In this our final Community Chat and final episode for 2023, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Yacine Khelladi, of the Caribbean ICT Stakeholders Virtual Community (CIVIC), and Matthew Cowen, of dgtlfutures, the panel discusses the ICT/technology trends and developments that were evident across the Caribbean region in 2023, and what might be in store in 2024.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

The year 2023 had an exciting start. At the end of 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) and specifically large language models and generative AI were beginning to become mainstream, the crypto exchange, FTX, which was headquartered in the Bahamas had collapsed, and its Founder was arrested and extradited to the United States.

We also had some sobering events. Major network intrusions and ransomware attacks we reported in December 2022, which in hindsight seemed to have been indicative of what was to come in 2023.

But what is in store for us in 2024? This is our last Community Chat for the year, and so we are reflecting on the year in Caribbean tech that is fast coming to an end, and what might be in store for us in the coming year.

 

Introducing our guests

Yacine Khelladi

Yacine Khelladi is the moderator of the Caribbean ICT Stakeholders Virtual Community (CIVIC), an online platform for sharing information, ideas and projects on ICT and ICT-related developments in the Caribbean. He is also an International Consultant, and an Economist, who specialises in ICT, Social and Human Development, ICT National Policies and Strategies, and Project Monitoring and Evaluation, to name just a few areas.

Yacine is also the Founder and Executive Coordinator of Fundación Taigüey, a non-governmental organisation in the Dominican Republic that engages in grassroots community development, empowerment through the strategic use of ICTs, and knowledge networking. He has been based in the Dominican Republic for over 20 years

 

Matthew Cowen

Matthew Cowen is an experienced Consultant with more than 30 years of involvement in IT/tech space across various industries. Having lent expertise to governments, NGOs, private enterprises, and individuals, his professional footprint spans Europe, the Caribbean, and the French West Indies. He established dgtlfutures in 2018 to delve into the research and analysis of digital ecosystems within the Caribbean region.

Matthew disseminates insights through paid consulting services and by educating degree students across three higher education institutions in Martinique. He holds certifications in Internet governance with LACNIC and four ongoing certifications in UNCTAD, encompassing Digital Identity, International Trade Statistics, Legal Aspects of e-commerce, and Digital Trade.

 

Insights into our conversation

In prepping our guests for this episode, I try to keep the structure for the discussion simple and along the following lines:

  • What were the year’s big ICT/tech issues in the Caribbean region?
  • Were there issues that gained more traction than they had anticipated, and were there ones that fell short of their expectations?
  • What ICT/tech issues will be big in the Caribbean region in 2024?
  • What issues should policymakers focus on addressing in 2024?

Suffice it to say, this conversation did not go to script – and rightfully so!

With Matthew being an IT/tech specialist, and Yacine an Economist, they approached the discussion from different perspectives. Ultimately, although there was a lot of activity in the Caribbean tech space, the question that continually emerged was whether meaningful impact or meaningful change or transformation had been realised. Was there growth or progress over the past 12 months?

Such questions help us to cut through the hype, as it is easy to get excited and enamoured with the current shiny tech thing, and just as quickly to abandon it when the next shiny tech thing comes into view. But to realise any measurable progress, almost regardless of the field, requires not only tenacity and intention but also having some sense of what we want to achieve and a plan of how to get there.

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

 

 

Images credit:  Y Khelladi;  M Cowen;  fauxels (Pexels); rawpixel.com (Freepik);  Walls.io (Pexels) 

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez