A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 9 December to Sunday 15 December 2024.
Monday, 9 December 2024
PM Dickon Mitchell to deliver keynote address at Connected Caribbean Summit
Caribbean – Prime Minister and Chairman of Caricom, the Honourable Dickon Mitchell, is poised to deliver the keynote address at the 2024 Connected Caribbean Summit… more
Over 100 schools in Curaçao to receive new digital infrastructure
Curaçao – More than 100 schools in Curaçao will receive new digital infrastructure, including high-speed fiber optic connections and modern ICT equipment… more
JBDC paving way for MSMES’ digital transition through EU-funded initiative
Jamaica – In an era when digital transformation is no longer optional but essential, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) is paving the way for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to thrive in the digital economy… more
JM.live: Pioneering Digital Transformation for Jamaica’s Future
Jamaica – As the world continues its fast-paced digital evolution, one company is at the forefront of transforming Jamaica’s digital landscape… more
Young Innovators Shine Bright at CARIRI’s Power Up Competition Powered by bmobile
Trinidad and Tobago – What happens when young minds are given the tools to dream big? At CARIRI’s annual Power Up competition, powered by bmobile, innovation took center stage as two young visionaries presented groundbreaking ideas to transform education and agriculture… more
Tuesday, 10 December 2024
PM Dickon Mitchell to address Connected Caribbean Summit
Caribbean – The Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell will on Tuesday, December 10, address the Connected Caribbean Summit (CCS) 2024 on the topic: “Action Time – Accelerating Caribbean Integration and Development”… more
Cross Roads gets free Wi-Fi as USF expands digital inclusivity programme
Jamaica – The commercial district of Cross Roads in St Andrew now has access to free Wi-Fi service as part of the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) Connect Ja Public Wi-Fi programme… more
New online platform seeks to level the playing field for car buyers in Jamaica
Jamaica – Entrepreneur Nike Henry has launched Virtual Showroom Automotive (VSA), an innovative online platform designed to make purchasing a vehicle more transparent, efficient, and customer-friendly… more
Government of SVG pushing for PayPal accessibility
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), is said to be making significant strides in its ongoing negotiations with PayPal to enable access for Vincentians to the popular digital payment platform… more
Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Satellite providers in mobile, national security restrictions
Bahamas – Regulators are proposing that satellite communications providers must store Bahamas-generated data in this nation to comply with national security laws given the industry’s “strong interest” in entering this market… more
Starlink, Viasat licensed as URCA eyes satellite growth
Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has seen “substantial growth” in demand for satellite service licensing, having issued licenses to major operators such as Starlink and Viasat. It has now launched a consultation on the Satellite Regulatory Framework to guide the development of the sector… more
‘Digital or bust’: Biz leaders want tax credit
Barbados – The Barbados Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday urged the government to fast-track the implementation of its digital transformation tax credit, warning that rising costs and growing cybersecurity threats are pressuring businesses to act now… more
Mastercard goes after micro merchants
Caribbean – PUSHING to grow acceptance across more segments of the population locally, payments giant Mastercard, through a pilot programme now underway in the second capital, is looking to onboard hundreds of micro merchants, particularly those in the craft sector… more
The digital dilemma
Jamaica – IN today’s fast-paced global economy, digital transformation is no longer optional for businesses; it is an imperative… more
Tech Beach Retreat hosts AI film festival in Jamaica
Jamaica – Tech Beach Retreat hosted an AI film festival, featuring an AI robot avatar, during the recent staging of the regional technology event in Jamaica… more
The digital dilemma
Jamaica – IN today’s fast-paced global economy, digital transformation is no longer optional for businesses; it is an imperative… more
THE STATE OF CYBERSECURITY IN JAMAICA: A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW
Jamaica – AS THE digital economy expands globally, cybersecurity has emerged as a crucial pillar for safeguarding online transactions, protecting private information, and ensuring business continuity… more
Thursday, 12 December 2024
Cloud security expert warns mobile phone users to stop SMS messaging
Bahamas – A cloud security expert said a recent Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warning for cellphone users to stop using SMS text messaging, and use encrypted messenger services like WhatsApp, is due to low security standards in the US and wider Americas… more
Beyond the 2019 Data Protection Act: Rebuilding Trust in Barbados’ Digital Future
Barbados – Writing this article has been uniquely challenging—not because of its technical complexity, but because it requires balancing fairness with my conflicted feelings about how cybersecurity and data privacy have been addressed in recent times… more
