cybercrime poses biggest threat to businesses
Caribbean – Cybercrime tops the list of current threats facing businesses, while emerging risks from ESG-reporting fraud and platform fraud could impact businesses in the future, according to a report by PwC… more
Cyberattacks are serious threats
Trinidad and Tobago – THERE ARE national and even international implications stemming from the cyberattack that disrupted the operations of Massy Stores in Trinidad last Thursday… more
Cybercrime: A lurking threat to companies
Trinidad and Tobago – Digitisation continues to transition companies from brick and mortar models to hybrid models, balancing digital and physical innovations in several sectors. But as businesses evolve, so do criminal elements who prey on organisations through fraud and cybercrime… more
Revert to online classes
Trinidad and Tobago – THE EDITOR: I write to appeal to the Ministry of Education to revert to online classes for primary and kindergarten children due to the spread of covid19… more
Scrap iron dealers blame TSTT for rise in copper theft
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Scrap Iron Dealers Association has blamed the increase in larceny of scrap metal – which has led to the deaths of several people – on the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT)… more
Friday, 6 May 2022
Cable Bahamas Disruption After ‘Major Power Surge’
Bahamas – SCORES of Cable Bahamas customers experienced disruptions with internet and television service as a result of a major power surge caused by the “local power provider”, the cable provider said Friday… more
Digital wallet transactions increase fourfold, users up 53%
Bahamas – Digital wallets registered more than $110 million in transactions during 2021, a fourfold increase over the previous year, showing exponential growth in the emerging payments segment… more
Barbados ranks #1 in Caribbean for digital nomads
Barbados – Barbados is the number one Caribbean destination for executive digital nomads, according to Savills Plc, a United Kingdom real estate agency… more
CCTV cameras donated to Haslington
Guyana – Police in Region Four can now view the live feed of movements in the community of Haslington New Scheme on the East Coast of Demerara following the recent installation of two high-end CCTV cameras… more
Gov’t signs contract for digitisation of RGD records
Jamaica – The government is moving ahead with digitisation of the records of the Registrar General’s Department as part of efforts to implement the National Identification System (NIDS)… more
Gonzales: TSTT faced malware attack in March
Trinidad and Tobago – MINISTER of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales has said a malware attack in March caused the failure of TSTT’s web portal for facilitating online bill payment… more
Restructuring talks continue between TSTT, CWU
Trinidad and Tobago – TALKS on proposed restructuring are still ongoing between TSTT and the Communication Workers Union (CWU), union leader Clyde Elder has confirmed… more
Trinidad and Tobago must keep up its digitisation drive
Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago must continue its drive to digitisation has it moves toward a post-pandemic economy, experts said Thursday at the launch of a two-day technology conference that takes place in July… more
UTT lecturer: Cybercrime will become No 1 issue
Trinidad and Tobago – IN A world of smartphones, artificial intelligence and digital systems managing everything from banks to the supply of water and electricity, cybercrime will become the number-one issue, said Prof Yufei Wu, programme leader of UTT’s Centre for Information and Communication Technology… more
Saturday, 7 May 2022
RBC wins Best Digital Banking Service Award
Caribbean – RBC Financial (Caribbean) Limited (“RBC”) has been awarded the coveted “Best Digital Banking Services – Caribbean 2022” by Capital Finance International (CFI). The award is an endorsement of the Bank’s strength in the area of digital banking… more
GTT says my street is un-engineered thus depriving me of landline services
Guyana – Dear Editor, I am forced to once again publicly voice my utter dissatisfaction with the Customer Service of Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT). Over a year ago I made an application by email to the Head Office at Brickdam for a landline telephone service… more
Junction welcomes free Wi-Fi
Jamaica – RESIDENTS OF Junction welcomed the opportunity to be able to browse the Internet while on the go and to access data critical to educational needs in the St Elizabeth town… more
bmobile continues to support literacy programme
Trinidad and Tobago – Telecommunications company bmobile has renewed its alliance with NGO Moms for Literacy to offset the tuition costs for a select number of students… more
Sunday, 8 May 2022
ICD exits Amber Connect investment
Jamaica – Amber Group has reacquired the 32.5 per cent stake in Amber Connect sold to the ICD Group six years ago, reclaiming full ownership… more
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