A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 11 July to Sunday 17 July 2022.
Monday, 11 July 2021
Electronic Devices To Be Returned To Ministry Of Education
British Virgin Islands – Parents and guardians of public primary and secondary students who are loaners of digital textbook tablets are asked to return the devices to the Ministry of Education on the 3rd floor of the Ward’s Building… more
Roaming headache
Caribbean – Caribbean nationals or residents who are planning trips to United States during their July August vacation may find the roaming plans less dependable than usual… more
TVJ switches on second Nextgentv transmitter
Jamaica – Television Jamaica (TVJ) switched on its second Nextgentv transmitter in the island this weekend as it continues to lead Jamaica in rolling out the latest global standard in television transmission, ATSC 3.0… more
Inequality in ICT in T&T
Trinidad and Tobago – A NEW International Labour Organisation (ILO) report on teacher and pupil access to devices, Internet and Wi-Fi in schools in Trinidad and Tobago has found that most schools have satisfactory ICT infrastructure, but some districts are more disadvantaged than others… more
Tuesday, 12 July 2021
No shortage of crypto firms looking at The Bahamas, says OKX CEO
Bahamas – Cryptocurrency companies are flocking to The Bahamas, OKX Bahamas’ Chief Executive Officer Dr. P. Jillian Bethel told Guardian Business… more
IGT Renews Coding and Robotics Camp with Focus on Creating Sustainability within the Region
Caribbean – International Game Technology (IGT) in collaboration with Mona Geoinformatics Institute (MGI) will be implementing a renewal of its coding and robotics summer programme, dubbed the “IGT Coding & Robotics Rock! Camp” across the Caribbean… more
Guyana Government Committed To Bridging Energy, Digital Divide: PM
Guyana – Indigenous leaders were reassured by Prime Minister, Mark Phillips — who has responsibility for energy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) — today, of the government’s commitment to bridging the energy and digital divide… more
Flow Foundation empowers with digital education programmes
Jamaica – Dwight Murdock is a 32-year-old young man who dreams of one day securing a better future for himself and his son… more
RGD Making Use of Technology to Enhance Service Delivery
Jamaica – The Registrar General’s Department (RGD) is continually modernising its operations to provide more efficient services to customers while also fostering a productive environment for its employees… more
St Thomas residents, businesses benefit from improved Internet access
Jamaica – Residents and businesses in St Thomas have benefited from improved Internet access… more
Have faith in crypto, it will rebound
Trinidad and Tobago –The price of Bitcoin, the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, has been volatile… more
Wednesday, 13 July 2021
Data management tools for your business
Caribbean – OXYGEN is to humans as data is to business. Businesses that do an excellent job producing, protecting, and analysing data for decision-making have a greater chance of success than those that do not. While companies operate in different industries with different models, processes, and cultures, you can find similarities in their tools… more
OECS Commission Launches Digital Education Program
Caribbean – The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission has launched a Digital Education Capacity-Strengthening Initiative (DECI) to boost the sector in member states including Montserrat… more
PBS returning to equity market for expansion
Jamaica – Productive Business Solutions Limited (PBS) is planning to return to the equities market shortly to fund its numerous business opportunities including potential acquisitions across the Latin America and Caribbean region… more
Carilend expands to Trinidad
Trinidad and Tobago – Carilend, the fintech entity in which VM Investments Limited acquired a 30 per cent stake in 2019, has partnered with Massy Finance to offer 100 per cent web-based personal loans in Trinidad… more
Thursday, 14 July 2021
Bahamas Consider A New Mobile National ID Card
Bahamas – On June 28-29, 2022, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the National e-Identification System (NIS) Committee met for a workshop that was designed to engage the Bahamian government as well as private stakeholders in a strategy planning session for the implementation of a National Digital Identification System… more
Bahamas PM says the country will turn to crypto for innovation and offsetting GDP losses
Bahamas – As the cryptocurrency industry flourishes around the world and digital assets like Bitcoin (BTC) become more adopted, some nations are turning to them as they seek to solve certain problems plaguing their societies, including the Bahamas… more
New website aims to connect service providers with customer
Bahamas – A new website designed to connect people who need a task done and those who can complete those tasks is set to launch at the end of next month, after an almost $5,000 standalone grant from the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Centre… more
PM: Digital asset ambitions to rebuild financial services
Bahamas – The Prime Minister yesterday said The Bahamas’ ambitions to become a digital assets hub will help it recover financial services activity that has been lost to the “global assault” on international financial centres (IFCs)… more
Digi provides free internet for schools in Belize
Belize – ConnectED is a partnership between the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology with Digi that has enabled 197 educational institutions throughout the country — inclusive of primary, secondary, and tertiary schools — to access the internet free of cost… more
