A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 30 September to Sunday 6 October 2024.
Monday, 30 September 2024
Barbados Revenue Authority files listed for sale by threat actors
Barbados – Records from the Barbados Revenue Authority such as property tax records and vehicle owner’s registration records are being offered for sale, but is the government even aware that personal information has been acquired and is at risk of misuse? … more
Facial Recognition Software Potentially Coming to Belize
Belize – The Belize Police Department is working towards acquiring facial recognition software to increase public safety… more
Artificial intelligence may help crack down on money crime
British Virgin Islands – The BVI Financial Investigation Agency may soon use artificial intelligence to crack down on child sexual exploitation, human smuggling and other illicit activity as it intensifies its efforts following recent criticism of the territory’s ability to fight money crime, according to FIA Director Errol George… more
Online payment option for property tax by October 31
Trinidad and Tobago – FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert has said there will be an online payment option for property tax by or before October 31… more
Tuesday, 1 October 2024
230 GB data breach tints reputation of Revenue Authority: Vehicle Registration offline as offenders tracked
Barbados – The Barbados Revenue Authority is aware that there is some vehicle registration application information circulating on the internet and social media and is actively investigating the incident… more
BRA, police investigating data breach
Barbados – The Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) and police are investigating a reported breach of its vehicle registration data… more
Flow BVI welcomes Maria De Grads as its new General Manager
British Virgin Islands – C&W Communications, operators of the Flow, Flow Business, C&W Business, and BTC brands in the Caribbean, is pleased to announce the appointment of Maria De Grads as the new General Manager of Flow British Virgin Islands effective October 1, the first female leader in the company’s 58-year history of operations in the Territory… more
New Regulatory Unit For Harmonising Digital Transformation To Feature At CTU ICT Week
Caribbean – The establishment of a new regulatory unit to harmonise digital transformation efforts in the Caribbean is on the agenda at CTU ICT Week 2024, being held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort from September 30 to October 04, 2024… more
Youth Urged To Help Older Person As Caribbean Pushes Digital Transformation
Caribbean – Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 01, 2024 (SKNIS): Strategies to push forward Digital Transformation in the Caribbean are being discussed by delegates participating in the Caribbean Telecommunication Union Information and Communication Technology (CTU ICT) Week taking place in St. Kitts and Nevis from September 30 to October 04, 2024… more
Jamaica’s digital growth: Investment opportunities in the nation’s tech transformation
Jamaica – AMID A global race towards digital economies, the Government of Jamaica is seizing the moment with a robust digital-transformation initiative to unlock new investment opportunities in fintech innovation and technology infrastructure… more
Wednesday, 2 October 2024
Customer event gives BTC chance to hear their views
Bahamas – A DAY of customer appreciation and feedback was held yesterday by Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) – the second year running for the luncheon that seeks to receive feedback from customers on how services can be improved… more
‘Embrace’ AI opportunities
Barbados – Two academics are urging Barbadians to embrace the creative opportunities being provided by Artificial Intelligence… more
Hackers claim access to BRA’s admin portal
Barbados – The Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) is working with police to investigate a breach of its vehicle registration system, amid growing concerns over the security and privacy of stakeholders’ data… more
Cuban province to host 2nd Fair on Digital Transformation
Cuba – From Nov. 12 to 14, the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba will host the 2nd edition of the Digital Transformation Fair (Fetdi by its Spanish acronym), with the aim of training digital skills through the innovative application of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI)… more
Caribbean Digital Transformation Project provides training to boost national cyber security
Dominica – The Caribbean Digital Transformation Project’s Project Implementation Unit, operating under the Ministry of Public Works, Public Utilities, and Digital Economy, organized the CSIRTAMERICA Week in Dominica from September 24 to 27, 2024… more
AI moves in on job market disruptions
Jamaica – Already proven to make difficult tasks much easier, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in a number of fields has, in the last few years, significantly revolutionised labour markets and how people work, a phenomenon which experts believe is catching on with great speed locally… more
Cyberattacks continue to trend down as vulnerabilities remedied
Jamaica – A significant drop in vulnerabilities is being attributed to the more than 70 per cent reduction in attempted cyberattacks on local networks seen since the start of this year… more
Information minister urges JIS to combat misinformation
Jamaica – Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Information, Skills and Digital Transformation, Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, has underscored the role of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) in combatting misinformation… more
Thursday, 3 October 2024
‘88,000 homes’ connected to fibre internet, as Cable Bahamas reveals results
Bahamas – CABLE Bahamas CEO and president Franklyn Butler says he is “extremely pleased” as more than 88,000 homes are now connected to fibre internet… more
$1bn FTX Bahamas claims hit if Chapter 11 plan fails
Bahamas – FTX’s Bahamas liquidators have received more than $1bn in claims from over 44,000 creditors as they urged a US judge to accept the crypto exchange’s Chapter 11 reorganisation plan… more
Aliv ‘where we need to be’ through $90m raise