Uniting our youth against corruption: The digital battlefield
Jamaica – LAST MONDAY’S celebration of International Anti-Corruption Day, themed ‘Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity’, found us at a crossroads… more
Quite a MIC-IT milestone
Trinidad and Tobago – THE EDITOR: The attainment of the 50th anniversary of progress of the MIC Institute of Technology (MIC-IT) is quite a milestone. Examining continuous and relevant programmes that satisfy the needs of our country as done over the years, we must heartily commend the proactive nature of the institution… more
Friday, 13 December 2024
Gov’t to upgrade data centre amidst 2025 digital overhaul, MP Nicholas says
Antigua and Barbuda – The government is set to establish a new Tier 4 data centre on the island as part of its broader digital transformation agenda for 2025, Information Minister Melford Nicholas announced during his Budget presentation on Wednesday… more
Information Minister warns of further delays in implementing number portability
Antigua and Barbuda – The implementation of mobile number portability in Antigua and Barbuda will see further delays, with Information Minister Melford Nicholas expressing frustration that the initiative may not come on stream until the new year… more
Wayne Hull is new Flow Country Manager in Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda – C&W Communications, the operators of Flow, Flow Business, C&W Business and BTC, said it is pleased to announce the appointment of Wayne Hull as Country Manager of its operations in Antigua and Barbuda… more
Cable: $85m network spend to counter satellite challenge
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas’ multi-million fibre-optic network investment will enable it to face down the competitive threat posed by Elon Musk’s Starlink and rival satellite operators, its top executive asserted yesterday… more
Incentive offered to electronic communications license holders
Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) issued a statement yesterday to announce the release of the government’s new Electronic Communications Sector (ECS) Policy, which revealed that holders of a communication license will be eligible for reductions in their license fee as an incentive to invest at least $100,000 in implementing emerging technology anywhere in The Bahamas… more
New Electronic Communications Sector (ECS) policy published
Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has announced the publication of the Government of The Bahamas’ new Electronic Communications Sector (ECS) Policy, which outlines strategic objectives to guide the nation’s electronic communications development… more
Telecoms company challenges ‘unfair and unlawful’ tax
Cayman Islands – Cayman’s telecoms regulator may have been erroneously charging taxes that have no basis in law, according to a lawsuit filed by internet provider C3… more
Some Flow customers in St. Andrew still affected after cables vandalized
Jamaica – Telecommunications provider, Flow, says it is still working to address the outage affecting internet, landline and cable customers in the Corporate Area, after some its wires were vandalised… more
Digital mapping of SVG expected to provide high quality data
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The Caribbean Digital Transformation Project is teaming up with the non-profit organisation This is PLACE to carry out digital mapping of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG)… more
Saturday, 14 December 2024
A bright future for Jamaica in cross-border e-commerce
Jamaica – On November 21, Dr Hugh Blake, Trade Administrator and CEO of The Trade Board Limited attended the prestigious World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China where he spoke at the Sustainable Development of Cross-Border E-Commerce Forum, a key platform that showcased global leaders discussing the future of international trade and e-commerce… more
Sunday, 15 December 2024
How to protect your communications through encryption
Caribbean – After a sprawling hacking campaign exposed the communications of an unknown number of Americans, United States cybersecurity officials are advising people to use encryption in their communications… more
Training talent is the challenge for Dominican Republic to use and develop AI
Dominican Republic – Vocational training is the most important challenge facing the Dominican Republic in using and developing Artificial Intelligence (AI). When evaluated along with other Latin American countries, the scores obtained in this area are below the regional average, according to the Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA)… more
Integrity Commission blocks threatening social media accounts
Jamaica – The Integrity Commission (IC) has moved to block some accounts across its social media platforms, ostensibly because of what it deems to be hateful and de-humanising commentary against the commission… more
Region must not be left behind in use of AI, says Bartlett
Jamaica – Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett says the Caribbean region must not be left behind in taking advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) to propel the tourism sector forward… more
Images credit: Steve Buissinne (Pixabay); JBDC; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; C3 Pure Fibre (Facebook)
