On 19 July 2024, a considerable portion of the world’s computer networks went dark. The cause: a software glitch. CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity technology company that provides endpoint security, threat intelligence and cyberattack response services, had a faulty configuration update to its Falcon sensor software. The CrowdStrike Falcon is the company’s flagship product and is a cloud-based security platform that has been widely recognised for its effectiveness in detecting and preventing cyberattacks.

However. on that fateful day, the configuration update for the CrowdStrike Falcon contained an error that caused widespread issues with devices running Microsoft’s Windows Operating System, resulting in system crashes and boot loops. This incident had a significant global impact, affecting several industries and causing widespread disruptions. In the Caribbean, region and from all reports, the outage caused some disruption, with airports, airlines, banks, and insurance companies being among those most affected.

Having said this, It is important to highlight that the outage was not caused by a cyberattack or some external threat actor that breached our defences. The source was a crucial product in many organisations’ security defences that was compromised by its owners, the result of which cascaded throughout the network and was felt around the world. It thus serves as a stark reminder that even the most established cybersecurity firms can experience (and can cause!) significant disruptions.

At the same time, although the impact of this incident was most acute in large enterprises, small businesses can still learn several invaluable lessons learned. We share three.

1. It’s not only about cybersecurity but resiliency

The biggest takeaway from the CrowdStrike outage is the importance of network resiliency and business continuity. Although disruptions will inevitably happen, the focus ought to be on ensuring that they are minimal and the organisation recover quickly. Ultimately, a well-prepared business can recover more quickly from disruptions.

In addressing network resilience and business continuity, below are four key steps:

• Identify critical systems. It is vital to know which systems and processes are essential for your business operations. Do not be general or vague, instead spend the time and get granular. The more you and your team understand all of the moving parts within the business’s operations the easier it will be to be more targeted in identifying and remedying situations when things go wrong.
• Create contingency plans. In the Caribbean region, organisations are strongly encouraged to develop continuity and contingency plans typically with natural disasters in mind. However, those plans ought to be expanded to consider digital disruptions that can occur not only when there is a cyberattack but also if equipment or software malfunctions.
• Test your plan. Noting the saying, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating”, continuity plans should be tested regularly to ensure they remain effective. Similarly, there be a process to review and update the plans, which should not only be done on a fixed schedule but also when existing systems equipment and processes are being retired or adjusted, or when new equipment or processes are incorporated into current operations.
• Effective communication. Although the focus of continuity and resiliency exercises is often on operational matters, internal and external stakeholders are likely to be affected when continuity and resiliency plans must be activated. Cognisant of the calls for greater transparency and accountability by organisations, ensuring effective communication during and in the aftermath of a disruption or crisis should also be a priority, and should be part of the continuity and resiliency plans.

2.  A robust cybersecurity strategy is still important

As previously stated, the CrowdStrike outage was not due to a cyberattack; but the disruption to its Falcon sensor software caused organisations to become more vulnerable to such incidents. Although cybersecurity ought to be addressed as part of an organisation’s resiliency and business continuity frameworks, it still merits mention, especially since small businesses are often prime targets for cyberattacks due to their perceived lack of robust security measures. Here are some measures that can be implemented.

• Diversify your security stack. First,don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Relying solely on one security solution can leave you vulnerable. Consider implementing a layered approach with multiple security tools, which has been recommended by several of security experts during our Expert Insights series.
• Conduct regular backups. Though this point is a no-brainer, it is worth repeating. Regular backups of your data are essential. They can be a lifesaver in case of system failures or cyberattacks.
• Invest in employee training: Your employees are not only your organisation’s first line of defence, they are also the most vulnerable entry point into your organisation’s network. Ensure they understand the basics of cybersecurity, such as recognising phishing attempts and creating strong passwords, as well as the procedures that ought to be followed to key systems and operations safe.

