A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 12 June to Sunday 18 June 2023.
Monday, 12 January 2023
FTX Bahamas liquidators not ‘nuked’ from reversal
Bahamas – The Bahamas’ status as a non-nuclear power did not influence the decision to refuse FTX’s local liquidators relief from the worldwide asset freeze imposed by Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, a Delaware judge has asserted… more
MyGateway users surpass 100,000, govt generates $3.6 million
Bahamas – The government’s MyGateway platform has processed $25 million in exemptions and has now crossed the 100,000 registered users mark, according to a press statement from the Digital Transformation Unit (DTU)… more
Bosses and job seekers at odds over flexi-work
Cayman Islands – A salary survey of private sector employers in the legal and financial sector has revealed that they are not prioritising the type of workplace benefits that administrative and support staff really want… more
Self-driving vehicles in Dominica: China’s tech company Baidu open to help make this a reality (with videos)
Dominica – Chinese multinational tech company Baidu is optimistic that in the not-too-distant future, they will be able to get their self-driving vehicles in Dominica, the Caribbean region, and other parts of the world… more
No ransom paid
Jamaica – MAYBERRY Investments has turned its attention to tracking persons who obtained or disclosed any data for its clients that was dumped on the dark web by those responsible for hacking its system recently… more
Tuesday, 13 January 2023
CARICOM Secretariat and Caribbean Agency for Justice Solutions (CAJS) Forge Partnership to Accelerate Digital Transformation
Caribbean – The CARICOM Secretariat (CCS) and the Caribbean Agency for Justice Solutions (CAJS) have come together in a significant partnership aimed at advancing digital transformation and enhancing service delivery at the Georgetown based Secretariat. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Dr. Carla Barnett, the CARICOM Secretary-General, and Mr. Bevil Wooding, the Executive Director of CAJS… more
C&W says it’s ready for 2023 hurricane season
Caribbean – C&W Communications — operators of the Flow, Flow Business, C&W Business, and BTC brands in the Caribbean — has confirmed its readiness regarding hurricane preparations across the region ahead of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1… more
Mastercard & CAB Sign a Memorandum of Understanding
Caribbean – Mastercard, a global technology company in the payments industry, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Caribbean Association of Banks Inc (CAB), the representative body and recognized voice for banks and other financial institutions in the Caribbean… more
Wednesday, 14 January 2023
ArawakX eyeing IPO by Q2 2025
Bahamas – A Bahamian crowdfunding platform is aiming to become a publicly traded company by the second quarter of 2025… more
ArawakX hoping to go public in three years
Bahamas – ArawakX Chairman and Chief Executive Officer D’Arcy Rahming Sr., in a video posted to Facebook, has revealed that his company intends to go public in the second quarter of 2025. He told Guardian Business yesterday that the move needs approval from the Securities Commission of The Bahamas… more
Bahamas’ ‘consent’ to new FTX chief charges blocked
Bahamas – The Supreme Court yesterday blocked the Bahamas government from – temporarily at least – giving the US permission to bring multiple fraud, bribery and corruption-related charges against embattled FTX founder, Sam Bankman-Fried… more
BTC’s Fiber Fest takes over the East
Bahamas – As BTC continues to roll out its new corporate identity, residents of Eastern New Providence came out in droves last Saturday, June 10, to experience the company’s first-ever Fiber Fest, held on the grounds of Super Value Winton… more
Judge grants injunction blocking government consent to US request for post-extradition charges against FTX founder
Bahamas – An injunction has been granted by a Supreme Court judge, preventing the government from consenting to a request by the United States to try FTX founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, for additional offenses not covered under the original indictment that facilitated his extradition… more
#BTColumn – Are we ready for a cashless society?
Barbados – The current narrative by many policymakers, some academics and business administrators and those who fancy themselves as social commentators, is that the world is going digital, and everyone needs to get on board or be left behind… more
Artificial intelligence and your business
Jamaica – In November 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT and it has recently become available to Apple iOS users in Jamaica. ChatGPT is arguably now the most popular generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its use in Jamaica is growing rapidly… more
Companies Encouraged to Develop A Culture of Data Ethics
Jamaica – Local entities dealing in artificial intelligence (AI) are being encouraged to develop a culture of data ethics… more
Companies urged to strengthen cybersecurity posture
Jamaica – Following the latest wave of cyber attacks locally, companies are being urged to beef up their cybersecurity strategies to insulate themselves from the strongholds of more devastating future breaches… more
Thursday, 15 January 2023
FTX chief: I’ll tie US up in Bahamas ‘for years’
Bahamas – FTX’s founder has warned he will use the Bahamian judicial system to block efforts to bring additional fraud, bribery and corruption-related charges against him “for years” by going all the way to the UK-based Privy Council… more
CTU hosts second meeting of over-the-top (OTT), Big Tech companies and Caribbean operators
Caribbean – The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) will be hosting the 2nd Meeting of Over-The-Top/Big Tech Companies and Caribbean Operators to be held at the Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel & Executive Meeting Centre on 23rd June 2023 from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. ET… more
Chamber president warns of job losses to outsourcing
Cayman Islands – Local businesses are increasingly outsourcing support work overseas due to regulations, bureaucracy and the high cost of living in the Cayman Islands, Chamber of Commerce President Nelson Dilbert said Wednesday at the Chamber’s Annual Parliamentary Luncheon. Dilbert outlined some of the stresses businesses face and said that some are seeking ways to navigate the current environment… more
Cyber threats arise anywhere, anytime
Trinidad and Tobago – By September, the Central Bank of T&T should provide a security framework for financial institutions in the country… more
Friday, 16 January 2023
Charities asked: Do you hold any of FTX’s $5.4m?
Bahamas – FTX’s Bahamian liquidators are “liaising” with local charities and non-profits over the collective $5.4m in donations they received from the collapsed crypto exchange to determine if they still hold any of these funds… more
FTX Bahamas warns of $143m US DOJ battle
Bahamas – FTX’s Bahamian liquidators say it is increasingly likely they will have to battle the US Justice Department in the courts to recover $143m given that prospects of an amicable resolution have become “more remote”… more
Mayberry says hackers did not access client accounts
Jamaica – Mayberry Investments says hackers did not get access to clients’ accounts… more
USF and e-LJAM Sign MOU to Advance Integration of Technology In Education System
Jamaica – The Universal Service Fund (USF) and e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited (e-LJam), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide interventions to promote the integration of technology in the education system… more
Saturday, 17 January 2023
US prosecutors to proceed to trial on charges in initial indictment against Bankman-Fried
Bahamas – US prosecutors say they are ready for trial on the eight charges in the initial indictment against FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried… more
Barbadian Finance Minister expresses need for Cashless Society by 2027
Barbados – Ryan Straughn was in Worthing this week addressing business titans and other decision makers at the Sagicor Bank Corporate HQ. He recounted odd practices of what is still seen as so-called regular banks and praised the new way to allow people to register in less than half an hour from the old company yet new digital operation… more
Fibre cheaper, more reliable and durable
Trinidad and Tobago – Here comes a new challenger. Starlink has officially entered the ring, offering internet services to T&T… more
Sunday, 18 January 2023
Practitioners to discuss AI’s impact on media, marketing
Trinidad and Tobago – Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT large language model in November last year, there has been tremendous buzz about the potential revolutionary impact of generative Artificial Intelligence on the marketing and public relations landscape… more
Images credit: Maria Orlova (Pexels); Wikipedia; ArawakX; Caribbean Telecommunications Union; Wikimedia Commons.
