A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday, 12 October to Sunday, 18 October 2026.
Monday, 12 October 2026
Straughn announces online platform to speed up concessions, improve transparency
Barbados – The Ministry of Finance is preparing to move the management of concessions, stamp duty and other services to a new online platform to speed up processing and improve transparency, Finance Minister Ryan Straughn has told Barbados TODAY… more
CTU ICT4PWDS Leadership Workshop focuses on Disability-Inclusive Digital Development
Caribbean – The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) convened its 1st ICT for Persons with Disabilities (ICT4PWDs) Leadership Workshop during ICT Week 2026 under the theme “Digital Transformation for a Disability Inclusive Economy”, which provided understanding on the economic realities of disability inclusion, challenged the assumptions that have shaped policies and practice and examined how inclusion can be intentionally designed into our organisations, technologies and services… more
Dominican Republic issues new rules for state digital infrastructure
Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic’s Executive Branch has issued Decree No. 714-26, establishing regulations to coordinate strategic digital infrastructure and investments across the Public Administration as part of the government’s modernization and public management reform efforts… more
President Ali calls for regional strategies on AI, cybersecurity to boost tourism industry
Guyana – PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has urged Caribbean countries to develop shared strategies for artificial intelligence, digital resilience and cybersecurity, warning that no country in the Region is large enough to respond effectively on its own… more
Haitians slam Digicel after third internet outage in about 3 weeks
Haiti – Digicel, one of Haiti’s longest serving telecommunications companies, was facing criticism Monday following a third internet outage in less than a month that left its customers unable to connect both inside and outside the country… more
Barita Financial Group says BPay pilot focused on financial inclusion
Jamaica – Barita Financial Group Limited has announced the controlled pilot rollout of BPay by Barita, a digital wallet offered by Barita Merchant Bank Limited, a deposit-taking institution licensed by the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ)… more
cEvents offers digital infrastructure for Carnival
Trinidad and Tobago – I first interviewed Angél Stewart in November 2007, after observing the registration of Tribe’s masqueraders at Cascadia Hotel… more
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Bahamas digital asset sector holds $33.65 billion in client assets despite sharp decline in transaction activity following FTX collapse
Bahamas – The Bahamas’ regulated digital asset industry held some $33.65 billion in client assets at the end of 2025, despite a dramatic contraction in blockchain transaction activity following the 2022 collapse of FTX, according to a newly released report by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas… more
Digital asset transactions dropped 70% after FTX
Bahamas – DIGITAL assets business involving The Bahamas “contracted by more than 70 percent” in the year after FTX’s collapse, it has been revealed, with less than 3 percent of such transactions linked to “criminal activity” in the nearly two years to end-July 2026… more
Barbados must be a leader in AI by 2035
Barbados – A significant retooling will be required if Barbados is to be AI compliant in the next decade or less… more
PWC highlights critical gaps in protections against cyber attacks
Caribbean – PwC says, although investments in cyber security are increasing, significant gaps remain in preparedness, governance and the ability to maintain critical services when cyber incidents take place… more
Rising AI adoption is widening the workforce divide, PwC survey finds
Caribbean – Increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating a widening divide in the workplace, with some employees gaining confidence and career opportunities while others struggle to access the skills development needed to keep pace… more
DOMLEC plans AI-assisted customer service and faster meter updates
Dominica – Dominica Electricity Services Limited (DOMLEC) is developing a new customer information system that will use artificial intelligence and electronic field reporting to improve access to account details and speed up service… more
Advanced AI: A threat Jamaica cannot afford to ignore
Jamaica – Dear Editor, The recent incident in Australia, where an artificial intelligence (AI) agent gained unauthorised access to a government website, should serve as a serious warning to Jamaica… more
AI cyber threats expose resilience gaps as security spending rises, PwC survey finds
Jamaica – As Jamaican organisations continue to adopt digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), strengthening cybersecurity and preparing for operational disruption are increasingly important to protecting business operations, customer information and public trust… more
BPO leaders push shift to higher-value work as sector jobs fall a third from peak
Jamaica – Leaders of Jamaica’s global services sector are pressing for a move away from labour-intensive call centre work toward knowledge-based, technology-enabled services, as industry employment sits well below its peak and operating pressures mount… more
Jamaica Supports ECLAC Proposal For Regional Digital Market
Jamaica – Jamaica says it supports the proposal by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) for a regional digital market noting that on digital transformation, Kingston is cognisant of the importance of equitable and meaningful connectivity for social and economic development… more
PWC highlights critical gaps in protections against cyber attacks
Jamaica – PwC says, although investments in cyber security are increasing, significant gaps remain in preparedness, governance and the ability to maintain critical services when cyber incidents take place… more
UTech hosts Africa-Caribbean AI Conference
Jamaica – The Pan-African/Caribbean Artificial Intelligence and Smart Systems Conference (PAAISS 2026) opens today at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica, bringing together researchers, policymakers, industry leaders and students to examine how artificial intelligence can support development across Africa and the Caribbean… more
Arjoon backs VAT on Netflix and Amazon subscriptions
Trinidad and Tobago – Applying value-added tax to digital services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime is among the most economically efficient ways to tax cross-border services, economist Dr Vaalmikki Arjoon says, citing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) study published in July 2026… more
Trinidad and Tobago proposes VAT on non‑resident digital services
Trinidad and Tobago – Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo announced during the 2026/2027 national budget presentation on 13 October 2026 that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago intends to apply value added tax (VAT) to digital and remote services supplied by non‑resident companies… more
Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Barbadian attorney & CEO outlines different types of AI
Barbados – Future Caribbean is a regional initiative connecting technology, talent, and opportunity across the Caribbean. CEO and local attorney Lily Dash says their flagship program is a global agentic AI buildathon that brings together founders, engineers, designers, researchers, and operators to build deployable AI systems that solve real-world challenges and strengthen how economies coordinate… more
Hang Up! Scammers Are Posing as Central Bank Officials
Belize – Fraudsters are no longer relying only on suspicious text messages or anonymous phone calls. According to the Central Bank of Belize, scammers are now using Google Meet to pose as officials from the institution, giving their scheme a more convincing appearance as they try to obtain confidential banking information… more
The new global remote jobs platform
Caribbean – THE global economy is creating opportunities that many people still don’t know exist. Every week, through my work as a digital strategist, I discover companies hiring internationally, emerging digital careers, and remote job boards I hadn’t encountered before… more
New subsea cable may undermine Cayman’s telecom market
Cayman Islands – Liberty Networks, the operator of Cayman’s existing two subsea communication cables, said government plans to build a third connection could undermine the local telecom market… more
Guyana’s trade single window processes nearly 14,000 applications— Min. Rodrigues
Guyana – GUYANA’S Electronic Single Window (ESW) for trade has processed 13,930 applications, with about 60 per cent handled digitally, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues said… more
CHEQUES STILL COUNT
Jamaica – THE Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) is calling for an extension of the timeline to phase out paper cheques as it warned that the pace of the transition could place additional pressure on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that still rely on the payment instrument for day-to-day business transactions… more
Privacy concerns cloud Jamaica’s digital payments push
Jamaica – Concerns that the shift towards digital payments could give the Government greater visibility into Jamaicans’ spending present a challenge to wider adoption, raising questions about data privacy, financial fraud, and the safeguards needed to build public trust… more
Thursday, 15 October 2026
HR pros urged to embrace AI without losing human focus
Barbados – Human resource managers must move beyond tasks that artificial intelligence can perform and demonstrate their value through human judgement, empathy and leadership, the president of the Human Resource Management Association of Barbados (HRMAB) Incorporated, Tisha Peters, has said… more
Jordan sends caution on AI use in workplace
Barbados – Companies and organisations have a responsibility to ensure technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) does not turn workplaces hostile to its workers… more
Low goods trade but African digital opportunities loom – Export Barbados
Barbados – Digital services, artificial intelligence and pharmaceuticals could help Barbados expand trade with Africa, but the head of the state export promotion agency has said financing, shipping and production constraints must be addressed to increase goods exports… more
Virtual asset rules could shut Barbadians out, Walters warns
Barbados – Major international virtual asset platforms could stop accepting Barbadian customers if the cost of complying with proposed legislation outweighs the value of the island’s small market, Opposition Senator Ryan Walters warned on Wednesday… more
Online Scammers Hijack Central Bank’s Trusted Name
Belize – A routine Google Meet call could be the opening move in a banking scam. Fraudsters are displaying the Central Bank of Belize’s name to gain trust and steal sensitive financial information… more
Scammers Are Using the Central Bank’s Name. What Should You Know?