3.  Regardless of your organisation’s size, manage your vendors

Vendor management is an area that small businesses tend to overlook, believing that only large corporations and enterprises have the clout to do so. However, smaller businesses may be more adversely affected when there is a disruption than enterprises, which suggests they could benefit from more proactively managing their vendor relationships. Consider these points to manage it effectively:

• Conduct due diligence. Conducting comprehensive due diligence is time-consuming and it is easy to gloss over the details or use the most popular choice. However, it is crucial to research your vendors thoroughly and to do so against your organisation’s requirements. It is also important to know their security practices and disaster recovery plans and the ways in which they could (or intend to) mitigate the impact of adverse situations on their customers.
• Carefully examine service level agreements. A service level agreement (SLA)is where terms, conditions and obligations that the vendor is offering and to which the customer is agreeing are documented. Carefully review the SLAs and ensure that service levels and the organisation’s expectations are clearly defined.
• Conduct regular risk assessments. Risk assessment exercises ought to be part of an organisation’s network resilience and business continuity exercises. Specifically regarding vendors, it is important to regularly assess the potential risks associated with your vendor relationships. Again, although such exercises could be scheduled, they could also be triggered if a vendor makes an upgrade or wishes to change to SLAs, or if the organisation needs to adjust its systems or operations. Ultimately, vendor relationships are not static and they ought to be monitored to ensure they fully and truly work for the business.

Though it is hoped that there will not be a repeat of the CrowdStrike outage, the truth of the matter is that disruptions are inevitable. Thus the focus should not solely be on prevention but also resiliency: to ensure that organisations are better prepared to bounce back quickly with minimal loss.

Image credit: rawpixel.com (Freepik)

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

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, organisations and wider society face a broad range of challenges and opportunities. Technology is causing us to reexamine longstanding roles and paradigms and to varying degrees, the implications of those changes. It may not necessarily be a question of whether the changes are good or bad, but more so an opportunity to recognise and understand those changes, and even to see whether it might be possible to maximise the benefits whilst minimising the undesired consequences.

The above provides some context for our July 2024 Community Chat episode. However, do allow us to introduce our guests and thereafter, we will share the topics discussed.

Introducing our guests

Tessa Drayton is a Communications Professional and Entrepreneur based in Trinidad and Tobago. With a strong foundation in Public Relations, she has honed her expertise through academic pursuits at the University of the West Indies, UWI-Roytec, and the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM). Her qualifications encompass Communication Studies, Management, and Corporate Risk and Crisis Management.

In 2020, Tessa embarked on her entrepreneurial journey by founding TND Communications. Driven by a passion for empowering businesses globally, she transformed the agency into a platform for crafting compelling brand narratives and safeguarding reputations. Overcoming initial challenges, Tessa leveraged her skills to help clients authentically convey their brand values.

TND Communications is a strategic communications agency specialising in creating impactful stories that resonate with audiences worldwide. With a focus on brand reputation management, the agency employs a comprehensive approach to connect businesses with their target market. Tessa’s team brings over five years of experience delivering exceptional marketing and communications solutions across various industries.

Tessa’s expertise in crisis management, reputation management, and customer service, coupled with her certification in Corporate Risk & Crisis Management, has been instrumental in guiding clients through complex challenges. Her contributions to the region have been recognised through features in prominent publications such as Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, and the Trinidad Guardian.

Rodney Browne has over 20 years of experience in the digital and web media industries. He created a number of ground-breaking applications between 1999 and 2005, including Caribbean Greetings, the first comprehensive online greeting card service for the Caribbean, Caribbean Buffet, a restaurant and events directory, and Caribbean Massive, a social media website with such features as a forum, blog, friends list, group, photo management and much more.

Currently, Rodney is the Founder and the Managing Director of eCaribbean Limited, which is based in Saint Kitts and Nevis, and is one of the largest web firms in the Eastern Caribbean and was launched in 2005. He is passionate about entrepreneurship, innovation, education and art, and has contributed his time and resources towards the advancement of these areas nationally and regionally.

Introducing our topics

First, organisations are vulnerable to a broad range of internal and external threats. From a tech perspective, we have seen increased instances of network breaches, data loss, theft, and infrastructure damage, to name a few. However, with governments worldwide are enacting stricter tech-related regulations, organisations must adapt to a complex regulatory environment. Hence increasingly, organisations must ensure that they have proper systems and procedures in place to limit their risk and exposure. We thus kicked off our discussion with the topic, With increasing tech-related regulation, how can organisations better manage risk?

Second, with Large Language Models, such as ChatGPT being so popular, many roles and functions in organisations are evolving. Junior and support positions, such as the Office Clerk, Administrative Assistant or Secretary might be even more under threat, as many of their tasks such as creating documents and presentations, preparing meeting agendas, minutes and reports, scheduling appointments, and maintaining files, to name a few, can be done using robotics and AI. Hence, our second topic was, In an age of technology and AI, is the Admin Assistant role becoming obsolete?

Finally, and from all indications, the 2024 North Atlantic Hurricane Season will be a very active one, as earlier in July, Hurricane Beryl left considerable devastation in her wake. The panel thus wrapped up the session by discussing, The role of technology in disaster preparedness, mitigation and response. Although we might have access to the most sophisticated technology, we questioned its effectiveness in our disaster preparation, mitigation and response efforts.

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

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:

• Tessa Drayton
• Rodney Browne
• eCaribbean Limited
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 311: Regtech, its broadening scope and potential for application in the Caribbean region, with Jennifer Potter

Images credit: TND Communications; R Browne; WOKANDAPIX (Pixabay); Dibakar Roy (Pexels); Kohji Asakawa (Pixabay)

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

Podcast Editing Support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez

Over the past week, many Caribbean countries have been grappling with the impact of Hurricane Beryl, a Category 5 hurricane that devastated Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and wreaked havoc on several other countries resulting in loss of life and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. For the countries most severely affected, a long recovery process is ahead of them – most likely years – as individuals, families and communities come to terms with the loss and try to rebuild their lives. However, the countries not as adversely affected still experienced disruptions, which may take several days or even weeks to return to normalcy.

Having said this, we are just in the second month of the North Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs from June to November.  Further, experts predicted 2024 would be an “above normal” season, “with 17—25 named storms (average is 14), 8—13 hurricanes (average is 7), and 4—7 major hurricanes (average is 3)” (Source:  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Beryl was a major hurricane, and we may have up to six more, in addition to other storms and hurricanes. It also means that if we could have up to 23 more named storms in five months – after Alberto and Beryl – we need to be vigilant and prepared.

Over the years, we have revisited matters related to disaster preparedness and business continuity, however, having had a Category 5 hurricane pass through the region so early in the season, which experts state is unprecedented and have attributed to the rising sea temperatures, it seems we will be in for a long and very active 2024. We have thus collated four key strategies

1.  Have a digital continuity plan

Although the concept of the business continuity plan was developed for organisations, considering our increasing reliance on electronics and the internet and how indispensable they have become to our working and personal lives, we also need to understand and develop a plan for how our lives could continue in the aftermath of a disaster. For individuals and households, the digital plan does not necessarily need to be a formal document but could be a checklist to ensure all the important bases are covered. For organisations, a more structured framework is recommended that outlines data backup procedures, IT security protocols and procedures, communication protocols, and disaster recovery strategies.

It is also crucial that employers and employees discuss potential arrangements to keep the organisation going during the recovery process. There should thus be clear communication protocols that leverage email, internal messaging systems, social media, etc., to keep employees informed and to disseminate updates during and after a disaster.

2.  Backup files and important data

The cornerstone of digital preparedness is data backup. Consider making it a habit to regularly back up essential documents, photos, and financial records. To the extent possible, back up to a secure cloud storage service plus external physical drives.

The physical drives are especially useful when there is no (or sporadic) electricity or internet access. Once the device to which the physical drive is connected has power, documents can be accessed without the need to also have internet connectivity.

For organisations, cloud services are especially useful once electricity and internet access have been stabilised. Storing critical business data in a secure cloud storage solution can offer greater redundancy and accessibility compared to on-premise solutions in case of physical damage. Further, the use of cloud services becomes especially useful for having team members work remotely, thus keeping the organisation operational after a disaster.

3.  Power up

A few years portable chargers, also called power banks, were all the range, but they don’t seem to be as popular as they had been. These days, we may be more disciplined at charging our phones or walking with the adapter to plug in when necessary. However, what do you do when there is no electricity for an extended period of time?

A portable charger comes in very handy to ensure your phone stays operational during power outages. Though you may not need to use it daily or as often, having one fully charged and ready to go can offer considerable peace of mind. Further, solar-powered chargers are also available, which can be especially useful in extended emergencies.

4.  Protect your electronics

Finally, although it might seem obvious, sometimes, we take things for granted. We have our laptops on the desk near glass windows, which can shatter thanks to flying debris and expose our devices to the elements. Or we have our electronic devices plugged into the mains during a storm, making them vulnerable to power fluctuations and surges. Or we have power strips and uninterruptible power supplies on the floor, which could get shorted if your space gets flooded.

We tend to assume that we will have time to respond or react when required, but often, it is too late. However, think carefully about your devices and the risks they are exposed to. In a time of disaster, when you are relying on your digital devices to keep you connected, informed, and even gainfully employed(!), the priority should be on ensuring they remain functional and ready for use when you need them.

Images credits: Pixabay;  WikiImages (Pixabay); PhotoMIX Company (Pexels)

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

The earthquake that occurred in Taiwan on 2 April is a continual reminder of the vulnerabilities of our countries to natural disasters. Earthquakes are a regular occurrence in the Caribbean region, and rarely a week goes by without some incident in the region. Further, although we are about six weeks away from the official start of the 2024 North Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November, predictions are that we will have an “above-average” season with 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes (Source:  Colorado State University). Further, the probability is high that at least one major hurricane will track through the Caribbean region, that is between 10–20°N, 88–60°W.

To varying degrees, the Caribbean region has been lucky over the past few years, as we have not had any truly devastating tropical storms or hurricanes over the past few years. However, with record sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic being reported, it is only a matter of time before our luck runs out.

The Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations is a multilateral treaty that facilitates the provision of prompt telecommunication assistance to support disaster relief efforts. However, although we live in a disaster-prone area, only five Caribbean/CARICOM countries are signatories of, or have acceded to, the Convention: Barbados; Dominica; Haiti; Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

It is in light of these and other phenomena to which Caribbean countries are vulnerable, we thought it opportune to repeat the conversation we had with Sylvester Cadette in 2021. As our countries and citizens increasingly rely on telecoms and ICT, we ought to ask ourselves whether our country is as prepared as it should be in the event of a disaster when emergency communications equipment and support would be desperately needed.

Introducing our guests

Sylvester Cadette is a Programme Officer appointed to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area Office for the Caribbean, in Bridgetown Barbados. Before joining ITU, he served as Director of Telecommunications and Advisor to the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica and helped shape Dominica’s domestic and regional Telecommunications policy at senior policy levels both nationally and regionally.

Sylvester was also a member of the five-member Project Implementation Committee in the World Bank-funded Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Telecommunications Reform Project and was one of the key contributors to the formulation of the unique Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority/National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (ECTEL/NTRC) structure.  He also oversaw the implementation of ICT policy and e-business strategy development and awareness and leadership development; legislative and regulatory framework; capacity-building, enhancing skills base of workforce, business-oriented e-government initiatives, business skills development and e-business incubation in Dominica.

Sylvester is a national of the Commonwealth of Dominica, holds a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications and Broadcasting from the Ukrainian State Telecommunications Academy and speaks fluent Russian. He is also an alumnus of the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) and has received training from the United States National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University.

Insights into our conversation

In deciding to reshare this conversation with Sylvester that was recorded in 2021, I was shocked to learn that it is still only the five Caribbean countries listed earlier that are signatories to the Tampere Convention. Hence, this discussion is even more relevant and powerful.

One of the discussion points during our conversation is why Caribbean countries, in particular, have not acceded to the Tampere Convention, which I have been reflecting on in reviewing the recording. Although Sylvester shares a few reasons, I think one of the biggest ones is that countries believe that when a state of emergency has been declared, the fact that certain in-country processes are suspended or expedited is enough. However, challenges are more often experienced during the transhipment of the needed emergency communications equipment. On its way to the recipient country, the intermediary countries that are not signatories to the Tampere Convention may require that their processes – Customs, licensing, etc. – be followed, thus delaying the receipt of the equipment.

Below are questions that drove the conversation with Sylvester.

1. What the ITU is about, and why it is important?
2. Although it may appear that the Caribbean region is subject to the odd hurricane, that may not necessarily be completely accurate. Can you show us the bigger picture and tie that into why the Tampere Convention is important?
3. For countries that are signatories to the Tampere Convention, what are the benefits, and what should happen when it is invoked?
4. Since the majority of Caribbean countries have not acceded to the Convention, what are some of the challenges that are likely to occur?
5. Why do you think more Caribbean countries have not acceded to the Tampere Convention?
6. Since many Caribbean countries have provisions for emergency licences to be issued under exigent circumstances, do you think they make the activity and powers under the Convention unnecessary?
7. What has the ITU Caribbean Office been observing as it relates to the emergency communications plans that have been established across the region?
8. How are the emergency telecommunication plans that the ITU has been recommending structured?
9. What other work is the ITU doing in the Caribbean?

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

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:

• Sylvester Cadette
• International Telecommunications Union
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 170: Telecoms response and recovery in Haiti, post the 2021 earthquake
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 290: Governments and content creation, network infrastructure resilience, and regulating digital media
• Tampere Convention
• National Emergency Telecommunications Plan
• Child Online Protection
• Giga Project
• e-Agriculture

Images credit: S Cadette; Microsoft Corporation; Direct Relief (flickr); Wikimedia Commons; Microsoft Corporation

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

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

Welcome to our February 2024 Community Chat episode on the ICT Pulse Podcast!  In typical fashion, we discuss three seemingly disparate ICT-related topics, and almost unfailingly, common themes or threads emerge during the conversation.

In an increasingly interconnected world, the way that governments and their citizens engage with information has been changing. The emphasis has shifted from glossy well-packaged content to seemingly more authentic and direct or straightforward interactions on social media. At the same time, with more people having a smartphone and access to the internet, the barriers to widespread dissemination of content that traditionally had been the remit of media houses and the press have been severely eroded. Now, virtually anyone can be a content creator, which although powerful and transformative also means that many of the conventional controls are not as effective.

At the same time, underpinning our increasing reliance on and use of technology is being able to access the requisite services as and when needed. Hence the robustness and resiliency of the telecommunications and ICT infrastructure is a regular topic of conversation across the Caribbean region, as many users are dissatisfied with the quality of the services they are receiving.

Introducing our guests

Nerissa Golden is a Media and Business Strategist who helps her clients tell their stories. An Amazon bestselling multi-genre author, Nerissa believes that everyone’s unique journey is the foundation on which a legacy can be built. Her books include Start, Grow, Thrive: Build a Business to Last and Ordained for This: Living Fulfilled, at Peace, Provided for and on Purpose.

Nerissa is the CEO of Goldenmedia LLC, an insight-driven Public Relations, Event Promotion, and Content Marketing Agency, based in Montserrat, West Indies and the United States. They also manage digital lifestyle, education and news brands including Discover Montserrat, Truly Caribbean, and Emerald Vibes TV.

A journalist since the age of 17, Nerissa finds stories in every conversation and works to spread narratives that position Caribbean people in the best and brightest lights. She is a business strategy and visibility coach to high-performance women ready to elevate their brands without compromising values and authenticity.

