A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 25 July to Sunday 31 July 2022.
Monday, 25 July 2021
Andre Foster to leave as BTC’s GM at start of next month
Bahamas – Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is on the hunt for a new general manager, after the company announced that Andre Foster will step down on August 2… more
Bahamas ‘can’t sit on laurels’ over digital assets regulation
Bahamas – The Securities Commission’s top executive has warned that The Bahamas “cannot sit on our laurels” as she disclosed that further reforms to tighten digital assets regulation will be unveiled “in the next few months”… more
Bahamas must ‘levitate’ above digital evolution
Bahamas – The Bahamas “needs levitation devices” to rise above the rapidly-evolving digital assets space so that regulation lands wherever the “ground shifts”, a prominent banker is arguing… more
Universal rules to govern fintech a good thing, says SCB chief
Bahamas – The Bahamas should embrace the European Union’s (EU) global policies and coordination on regulations that govern the fintech space, Executive Director of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) Christina Rolle said on Friday… more
EMBEDDED SIM (eSIM): ePAP Initiative
Caribbean – Jose Luis Horna, CEO of Converlogic, launched the ePAP initiative on July 20th at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach as part of the CANTO Expo 2022, (www.canto.org) the largest technology and telecommunications show in the Caribbean… more
Trade & Investment Convention
Trinidad and Tobago – Darryl Duke, Assistant General Manager Business Sales (Ag) Discusses bmobile Business’ Partnership with TIC… more
What should a tech summit do?
Trinidad and Tobago – On July 06, Amcham, the American Chamber of Commerce in TT, held the fourth edition of its Tech Hub Islands Summit (THIS)… more
Tuesday, 26 July 2021
Sand Dollar integration with commercial banks by early Sept.
Bahamas – By the beginning of September, digital wallet holders and businesses will be able to transfer Sand Dollars in and out of their commercial bank accounts, Central Bank Governor John Rolle said yesterday… more
Fingerprints, phone data, CCTV used to link duo to Butler murder
British Virgin Islands – Cellular phone data along with video surveillance have caused Arien Fahie to be labelled as the triggerman in the June 21st robbery and murder of Corey Butler… more
JAM-DEX… finally
Jamaica – JAMAICA’S digital currency, JAM-DEX was launched on July 11 through the Lynk app, a digital wallet and currently the only transaction platform for Jamaicans to use the central bank digital currency (CBDC)… more
JAM-DEX officially launched through Lynk App
Jamaica – The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) has officially launched Jamaica’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), JAM-DEX through the Lynk app… more
T&T gets US$120m loan for digital transformation
Trinidad and Tobago – CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America, approved a loan of US$120 million for T&T, which will be used to accelerate the digitalisation of the state and productive sectors, to help mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and close the digital gap in the country… more
Wednesday, 27 July 2021
Bahamas tops list of countries that have developed digital assets legislation
Bahamas – The Bahamas tops the list of a Global Crypto Regulation (GCR) Index compiled by cryptocurrency security firm Solidus Labs, which cites as its mission the enabling of safe and regulated crypto markets, according to the Solidus website… more
Crowdfund platform to add secondary trading
Bahamas – A Bahamian crowdfunding platform yesterday said it plans to launch secondary market trading and improve issuer disclosure through the launch of additional features over the next nine months… more
Social media and politics
Bahamas – EDITOR, The Tribune. With the advent of social media, the public world changed. No longer did you have to wait for the local TV News – somehow instantly it was on the social thing – popped up instantly… more
Plan for disaster recovery
Caribbean – No organisation is immune to the potential risk of disruption to its operation. If you’re reading this, you’ve likely experienced significant disruption to your business… more
Christopher Malcolm, the digital peacemaker
Jamaica – Dr Christopher Malcolm suggests that it is possible to resolve differences among people using various tools based on human intervention and technology… more
Digital services boost
Jamaica – A new national strategy was recently approved by government to guide the development of the global digital services (GDS) sector. The strategy is geared towards supporting the development and diversification of outsourcing locally… more
JDTA’s Tech Talk Tuesday returns
Jamaica – The JDTA virtual Tech Talk Tuesday series returns on August 2nd and will run fortnightly. “It’s critical for us to educate and empower our people as we seek to make IT good for all… more
E-Passport Launched, Police Commissioner Speaks on Security Measures
Saint Lucia – The e-passport has officially been launched. Branded as the “next generation of travel documents”, the passport features the latest technology in anti-counterfeit security and is a step up from its predecessor… more
UWI, Huawei sign cooperation MoU
Trinidad and Tobago – PRINCIPAL of The University of the West Indies St Augustine campus principal, Prof Brian Copeland yesterday signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chinese technology giant, Huawei, which will strengthen the local talent pool in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) field… more
