A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 13 March to Sunday 19 March 2023.
Monday, 13 March 2023
Long-awaited number portability delayed until later this year, Information Minister says
Antigua and Barbuda – Minister of Information Communication Technologies Melford Nicholas revealed that the implementation of mobile number portability could be delayed until the last quarter of this year, as he revealed a plethora of plans for his ministry in the upcoming year… more
Online civil registry disabled to help ‘protect data integrity’
Bahamas – The Attorney General has revealed online access to the civil registry at the Registrar General’s Department was shut down “to preserve the integrity of the data” that it holds… more
Quickbooks to remit VAT to The Bahamas government
Bahamas – Intuit Limited, the company which developed and markets the popular Quickbooks accounting software package is the latest international company to announce that it will begin remitting Value-Added Tax (VAT) to The Bahamas government… more
Smart Belize celebrates 18 years anniversary with countrywide SALE!
Belize – Smart Belize is celebrating their 18 year anniversary with a countrywide sale on devices… more
Bringing equity to women in ICT
Caribbean – AT AN ONLINE discussion on gender equality in ICT on International Women’s Day (IWD), much of the discourse examined the sometimes huge and often lingering disparities in gender in regional and global technology governance… more
NNP statement on Data Protection Bill
Grenada – The New National Party (NNP) calls on the Government to withdraw the proposed Data Protection legislation and not to attempt to reintroduce it until consultation with all sectors of the Grenadian population is held in relation to its provisions… more
ICT roadshow for students gets underway today
Guyana – Secondary school students in forms four to six and from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, will today, benefit from the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) roadshow, being hosted by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Industry and Innovation Unit… more
ICT roadshow gets underway today
Guyana – Secondary school students in forms four to six and from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, will today benefit from the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) roadshow, being hosted by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Industry and Innovation Unit… more
Trinidad Government denies moving to crack down on ICT
Trinidad and Tobago – The Trinidad and Tobago government Monday described as “misleading and wholly false” reports circulated on social media that it would introduce legislation “with reference to penalizing the use of cell phones, computers, electronic equipment and storage of videos”… more
Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Grenadian Prime Minister calls for Caribbean business to invest in artificial intelligence technologies
Grenada – Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell is calling for Caribbean business leaders and entrepreneurs to invest in artificial intelligence technologies, or AI… more
Data Protection Bill required to implement projects
Grenada – A senior government minister said the approval of the 2023 Data Protection Bill by members of both Houses of Parliament is required so that the ruling Dickon Mitchell Administration can enforce 2 projects that will see an injection of US$24 million into the economy… more
Fresh laws to govern new Guyana ID card system, protect personal information- Nandlall
Guyana – Government will pass new legislation over the next eight months to protect personal data and govern the registration of Guyanese and foreign workers before they are issued Guyana Resident and Work Permit cards, Attorney General Anil Nandlall said Tuesday… more
GHRA knocks hasty signing of US$35M e-ID card deal
Guyana – The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) says the signing of an agreement to operationalise e-governance in Guyana, without the framework legislation covering Data Protection being in place, is reckless in the extreme… more
Growth & Jobs | Next Step Digital Solutions offers more support to MSMEs
Jamaica – Digital transformation company Next Step Digital Solutions (NSDS) is taking its client relations a step further with ‘Jamaica Small Business Group’ and ‘Next Step Business Club’. The two business support services provide micro and small enterprises with digital resources for business development, including a business branding package, an online marketplace and directory… more
Pension issues unresolved as TSTT upgrades
Trinidad and Tobago – THE EDITOR: For good or bad, TSTT is always in the news, whether it be for service disruption or network modernisation. But the Telco pension issues remain unresolved in spite of agitation by some retirees who continue to feel the effects of inflation, rising cost of living and depleted purchasing power… more
Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Belize’s Online Business Registry System receives a digital champion’s award from the World Summit on the Information Society 2023
Belize – Іn іtѕ 8th еdіtіоn, thе Wоrld Ѕummіt оn thе Іnfоrmаtіоn Ѕосіеtу Fоrum (WЅІЅ) оrgаnіzеd bу thе Іntеrnаtіоnаl Теlесоmmunісаtіоn Unіоn (ІТU) аnd іtѕ 193 Меmbеr Ѕtаtеѕ rесеntlу hеld thеіr WЅІЅ Рrіzеѕ соntеѕt. Веlіzе’ѕ Оnlіnе Вuѕіnеѕѕ Rеgіѕtrу Ѕуѕtеm (ОВRЅ) whісh wеnt lіvе оn Nоvеmbеr 28, 2022 wаѕ ѕеlесtеd thіѕ уеаr аѕ а WЅІЅ Рrіzе 2023 Сhаmріоn іn саtеgоrу 7 – Е- Вuѕіnеѕѕ- ІСТ аррlісаtіоnѕ: bеnеfіtѕ іn аll аѕресtѕ оf lіfе… more
Digicel deal facing challenges
Caribbean – DIGICEL’s proposed debt restructuring plan could face hurdles with some of its creditors reportedly not in agreement with the deal that was reached late last month… more
Is AI here for your job?
Caribbean – Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made significant progress over the last few decades, and its impact on the job market is evident. However, while some view AI as a tool to enhance human capabilities and increase productivity, others are worried that AI could lead to job displacement or even replacement… more
Finance Ministry denies GHRA’s claim that high-tech ID card deal is unlawful
Guyana – Guyana’s Ministry of Finance on Wednesday rubbished claims by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) that the US$34.5 million contract awarded to a German company to implement high-tech Residency and Work Permit cards flouted this country’s procurement laws… more
$20,000 and a laptop
Jamaica – “We started, literally, with $20,000 and a laptop,” Kimala Bennett, co-founder and CEO of The LAB told the Jamaica Observer at the start of this interview about her company for the Corporate Profile feature… more
Data Protection Act: Private vs Public
Jamaica – THE Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) is urging data controllers to get compliant with the Data Protection Act ahead of December 1 by seeking out the requirements to get registered and the different information that will be expected from public or private entities… more
Five Firms Sign on to JAMPRO’s Technology Accelerator Project
Jamaica – Five technology firms have signed on to the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) accelerator project, which aims to build the capacity of local entities to access business opportunities in overseas markets and grow their revenue… more
Jampro accelerating digital export
Jamaica – Local technology companies are being encourage to sign up and take advantage of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation’s (Jampro) newly launched technology innovation district, TID, acceleration project… more
St. Kitts-Nevis urges international community to help bridge digital divide
Saint Kitts and Nevis – St. Kitts-Nevis has called on the international community to do more to help countries in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa close the digital divide as efforts to enhance gender equality are pursued… more
Thursday, 16 March 2023
FRONT PORCH: What’s going on at BTC?
Bahamas – IT IS telling and disturbing the number and drumbeat of Bahamians dissatisfied and frustrated with the often poor and inconsistent quality of service by the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC). The number of upset customers seems as voluminous as the white pages of a printed directory… more
DR’s ICT project for broadband access wins ITU award
Dominican Republic – The Dominican government was awarded a leading telecommunication prize during the World Summit on the Information Society Prizes 2023… more
Manning: T&T can be technology hub
Trinidad and Tobago – Minister in the Ministry of Finance Brian Manning says T&T has the potential to become the hemispheric hub of technology services… more
Friday, 17 March 2023
Tech achievers honoured on women’s day
British Virgin Islands – As part of the territory’s celebration of International Women’s Day on May 8, women across the territory were honoured for their contributions in fields including information technology, politics, policing and business… more
Four Guyanese Women making TikTok their Business
Guyana – In the spirit of International Women’s Month and continuing the series that I unwittingly started, I want to talk about some Guyanese women and women in business that have created substantial followings on TikTok across a range of industries… more
Saturday, 18 March 2023
High interest in science and technology festival
Barbados – Hundreds of patrons flocked to the grounds of the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) on Saturday, as the 2023 Science and Technology Festival culminated… more
Guardsman enters the cyberspace
Jamaica – GUARDSMAN Group is helping businesses to improve their cybersecurity posture and get compliant ahead of the new Data Protection Act, with the launch of its new Guardsman cyberintelligence service GCI… more
Sunday, 19 March 2023
Guardsman and partners develop cybersecurity tech, launch GCI
Jamaica – Guardsman Group has partnered with two tech entrepreneurs to launch a new system they developed as a cybersecurity tool… more
Images credit: Megan Trace (flicker); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; The LAB (Facebook); Wikipedia; Wikipedia