Nerissa currently is the Deputy Chair of the Micro and Small Business Committee for the Government of Montserrat, a member of the board of the Montserrat Association of Persons with Disabilities and a strong supporter of the Pink Ribbon Charity Montserrat. You can find her teaching and coaching Caribbeanpreneurs at NAji – her eLearning Community.

Gregory Domond leads the firm, PromoTIC, which is dedicated to promoting ICT in Haiti. He is an ITU expert in rural connectivity and resilience assessment for networks and infrastructure of telecommunications, and currently is a Vice-Rapporteur within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) study group framework.

Gregory has held senior positions at the telecommunication regulator, CONATEL, and in industry in Haiti. He has taught telecommunications since 2004 and has been Director of the Department of Electronic Engineering at INUKA University since 2016. He also served as a consultant at CONATEL for 12 years.

Gregory holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering and a Master’s in Telecommunications from the University of Coventry, England. He did research in telemedicine at Tokai University, Japan. He completed telecommunications training in the United States of America. He is the author of more than 200 articles on ICTs and several books.

The topics discussed

With as many as 60% of the world’s governments having political elections this year, the role of the media – in all of its forms – is more critical than it has been before to share information and facilitate debate and engagement. However, although many governments are using social media, arguably, it is limited to promotion, such as to highlight an achievement. Little use is being made of influencers and using the platforms for engagement. Hence, our first topic was, Governments, influencers and content marketing.

Continuing with a theme we started during our January Community Chat on resilience and in having Gregory back on the show, we decided to revisit the issue: Telecommunications networks and infrastructure resilience assessments. When Gregory was first on the Podcast in 2021, it was days after Haiti experienced an earthquake on 14 August that measured 7.2 on the Ritcher Scale and soon thereafter, on 16 August, Tropical Depression Grace also hit the country. In the wake of those disasters, he was contracted by the ITU to conduct a resilience assessment of the telecommunications networks and infrastructure in Haiti. Although the report should soon be made publicly available, he shared some of the findings, which other countries, particularly in the region, may find useful.

Finally, based on news headlines in Belize reporting that the Government is working on laws to regulate digital media. The recent impetus for the effort is the circulation of digital content involving a well-known individual in society in a potentially criminal matter, and the concern that the court of public opinion has already affected the chances the individual will be able to have a fair trial if the matter ends up in court. We thus thought it fitting to have a conversation on Regulating digital media, as often that form of regulation can be at odds with citizens’ rights.

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

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:

• Nerissa Golden
• Gregory Domond
• Goldenmedia LLC
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 170: Telecoms response and recovery in Haiti, post the 2021 earthquake
• ICT Pulse Podcast episode, ICTP 286: e-Commerce, internet resilience, and the Caribbean brain drain in the remote work era
• Prensa Latina article, Belize’s authorities warn of measures to regulate digital media
• Loop Caribbean article, Belizean Minister hopes for regulations to deal with social media
• Love FM article, Government Moves to Regulate Social Media “News” blogs
• News 5 article, Cabinet Discusses Law to Regulate Social Media Platforms

Images credit: N Golden;  G Dormond; Fathromi Ramdlon (Pixabay);  rawpixel (Freepik); Michal Jarmoluk (Pixabay)

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

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez

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

If you regularly read the headlines of the happening in the Caribbean tech space, you are likely to be genuinely impressed by the developments that have been occurring. However, this progress can overshadow several issues that have persisted for years, and even decades. Moreover, although technology, and especially the internet, usually offers solutions, or at the very least, minimises the challenges being experienced, in some instances, it can make the difficulties more pronounced and, in many instances, more difficult to address.

In this our first Community Chat for 2024, our conversation focuses on the internet: both directly, as a service that has become integral to our lives, and indirectly, to enable other services or a type of work-life many of us would like to foster.

One of the themes that seemed to be a common thread throughout our conversation is the changes in our attitude and behaviour over the years, which to some degree is reflected in how we perceive and leverage the internet in our daily lives.

