In our April 2025 Community Chat, and with a member of the Caribbean tech community, Nigel Cassimire of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union in Trinidad and Tobago, and Steven Williams of Data Privacy and Management Advisory Services in Barbados, we discuss just one topic: Fostering Caribbean digital resilience and transformation in an era of global uncertainty. In the current economic, trade and diplomatic climate globally, in which Caribbean countries are getting caught in the crosshairs of the manoeuvrings of larger and more powerful nations, we discuss the tech-related issues or challenges to the region, the potential implications and how Caribbean countries might best be able to navigate the situation.

 

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

Over the past four months, an era defined by economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension, and global trade wars has emerged. Tariff escalations, protectionist policies, and retaliatory trade measures among major economies have disrupted traditional supply chains and strained multilateral trade systems. While these conflicts are often framed in the context of economic giants like the United States and China, their ripple effects reach far beyond the borders of these dominant players. Developing countries, including those in the Caribbean region, find themselves disproportionately affected by the turbulence in global trade.

As Small Island Developing States – with limited economic diversification, heavy dependence on imports and exports, and vulnerability to external shocks – Caribbean nations are getting caught in the crossfire of policies over which they have little control. Although there are ongoing efforts in Washington to lobby for special carve-outs for the region, when all is said and done, the region may still find itself as a casualty of these global geopolitical tensions.

In this Community Chat episode, we discuss the current landscape of global trade wars, the challenges and possible repercussions on the Caribbean tech space, and ways in which the region can increase its digital resiliency.

 

Introducing our guests

Nigel Cassimire

Nigel Cassimire is the Deputy Secretary General and Head of Regional Policy Development of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU). He is also the Coordinator of the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum.

Since July 2005, Nigel has been a Consulting Telecommunications Specialist. He has worked extensively with the CTU Secretariat in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in developing and promoting harmonised Caribbean positions in the areas of spectrum management, internet governance, and ICT policy. He has also successfully conducted consultancies for several of the member governments of the CTU.

Nigel is a Telecommunications Engineer with over thirty years of experience in the technical, operational and executive management of telecommunications systems and services. He has an intimate understanding of a broad range of ICTs and services, with practical experience in network and service planning, operations management and domestic and international telecommunications policy development.

Steven Williams

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.

 

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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:  CTU;  S Williams;  Freepik;  Wikimedia Commons;  kjpargeter (Freepik)

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

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez