In our September 2024 Community Chat, and with a member of the Caribbean tech community, Steven Williams of Data Privacy and Management Advisory Services in Barbados, we discuss:  Can effective cybercrime laws not encroach on freedom of expression? Job displacement: has AI already begun reshaping the Caribbean economy? Is increased digitisation and online learning what we need to improve student learning and the Caribbean education system?

 

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

As the world, and more specifically the Caribbean region, continues its journey into the digital age, various complex issues intersect, shaping the region’s economic, educational, and social fabric. In this month’s Community Chat episode on the ICT Pulse Podcast, our discussion highlights three of the forces that are transforming the landscape: cybercrime laws and their implications on freedom of expression; artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the workplace; and digital education.

However, allow us to introduce our guest for the September Community Chat, and thereafter, we share the topics discussed.

 

Steven Williams

Introducing our guest

Steven A. Williams is the Founder and Executive Director of three companies: Sunisle Technology Solutions, a managed service provider; Data Privacy and Management Advisory Services (DPMAS), a consultancy focusing on data privacy; and Sports Beyond Borders, a digital sports broadcasting network. a multi-faceted entrepreneur and business technologist based in Barbados.

Steven has served as an IT Advisor to the Government’s Law Review Commission and currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Fair Trading Commission in Barbados. He is a sought-after speaker on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity.

Steven has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Durham and specialised certifications In Information Security and Data Protection, and commands a unique blend of business acumen and technical expertise.

 

 

The topics discussed

First, Guyana has been in the news due to plans to amend its Cybercrime Act. The premise for making the amendments is to address illicit activities conducted via social media and to be more aligned with the UN Convention on Cyberspace Regulation. However, concerns have been raised about the impact on freedom of speech and expression. Using the situation in Guyana as a starting point, we kicked off our discussion with the topic, Can effective cybercrime laws not encroach on freedom of expression?

Second, drawing inspiration from an article written by Steven on whether today’s youth are being adequately prepared for a technology-driven world, we honed in on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on the workplace. There have been several reports over the years that hundreds of millions of workers worldwide will be displaced and replaced by AI, automation and robots. However, there has been a concern that Caribbean countries have not been thinking strategically and have not been proactive about the changes to the workplace that have been and will continue to occur. We thus discussed Job displacement: has AI already begun reshaping the Caribbean economy?

Finally, and in light of the recently released results of the June sitting of the Caribbean Examination Council’s regional examinations, parents and the public at large were appalled by the poor performance of students – especially in Maths and English – which has been declining over the past several years. In response to the outcry, policymakers and others in the education space have been calling for more digitisation of schools and using more digital tools in the classroom. However, we posed the question, Is increased digitisation and online learning what we need to improve student learning and the Caribbean education system?

 

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:  :  S Williams;  M Marius;  WOKANDAPIX (Pixabay);  Arlington Research (Unsplash); Tumisu (Pixabay)

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

Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez