A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 29 August to Sunday 4 September 2022.
Monday, 29 August 2021
Microsoft cybersecurity report reveals evolved ransomware system
Caribbean – AT AN online security briefing on Wednesday, Jeremy Dallman, senior director at the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC), elaborated on the cybersecurity threats that the company reports on in its released second edition of its Cyber Signals threat evaluation… more
Starlink drops monthly rates in DR
Dominican Republic – Starlink services have been available in the Dominican Republic since 2 July 2022. Now the Elon Musk service monthly cost has been reduced significantly, making the service more attractive to Dominican consumers… more
Editorial | Clarify digital textbook roll-out
Jamaica – While a transition to digital format textbooks for Jamaican students is both sensible and inevitable, the education authorities have to manage the changeover in a way that does not place some categories of schools, or classes of students, at a further disadvantage in their access to education… more
bmobile launches e-commerce platform Parlour
Trinidad and Tobago – BMOBILE on Saturday night launched an e-commerce platform named Parlour that aims to provide local and regional artisans and makers of craft with a larger market for their products… more
Tuesday, 30 August 2021
Digital tools adopted during COVID can strengthen learning, says UNICEF Rep to Eastern Caribbean
Caribbean – The new UNICEF Representative to the Eastern Caribbean, Pieter Bult, said challenges to childhood education arising from the COVID-19 pandemic presented opportunities for improvement… more
TechCayman summer intern learns first-hand skills
Cayman Islands – TechCayman, a prominent Cayman Islands services company that fosters technological innovation, recently created a summer internship program designed to give young Caymanians leaving for university, first-hand foundational skills for working in a professional setting… more
Call centre to recruit 500 Guyanese to ramp up local operations
Guyana – Itel, a business process outsourcing provider (BPO) founded in the Caribbean, has announced plans to recruit more than 500 employees in the next few weeks, to support its expanding operation at its Guyana customer engagement centre… more
Growth & Jobs | Digital currency to promote financial inclusion, equity – JN exec
Jamaica – THE INTRODUCTION of the central bank digital currency (CBDC), JAM-DEX, into the financial ecosystem will give more Jamaicans access to financial services, according to Ricardo Dystant, JN Bank’s chief of digital transformation and special projects… more
iCreate appoints CEO of Visual Vibe
Jamaica – WHILE iCreate finalises plans to complete the agreed acquisition of outdoor media company Visual Vibe, the company has tapped Irish-born Declan Tully, its chief revenue officer, to become the CEO of Visual Vibe upon closure of the transaction… more
AMCHAM completes second Breakbeatcode Camp
Trinidad and Tobago – AMCHAM T&T successfully completed the first Breakbeatcode Virtual Summer Camp with twenty-three (23) students between the ages 12 and 17 on August 27th, 2022… more
Wednesday, 31 August 2021
SSB launches digital self-service portal
Belize – The Social Security Board (SSB), at its annual SSB Connect event, launched a new self-service portal which, according to the SSB’s Chief Information Officer, Ward McGregor, is a part of the Board’s ongoing digital transformation… more
NFTs — a new investment option
Caribbean – A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique financial security feature consisting of digital data stored in a blockchain and a distributed ledger for digital assets… more
Big winners in UTech/ Sagicor Innovation Challenge
Jamaica – PAYAVETA — a mobile application that functions as a digital wallet and remittance platform — was the pitch that took the top spot at the third annual staging of the UTech/ Sagicor Innovation Challenge… more
Employing data protection
Jamaica – The Data Protection Act of Jamaica (the Act) is now undergoing its two-year transition period during which data controllers are to be putting in place the necessary measures to ensure compliance with the Act… more
HEART/NSTA Extends Digital Literacy Programme to the Public
Jamaica – More Jamaicans can now advance their computer skills through Tech$ense, a digital literacy programme offered by the Human Employment and Resource Training/National Service Training Agency (HEART/NSTA) Trust… more
Mohan Beckford — MSME TECH HELPER
Jamaica – MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) make up over 97 per cent of the island’s taxpaying businesses. The Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ), in 2020, saw a 12 per cent increase in business names and a three per cent rise for companies over 2019… more
Thursday, 1 September 2021
Mastercard appoints new regional president with Caribbean oversight
Caribbean – Mastercard appointed Laura Cruz as president for Division North and Caribbean, effective September 1, 2022. She will report to Carlo Enrico, President, of Mastercard Latin America and Caribbean (LAC)… more