Thursday, 28 July 2021
ArawakX eyes public offering
Bahamas – ArawakX’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer D’Arcy Rahming Sr. revealed yesterday that the company’s executive team hopes to take the company public… more
FLOW welcomes interns for summer months
Barbados – Eighteen tertiary-level students will spend the next eight weeks working with Barbados’ leading telecommunications provider after they were accepted into the highly competitive Flow Vision Summer Student Experience Programme… more
5 reasons to start an e-commerce business
Trinidad and Tobago – E-commerce businesses are something that I would love more folks to spend some time learning about on Google or YouTube… more
CAF earmarks US $120 million loan for TT digital transformation
Trinidad and Tobago – CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America, announced on July 19 a loan to the Trinidad and Tobago government. The loan will support the implementation of Trinidad and Tobago’s digital transformation and inclusion strategy, through initiatives that contribute to the digitalization of the State and the use of technology by the productive sector and the general population… more
TATT authorises first White Space Device operator
Trinidad and Tobago – This agreement, stemming from TATT’s regulatory framework to accommodate WSDs in Trinidad and Tobago is of great significance, as it authorises a third-party agency to administer a database service, that will manage the dynamic assignment of available designated channels and associated operational parameters to WSDs… more
Trinidad and Tobago produces tonnes of e-waste monthly
Trinidad and Tobago – E-waste is becoming the largest stream of waste, globally and in Trinidad and Tobago… more
TSTT announces renewed certifications for data centre
Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT’s data centre remains the most reliable in Trinidad and Tobago, and among the top ranked facilities in the Caribbean and Latin America after a rigorous certification exercise by global data centre specialist and accredited certification body, EPI. This accomplishment validates TSTT’s data management processes and offers added assurance that users’ data is well protected… more
Friday, 29 July 2021
Online banking
Bahamas – The banks have been in a campaign to reduce staff and drive customers to use automated teller machines (ATM) and online banking. During this transition we have seen long lines in and outside the bank filled with customers who do not understand the digital age of banking and are just plain stubborn or not computer literate… more
Software developer dissuaded from expanding use to arrivals
Bahamas – A Bahamian software developer yesterday said individual Customs officers have discouraged him from submitting a proposal that would save “major time” on entering air arrivals data… more
Searchlight to launch new website August 2
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Visitors to Searchlight’s website (searchlight.vc) will have an improved experience beginning August 2, 2022… more
Court rules TSTT a public authority subject to FOIA
Trinidad and Tobago – The Telecommunication Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) is a public authority that is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Court of Appeal has ruled… more
Interconnection issues between Digicel/Bmobile resurfaces
Trinidad and Tobago – Interconnection issues between Digicel and Bmobile have once again reared its head as several Digicel customers reportedly made calls in the past two days to people on the Bmobile network and could not be heard on the other end… more
Saturday, 30 July 2022
E-networks home and business internet services no longer separate
Guyana – E-Networks Inc. – Guyana’s fastest internet provider – has announced that its customers now have complete freedom to choose any of the company’s internet services based on their needs, budget, and coverage area. This is because E-Networks will no longer separate its services into business or home types… more
Wehby calls for more tech to restore order to roads
Jamaica – Senator Don Wehby has called for the swift deployment of more traffic cameras to bring rogue motorists to book, urging the Government to make it a top priority as the Senate yesterday approved the Road Traffic Regulations… more
Sunday, 31 July 2022
CWC unveils ‘JUMP’ at CANTO
Caribbean – Broad-based programme to bridge the digital divide across the Caribbean… more
Dispatch center of the Dutch Caribbean Police Force is becoming more modern.
Caribbean – The process of redesigning the dispatch center for the islands of the Caribbean Netherlands will start from early August to early October 2022. The current control room will be completely redesigned and equipped with even more modern equipment, which will benefit the population of the three islands even more… more
Jamaica to explore hyper-tech giants impact on competition
Jamaica – Jamaica’s competition watchdog, the Fair Trading Commission, FTC, is undertaking a study of the impact of global digital giants, like Facebook and Google, on the local media, whose operators complain that the hyperscalers not only use their… more
One-on-One going public
Jamaica – One-on-One Limited Educational Services Limited is planning to raise $358.25 million through the issuance of 380 million shares and listing on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, in a bid to be the 100th company on the exchange… more
Images credit: Gino Crescoli, (Pixabay); Wikipedia; Bank of Jamaica; Wikimedia Commons; TATT (Facebook); Wikipedia; Marketing Magazine