Bahamas – Aliv’s latest $90m capital raise “takes us where we need to be” by “cleaning up” multiple inter-company loans and providing funds for capital investment, Cable Bahamas’ top executive disclosed yesterday… more
BTC pledges ‘new technology’ for long-suffering Eleutherans
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is planning to “soon trial new technology” on Eleuthera that will improve the island’s broadband Internet connectivity amid multiple outage complaints… more
BTC postpaid customers get $1k in cash when adding a fiber plan
Bahamas – BTC has announced the introduction of its “Premier Club” loyalty program, offering exclusive rewards and benefits, which will be available to postpaid customers in its first phase… more
GEO-blocking ‘hampers digital creators’
Barbados – Barbadian content creators are being shut out of monetising their work on major platforms like YouTube and Spotify due to geo-blocking, hampering efforts to boost the island’s orange economy, industry leaders warned… more
Harper urges urgent action as BRA breach exposes personal info
Barbados – Charging that the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) might have suffered the most extensive data leak to date, cybersecurity expert Niel Harper warned that a massive amount of sensitive information has been exposed and blasted the government’s response as inadequate… more
60% of Caribbean organisations delayed in digital transformation
Caribbean – The Digicel Business Digital Transformation Report also contains key insights for specific industries and groups, including hospitality, financial services, government/public sector and small and medium-sized enterprises… more
Cybersecurity Forum Builds A Safer Digital Future For Leaders And Students
Caribbean – The importance of a strong and resilient cybersecurity system was emphasised at a Cybersecurity Awareness Forum held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on October 03, 2024. The event brought together public and private sector officials from St. Kitts and Nevis, regional representatives and local secondary school students… more
E-Litigation portal for Guyana’s High Court and Court of Appeal set to roll out
Guyana – The Supreme Court of Judicature in Guyana on Tuesday announced that it is nearing the completion of an e-litigation web portal for the Court of Appeal and the High Court which will mark a major transformation in the country’s judicial system… more
Design Privacy trains HR professionals in data privacy
Jamaica – As data privacy regulations become entrenched in company policy, the role of human resource (HR) professionals will become more critical in encouraging compliance and treating with breaches… more
Digicel Foundation to put more tech labs in panyards
Trinidad and Tobago – The Digicel Foundation is again partnering with the pan fraternity to install technology labs at panyards throughout Trinidad and Tobago… more
Digicel gives up e-money issuer licence
Trinidad and Tobago – MYCASH (Trinidad & Tobago) Ltd, a subsidiary of Digicel, confirmed yesterday that it had “voluntarily” surrendered its provisional registration as an e-money issuer in this country… more
Tourism minister: E-passports, online departure/arrival forms will improve sector
Trinidad and Tobago – TOURISM Minister Randall Mitchell says the introduction of e-passports and online arrival/departure forms to TT will improve the industry… more
Friday, 4 October 2024
Caddle: Gov’t doing what’s required, probe continues into BRA data breach
Barbados – Amid calls for authorities to come clean on the full extent of this week’s Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) data breach, Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology Marsha Caddle says the teams investigating the incident must be given time to do their work… more
C&W Communications appoints Santiago Londono as chief commercial officer, B2B
Caribbean – C&W Communications has appointed Santiago Londono as chief commercial officer, B2B, effective October 1, 2024… more
Digicel Business 2024 report: 60% delayed in digital transformation
Caribbean – DIGICEL Business has launched its third Digital Transformation Report, in collaboration with Symptai Consulting Ltd, and delved into the progress and challenges faced by businesses across the region… more
Children being exposed to inappropriate content on social media
Jamaica – There is a call for attention to be given to the issue of children being exposed to inappropriate content on social media… more
Mastercard phasing in stronger fraud protection
Jamaica – MASTERCARD is currently in the process of phasing out the requirement for shoppers in the region to enter their 16-digit card number when checking out online, replacing it instead with randomly generated numbers on a token in an effort to tamp down on the rising incidents of online fraud. The process called ‘tokenisation’ is often backed by biometric authentication… more
Saturday, 5 October 2024
111 ICT hubs operational in hinterland – PM
Guyana – Prime Minister Mark Phillips has underscored the advancements made in the ICT Access and E-Services for Hinterland, Poor, and Remote Communities Project… more
Supreme Court in soft launch of E-Litigation platform
Guyana – The Supreme Court of Judicature held a soft launch of its e-litigation system for the High Courts of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice yesterday… more
Expanding Internet Access to the Poor, Elderly, Physically Challenged in Soufriere
Saint Lucia – The Universal Service Fund Office of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission – St. Lucia, has announced a new project aimed at expanding efficient access to the internet for the poor, elderly, and physically challenged in Soufriere… more
Online blows for Hyatt over ‘cashless’ advertisement
Trinidad and Tobago – Government-owned Hyatt Regency hotel had to delete a social media post and apologise after it announced that effective November 1, local currency was not going to be accepted as payment for services… more
Sunday, 6 October 2024
No jobs lost
Jamaica – Ibex Global Jamaica Limited has hit back at concerns that it is scaling back its operation in Jamaica based on Ibex Global Limited’s financial reports… more
Images credit: Andrys Stienstra (Pixabay); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Aliv; Wikimedia Commons; Wikipedia