Don’t rush the digital switchover, expert cautions
Jamaica – Jamaica is being cautioned not to rush its complete switchover from analogue to digital TV, a move planned for next year… more
Gov’t creates Puerto Rico Broadband Program; Joins ‘Internet for All’ initiative
Puerto Rico – Gov. Pedro Pierluisi announced the signing of an executive order creating the Puerto Rico Broadband Program, which seeks to bridge the local digital gap… more
E-Passports Expected July 25
Saint Lucia – According to Catalin Tudor, Project Manager for Canadian Bank Note (CBN), the e-passport, which will eventually replace machine-readable passports, will likely be introduced on July 25… more
St. Vincent to host digital transformation and emerging technologies workshop
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – St. Vincent and the Grenadines will host a one-day webinar on Thursday on digital transformation and emerging technologies for stakeholders in the cultural and creative industry… more
Friday, 15 July 2021
Belize tables digital government bill
Belize – The Government of Belize has tabled a Bill to support digital Government efforts. Per a local news source, the proposed law – the Digital Government Bill, 2022 – is being introduced… more
VI-registered crypto fund collapses
British Virgin Islands – Three Arrows Capital — a Virgin Islands-registered, Singapore-based cryptocurrency hedge fund once worth more than $3 billion in assets — rocked the crypto world on Friday by filing for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in Manhattan just four days after it was ordered into liquidation by the VI Commercial Court… more
Caribbean Advances Toward Digital Future but Some Are Left Behind
Caribbean – Mobile connectivity in the Caribbean is a growth industry with 28 million unique mobile subscribers as of Q2 2022, a market penetration of 63.7%, according to the GSMA, short of the global market penetration of 67.1%… more
Crypto lender Celsius files for bankruptcy
Cayman Islands – Crypto lender Celsius Network, which suspended withdrawals in June after massive sell-offs in the digital asset markets, has filed for bankruptcy protection in a New York federal court… more
Transparent BPO expands in St Catherine
Jamaica – Transparent BPO, which has established a call centre on property adjoining GC Foster College of Physical Education & Sport, announced this week that it is also supporting the school’s development programme with a cash grant… more
New ePassport price confirmed at $250.00
Saint Lucia – The Government of Saint Lucia has confirmed the cost of the new ePassports shall stand at the initially proposed $250.00 XCD per passport for the period of 5 years. The approval for the amendment of the passport fees schedule came after Cabinet met on Monday, July 11, 2022… more
DIGICEL SVG Gives Customers More This Summer
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Digicel is heating things up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the summer with more speed, more reliability, more value, more coverage and more rewards for customers island-wide… more
AMCHAM T&T CEO: Investment needed to build local tech ecosystem
Trinidad and Tobago – The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM T&T) said it has been advocating for greater investments in technology to accelerate growth and economic development in Trinidad and Tobago and to build the local tech ecosystem… more
Saturday, 16 July 2022
Minister of E-Governance and Taiwan ambassador to cooperate on Digital Inclusion Program
Belize – Оn Тhurѕdау, Јulу 14, 2022, Таіwаn Аmbаѕѕаdоr tо Веlіzе, Dаvіd Кuаn-Сhоu Сhіеn аnd Міnіѕtеr оf Рublіс Utіlіtіеѕ, Еnеrgу, Lоgіѕtісѕ аnd Е-Gоvеrnаnсе, Місhеl Сhеbаt ѕіgnеd thе іmрlеmеntіng аrrаngеmеnt оf thе “Dіgіtаl Іnсluѕіоn Рrоgrаm.” … more
Gov’t being tapped for subsidy to facilitate digital TV switchover
Jamaica – DAVID CASSANOVA, technical manager of Love TV, believes that the cost of set-top boxes which will be needed to operate ATSC 3.0 digital television technology will be prohibitive to the average Jamaican unless the Government subsidises the cost of importing the instruments into the island… more
Sunday, 17 July 2022
Digicel to redeem US$1.1b bonds after sale of Pacific operations to Telstra
Caribbean – Digicel Group has finalised the sale of its Pacific operation to Australian telecommunications company Telstra Corporation Limited that, it said, was paid for with financing from the Australian government, through Export Finance Australia… more
US-based ‘tech’ company eyes local partnerships
Guyana – A SURINAMESE company is keen on entering into partnerships with three local companies following engagements on Day One of the “Together We Win Business Network (TWWBN)” small business conference and exhibition on July 15 – 17, 2022, at MovieTowne Guyana… more
Dante Disparte | Yes, crypto still matters
Jamaica – Without Uber, would many taxi services have developed their own ride-hailing apps or started accepting credit cards when they did? … more
Fraud manager urges tech developers to secure mobile wallets against SIM-swap scams
Jamaica – Dane Nicholson, manager of special investigations in the Fraud Prevention Unit at National Commercial Bank Jamaica, NCB, wants financial institutions to pay greater attention to security features during the development of mobile wallets amid a rise… more
466 TSTT workers say goodbye to company
Trinidad and Tobago – Over 460 workers of the Telecommunications Services of TT (TSTT) are now formally retrenched from the company after the expiration of 45 days’ official notice ended on Friday… more
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