Kitty cosmetologist charged with cybercrime
Guyana – A cosmetologist was yesterday placed on $150,000 bail after pleading not guilty to a cybercrime charge… more
President meets team from Teleperformance
Guyana – President Irfaan Ali yesterday met with an executive team from Teleperformance— one of the largest Business Process Outsourcing companies in the country, at State House… more
FLOW Gives Tertiary Level Students Internship Opportunity
Saint Lucia – From as far back as the island’s leading telecommunications provider, FLOW, has been operational, the organisation’s brand has been synonymous with youth development through its many successful outreach, scholarship and internship programmes. … more
Financial planning embraces digital future
Trinidad and Tobago – Accelerating change is a major headache for finance teams. It means values in financial systems are never constant and how they influence business performance requires real-time analysis… more
Marketplaces vs e-commerce websites
Trinidad and Tobago – When businesses are thinking about going digital, this is a question that many are asking themselves, should they register for a marketplace or should they go about building their own e-commerce website and sell directly to their audience?… more
Mastercard looks to tech-payment solutions for TT
Trinidad and Tobago – Credit card giant Mastercard hopes to offer technology-based payment solutions to government, business, and citizens as it opens an office in TT… more
Step into the Parlour: TSTT launches digital craft store for artisans
Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT has put the artisans of TT, and eventually the Caribbean, on the international market with its new e-commerce platform, Parlour… more
Friday, 2 September 2021
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: Clearing banks president says industry must continue digital push
Bahamas – The Clearing Banks Association yesterday noted that the financial services sector is undergoing a significant digital transformation which has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of fintech, adding that the industry must continue to introduce new electronic and digital channels to meet the needs of their customers… more
OfReg to create Consumer Council and calls for member applications
Cayman Islands – Utilities regulator, OfReg, plans to set up a Consumer Council for the Cayman Islands with the purpose of advising the regulator on issues significantly affecting consumers across the utility sectors… more
Diana Chapman wins big in GTT jingle competition
Guyana – Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has once again partnered with local artistes to produce a jingle for the company, with Diana Chapman, walking away with $200,000 as the grand prize winner… more
Starr Computers trots out ‘smart’ home, school, business technology
Guyana – With Starr Computers having done much to position itself at the head of the local information technology ‘pack’, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Mohan never seems to tire in his efforts to ensure that the company continues to lead the way… more
Tobago Cays Marine Park rolls out E-Commerce System
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – THE Tobago Cays Marine Park (TCMP), has implemented a Website Based E-commerce system under the tag line “TCMP PAY”… more
GEBE recovered data not usable, two companies hired post ransomware attack.
Sint Maarten – Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs told parliament on Friday that many of their questions could not be answered on the floor of parliament since the information is too sensitive… more
Saturday, 3 September 2022
Martin-Swaby wants CARICOM’s voice heard in shaping UN cybercrimes treaty
Jamaica – Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Andrea Martin-Swaby has said that CARICOM is deeply concerned about the threat of cybercrimes, and called for the region to be included in the development of a multilateral convention to address the global challenge… more
Sunday, 4 September 2022
Appfinity Technologies gets ready for overseas markets
Jamaica – Appfinity Technologies Limited based on the vision of its founders was developed to provide scalable technology or software infrastructure suited to the needs of companies which are at varying stages of growth and development… more
NCB pushes the envelope on Lynk
Jamaica – The NCB Financial Group (NCB) has spent an estimated $500 million on its digital money or mobile wallet product Lynk and plans to lay out even more so that the product becomes a lifestyle choice for Jamaicans… more
Family hurt by Facebook comments, as Rachel laid to rest
Trinidad and Tobago – Even as they grieved over the past week following the mauling to death of 11-year-old Rachel Bhagwandeen, her family had to deal with scathing comments towards them on social media… more
Images credit: rawpixels (Pexels); Wikimedia Commons; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Logok; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Seek Vector Logo
