A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday, 31 August to Sunday, 6 September 2026.
Monday, 31 August 2026
Growing fintech ecosystem should be ‘pipeline for homegrown businesses’
Bahamas – THE BAHAMAS is looking to turn its growing fintech ecosystem into a pipeline for homegrown businesses, with the University of The Bahamas (UB), OKX Bahamas and the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) partnering to provide entrepreneurs with mentorship, capital and technical support… more
Belize advances Electronic Single window for trade initiative
Belize – Belize has achieved a significant milestone in the implementation of its Electronic Single Window for Trade (ESW) with the successful completion of an intensive four-day Knowledge Exchange Mission with the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA)… more
Work from home alert: Halo BPO hiring sales agents in Belize
Belize – Halo BPO is recruiting sales agents in Belize for a fully remote position… more
Declaring independence from mobile roaming
Caribbean – Roaming on a mobile plan has been a non-starter for more than two decades, but it isn’t clear that enough local travelers are aware of the alternatives… more
Curaçao Chronicle Obtains SBTNO Report Revealing Deeper Financial Problems at TeleCuraçao
Curaçao – New details obtained by Curaçao Chronicle show that the financial problems facing TeleCuraçao are considerably broader than its annual loss alone, with the government’s corporate governance adviser warning about insufficient liquidity, rising debt, aging technical infrastructure and fundamental risks to the television station’s continued operations… more
Amber Group surpasses one million IoT devices deployed across Africa
Jamaica – Amber Group, the global technology company founded and headquartered in Kingston, today announced that its hardware division, Amber IoT, has manufactured, sold and deployed more than one million devices in Africa… more
Over 245,000 Sq ft of Kingston, Montego Bay Office space sits vacant amid BPO downturn
Jamaica – More than 245,000 square feet of commercial office space is sitting empty across Kingston and Montego Bay, according to Jamaica Sotheby’s International Realty co-founder and CEO Julian Dixon. She is bringing to all concerned that the large-format inventory built for the business process outsourcing sector is running above normal levels… more
Tuesday, 1 September 2026
Government launches cyber response team to strengthen digital security
Antigua and Barbuda – The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has launched a dedicated cyber incident response team to improve its ability to prepare for, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats… more
AI seen as affordable alternative for women entrepreneurs
Barbados – Artificial intelligence could help female entrepreneurs overcome the cost of hiring additional help as they grow their businesses, according to National Organisation of Women (NOW) president Melissa Savoury-Gittens… more
NOW, AI firm launch free business programme for women
Barbados – Up to 35 women will receive free training in using artificial intelligence to develop viable businesses under a new programme launched by the National Organisation of Women (NOW) and an AI capability firm… more
Digicel expands Full-Fibre Network
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Telecommunications company Digicel, has announced a major expansion of its end-to-end fiber network across St. Vincent that will put its services within reach of more than 11,000 additional homes… more
Launch of new website Governor of Sint Maarten
Sint Maarten – Today, Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten launched its new website, providing clear and accessible information about the Governor, the Cabinet, which serves as the administrative organization supporting the Governor, and the services offered by the Department of Consular Affairs… more
Can T&T reindustrialise in the age of AI?
Trinidad and Tobago – In Part One, I argued that the employment numbers are not necessarily contradictory; the politics around how we select them is. In Part Two, I asked why Trinidad and Tobago is still employing roughly 80,000 fewer people than at its 2014 peak while labour-force participation remains around 55%… more
Wednesday, 2 September 2026
‘Dedicate 15% of universal fund to digital inclusion for disabled’
Bahamas – A DISABLED advocate yesterday called for 15 percent of monies paid into so-called universal service funds by Bahamian and Caribbean communications providers to be dedicated to boosting digital inclusion for the group… more
PM: Translate connectivity into meaningful opportunity
Bahamas – PRIME Minister Philip Davis KC yesterday said improved connectivity is critical economic infrastructure for this nation, arguing that The Bahamas must strengthen its networks, connectivity pathways and cyber security as the economy increasingly comes to depend on digital systems… more
CXC introduces enhanced SBA checks amid growing use of AI
Caribbean – The increasing use of artificial intelligence has prompted CXC to strengthen the procedures governing School-Based Assessments (SBAs) for the June 2026 examination cycle… more
Digicel Curaçao Celebrates Grand Opening of New Store in Sambil
Curaçao – Digicel Curaçao officially celebrated the grand opening of its new store at Sambil, marking an exciting new chapter in the company’s retail presence on the island… more
Amber eyes Jamaica IoT roll-out as Africa device count tops one million
Jamaica – AMBER Group is eyeing an early 2027 start to the roll-out of a network for Internet of Things (IoT) devices in Jamaica, as its South Africa-based Amber IoT business surpasses one million devices manufactured, sold, and deployed across Africa… more
House Speaker Says Parliaments Must Safeguard Democratic Values in Digital Age
Jamaica – Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, has underscored that Parliaments must safeguard their fundamental democratic values, as they adjust their operations and engagement to an increasingly digital environment… more
House Speaker Urges Digital Transformation of Parliaments
Jamaica – Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, has urged regional governments to strategically leverage digital transformation to strengthen parliamentary operations, enhance transparency, and foster greater public engagement across Commonwealth legislatures… more
Jamaica now has more Internet subscriptions than people, latest post-Melissa data reveals
Jamaica – The first official telecoms data released since Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica last October reveals a sector with reduced fixed-line services, but with greater mobile broadband penetration than the population… more
Liberty Latin America’s math on Jamaica: $20 Million Lost, $81 million recovered, one year to break even
Jamaica – Liberty Latin America’s fourth-quarter results give the clearest look yet at what Hurricane Melissa cost the company in Jamaica, and how it plans to close the gap by the end of 2026… more
New ITA director-general outlines plan for digital transformation
Jamaica – The Island Traffic Authority (ITA) has welcomed Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Bryan as its new director-general of Road Traffic, following his assumption of office on September 1, 2026… more
Will Jamaica’s fixed-line exodus reverse? Melissa data raises questions about a permanent shift
Jamaica – The fourth-quarter numbers from Jamaica’s Office of Utilities Regulation show a telecoms sector reshaped in three months by Hurricane Melissa… more
Thursday, 3 September 2026
Bastian: Tech firms should be required to provide affordable connectivity after disasters
Bahamas – Technology companies seeking licenses to operate in The Bahamas should be required to provide connectivity following natural disasters, and offer services at prices ordinary Bahamians can afford, Minister of Innovation and National Development Sebas Bastian said yesterday… more
Sebas: ‘Don’t fall in love with technology alone’
Bahamas – A CABINET minister yesterday urged The Bahamas to focus on extracting the economic benefits and opportunities from digital connectivity, as he asserted: “Let us not fall in love with technology alone.” … more
Small islands paying “sovereignty discount” in digital economy, says PM
Bahamas – PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday warned that small island states are paying a “sovereignty discount” in the global digital economy and urged them to unite around a common position on data, telecommunications infrastructure and regulatory control… more
Caricell launches a new mobile service built specifically for Caribbean communities across the United States
Caribbean – Caricell today announced the launch of a new mobile service designed specifically for Caribbean communities living in the United States… more
Digicel appoints new chief business officer
Caribbean – Digicel Group has announced the appointment of Salvador “Salva” Hierrezuelo as its new group chief business officer, effective September 1, 2026, as the telecommunications provider seeks to strengthen its business solutions division and expand its enterprise offerings across the Caribbean and Central America… more
Liberty Business champions youth, cyber security awareness at Summit
Caribbean – Liberty Business, the business arm of leading telecommunications provider Flow, has reinforced its commitment to strengthening cybersecurity awareness and digital resilience through its partnership with the Caribbean Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity Summit 2026, recently held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre… more
Several drones found in vehicles near president’s private residence – GCAA
Guyana – The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Thursday said several “unregistered drones” were allegedly discovered in two heavily tinted motor vehicles with four occupants in the vicinity of President Irfaan Ali’s private residence at Leonora, West Coast Demerara… more
JAMAICA-Minister Wheatley calls for unified CARICOM approach to AI governance
Jamaica – Caribbean countries are being encouraged to adopt a coordinated approach to the governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as the technology increasingly influences economies, public institutions and citizens across the region… more
Trinidad and Tobago: Preparing for Payments Revolution
Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago is not an obvious candidate for a financial inclusion revolution. It has one of the Caribbean’s most developed banking systems, comparatively high incomes and a financial sector that extends well beyond its population of around 1.4 million people… more
Friday, 4 September 2026
Bastian: Bahamas must quickly build AI skills
Bahamas – According to Minister of Innovation and National Development Sebas Bastian, The Bahamas must move quickly to build AI (artificial intelligence) literacy and reform education and training, so that Bahamians can become creators and entrepreneurs in the digital economy, rather than simply consumers of new technology… more
Business doubts over tax portal’s consolidation
Bahamas – BUSINESSES yesterday voiced misgivings that the Government’s new One Tax Bahamas portal will improve filing, administration and the ease of doing business, with one asserting: “Every time you turn around there’s a new hoop… more
Court orders retrial over WhattsApp messages in “buy her virginity” case Body
Bahamas – THE Court of Appeal has quashed the conviction of a man sentenced to eight years in prison for attempting to have unlawful sexual intercourse with an underage girl, ruling that jurors were not properly told how to assess WhatsApp messages in which prosecutors alleged he offered to “buy her virginity”… more
Excel-reliant businesses may be AI’s first targets
Bahamas – BAHAMIAN businesses still relying on Excel spreadsheets, QuickBooks and legacy accounting systems could be among the first targets for a push into artificial intelligence (AI) powered enterprise software, as companies look to automate routine processes and improve the way they manage their operations… more
PM: Bahamas wants ‘keys’ to own digital sovereignty
Bahamas – THE PRIME Minister yesterday argued that small states such as The Bahamas must have a say in developing digital economy policies particularly when their sovereignty – data, infrastructure and markets – is used… more
Cabinet approves Digital Register and new Licensing system for electrical workers
Belize – Cabinet met on September 2, 2026, and approved the introduction of regulations to establish a digital Electrical Workers Register and a searchable public verification system… more
Navy shows off new drone
British Virgin Islands – The Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Trent docked at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park from Sunday to Tuesday as part of its routine regional engagement programme for this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season… more
Caribbean’s AI ambitions face a data-sharing problem
Caribbean – THE Caribbean’s fragmented approach to data-sharing could undermine the region’s ability to develop and use artificial intelligence (AI), with experts warning that limited access to data could constrain its participation in the AI economy… more
Fix it before you speed it up — choosing the first thing to automate, and the data work that comes first
Caribbean – Last week, Barbados’s Senior Minister Kerrie Symmonds put some numbers to something anyone who works with small businesses in this region already suspected… more
The Global Lense – The one about data and tech stack sovereignty
Caribbean – August 2026 was a month of technology constraints. Around the world, nations and companies grappled with electricity, computing capacity, infrastructure and dependence on technology controlled by others. Digital sovereignty increasingly seems less like a buzzword and more like a practical concern… more
Ethnic hate speech surges online
Guyana – The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) issued 48 cautionary warnings for ethnic hate speech on social media during its latest monitoring period, marking a sharp increase from the 37 warnings recorded in the preceding period… more
AI’s reach Into Caribbean office space: Automation, job losses and the debate over blame
Jamaica – Jamaica’s outsourcing sector has shed roughly 20,000 jobs in two years, falling from a peak of 60,000 to 65,000 workers to about 40,000, according to the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ). The decline has left commercial landlords holding more than 245,000 square feet of vacant office space across Kingston and Montego Bay, much of it built specifically for call centre operations… more
Farmers’ ID System Under Review
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The Ministry of Agriculture is reviewing the Farmers’ ID system, with two proposals currently before Cabinet for consideration as possible replacements, Minister of Agriculture Israel Bruce has disclosed… more
TTSEC launches data hub
Trinidad and Tobago – In a move toward digital transformation and financial transparency, the T&T Securities and Exchange Commission (TTSEC) has launched its new data hub for financial and market statistics… more
Saturday, 5 September 2026
AI boom concentrated around handful of platforms
Caribbean – THE artificial intelligence (AI) market is expanding rapidly, but visits are mostly flowing to a small group of dominant platforms, with ChatGPT alone accounting for nearly half of all AI-related web traffic… more
One in three formal businesses in the Dominican Republic already integrates AI into its daily operations
Dominican Republic – The National Statistics Office revealed in its latest bulletin that 35.0% of formal Dominican companies with internet access already use Artificial Intelligence (AI), marking a milestone in the adoption of new technologies within the private sector… more
Sunday, 6 September 2026
Yaneek Page | BPO Transition: Balancing Investor Realities with Economic Necessity
Jamaica – In May 2024, I issued a stark warning in this column: Jamaica was standing directly in the pathway of a technology-driven economic tremor. I cautioned that our heavy national reliance on outsourced North American call-centre jobs left our economy acutely vulnerable… more
Images credit: Jonathan Gong (Unsplash); Amber Group Limited (Facebook); Wikimedia Commons; Wikipedia; Liberty Latin America (Facebook); Liberty Business; Wikipedia