Belize – The Central Bank of Belize is warning the public about fraudsters impersonating its officials through Google Meet after receiving multiple reports of suspicious calls… more
Liberty Caribbean warns of AI-driven cyber threats during awareness month
Caribbean – Liberty Caribbean is urging employees and customers to exercise greater caution when handling suspicious messages and requests as artificial intelligence (AI) makes cyber threats, including impersonation and fraud, increasingly sophisticated… more
Republic Bank supports digital learning
Grenada – Access to technology continues to play an important role in creating opportunities for students to learn, explore and prepare for the future… more
Digital evidence emerges as police probe CMC guard’s execution
Guyana – Police are questioning a suspect and pursuing a second person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of CMC security guard Esan Rose at Lida Chinese Supermarket on Sussex Street, Charlestown, last Thursday… more
“Securing Our Digital Foundations”: Saint Kitts and Nevis Strengthens Cybersecurity Efforts
Saint Kitts and Nevis – The Ministry of Information, Communications, Technology and Posts is advancing efforts to strengthen national cybersecurity awareness and technical capacity through a seminar focused on protecting the Federation’s digital infrastructure… more
Howai urges balance in crypto regulation
Trinidad and Tobago – Central Bank Governor Larry Howai has called for a coordinated approach to regulating crypto assets, warning that while digital asset technologies could improve financial inclusion, the growing use of foreign currency-linked stablecoins could threaten monetary policy and domestic banking systems in small, open economies… more
Friday, 16 October 2026
Aliv eyes mobile data package adjustments for 2027
Bahamas – Aliv is preparing to revise its mobile data packages next year amid consumer complaints over rapidly depleted data allowances according to a company executive… more
FTC reviewing Flow’s latest price increase
Barbados – Flow Barbados’ imminent price increase for some broadband and bundled services is being examined by the Fair Trading Commission (FTC)… more
FTC seeks answers from Flow over planned broadband, bundle price rises
Barbados – Flow Barbados has been asked to justify planned broadband and bundle price rises of up to $10, as the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) examines the contractual basis for the increases, how customers were notified, and who will be affected… more
Central Bank warns of phone call scam!
Belize – The Central Bank of Belize is warning the public about fraudulent phone calls from individuals falsely claiming to represent the institution… more
Fraud, cybersecurity fears weigh on digital growth for SMEs across LAC — Mastercard study
Caribbean – GROWING fears about fraud and cyberattacks have emerged as major constraints on digital expansion among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), even as most of these businesses continue to embrace digital payments… more
What is your AI actually costing you? — three ways it is priced now, why the bill creeps, and a two-line test for whether it is paying back
Caribbean – Microsoft is spending the next month running webinars for business customers on controlling AI costs and proving that Copilot agents pay for themselves, and the invitation puts the problem in one sentence: “AI costs are easy to start and hard to forecast.” When the company selling the product says so, it is worth looking at your own AI line… more
ROCK MOBILE ROLL-OUT GETS EIB FUNDING
Jamaica – THE European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved €4 million (approximately US$4.5 million) in financing for Rock Mobile — bringing Jamaica’s prospective third telecommunications provider a step closer to deploying its 4G broadband network islandwide… more
Saturday, 17 October 2026
Payce Digital at 10: A decade of transformation, a future of possibilities
Barbados – Ten years ago, a home-grown Barbadian financial services company broke new ground in the payments industry. Today, Payce Digital stands as a testament to the power of innovation, customer trust and the determination to think beyond traditional boundaries… more
Sleepless Nights Wins CIBC Caribbean’s Innovate-A-Thon 2026
Barbados – Four young full-stack developers from Barbados have won the top prize of US$2,500 at CIBC Caribbean’s Innovate-Athon 2026… more
Sunday, 18 October 2026
AI creating workforce and ‘businesses of one’
Caribbean – Private companies in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean are building artificial-intelligence (AI) tools into their operations even though the Government’s national AI policy is still being drafted, according to the head of the island’s AI task force… more
Partnership in Action Drives Successful Laborie E-Waste Collection
Saint Lucia – Organisations across Saint Lucia joined forces around a shared environmental goal at the Laborie/Augier Community E-Waste and Aluminium Cans Drop-Off on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The event drew almost 100 residents, who brought approximately 475 pounds of e-waste to the Laborie Market Square for safe collection, sorting, and recycling… more
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