Introducing our guests

Esmeralda Levens is a global citizen who grew up in Suriname, pursued her higher education in Mathematics and Computer Science in the USA, was subsequently employed in the Netherlands, and since 2001 has been a resident of Curaçao. The common thread in her career has been the increase in business process efficiency mediated by technology, software, and data. She has done this by leading small and large teams in million-dollar projects in a wide range of industries and in various cultural settings, varying from the airline industry, sports betting, telecommunications, emergency and disaster management, financial industry, tax administrations, and social security organisations.

Besides being an IT professional, Esmeralda has also been a regular guest lecturer at the University of Curaçao in IT-related courses, Mathematics, and Statistics. In January 2020, Esmeralda joined BearingPoint Caribbean. She is Associate Director and Business Unit Manager of Product Design. BearingPoint Caribbean enables Caribbean Islands to increase tax and contributions compliance through a digital transformation of public services. 

Garfield Gordon is a multi-disciplinary Technology Architect and Digital Transformation Consultant having over 30 years of diverse IT experience including software development, field engineering, enterprise architecture, systems engineering, cybersecurity, training and management in Jamaica, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States of America. He has extensive knowledge in: start-ups, medium to large enterprises, independent software vendors (ISV), value-added resellers (VAR), aviation, real estate, financial services, business process outsourcing, managed services; telecommunications and other vertical markets.

After spending 12 years at Cisco Systems Incorporated, he continues to focus on diverse projects in: business transformation; architectural and technical solutions; cyber-security; data protection; and IoT with engagements across Governments, Service Providers, Large Enterprises and Small to Medium Businesses throughout the Caribbean and the Americas.

The topics discussed

The impetus for our first topic, e-Commerce in the Caribbean, was an article published on SiliconCaribe in which the author, Ingrid Riley, related her experience of ordering from Amazon and having it delivered directly to her home in Jamaica. No doubt, ordering goods from online shops overseas is nearly 30 years old in the region, but having them delivered to one’s home is a new development, which could be signalling the continued evolution of e-commerce and online shopping, and consequently, raising questions about the continued viability – and even the survival of – the retail sector in the Caribbean region.

Our second topic, The resilience of our internet infrastructure, is an issue to which we continually return thanks to the natural disasters we routinely face. Hence, both the public and private sectors tend to appreciate the need for disaster preparedness and recovery plans and business continuity plans. However, how prepared are we if a prolonged global shutdown of all electrical and digital infrastructure were to occur, a phenomenon that could happen in mid-2025? We discuss.

And our last topic, The Caribbean brain drain in the remote work era, we revisit a longstanding challenge of the region: the loss of our best and brightest individuals to opportunities outside of the region. There are opportunities and risks that need to be navigated, especially in a globally connected, remote work-friendly environment, hence the topic is also considered it within the context of the remote work construct, which is more accepted than it used to be.

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

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:

• Esmeralda Levens
• Garfield Gordon
• SiliconCaribe article, How Amazon.com Shipped Directly To My Door in Jamaica, Finally!
• The Anguillian article, Rapid Response from Flow Restores Major Outage Caused by Sub-Sea Fiber Break
• Space Weather article, The Great Québec Blackout
• Phys.org article, Now we know how a solar storm took out a fleet of Starlinks
• Space.com article, Solar geomagnetic storms could threaten more satellites after Elon Musk’s Starlink
• Cosmos article, The Sun just released the most powerful solar flare this cycle. Expect more
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration article, NOAA forecasts quicker, stronger peak of solar activity
• Loop Caribbean article, Implementing CSME can help stop brain drain, says CPSO President
• IDB article, Challenges and opportunities of migration in the Caribbean
• Jamaica Observer article, Jamaica’s battle against brain drain
• New York Times article, Jamaica Fears Brain Drain as Teachers Leave for U.S. Schools 

Images credit:  E Levens;  G Gordon; Oleksandr P (Pexels); justynafaliszek (Pixabay); rawpixel.com (Freepik)

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

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez

Earlier this week, on 30 October, Jamaica experienced some significant seismic activity: in other words, an earthquake. About 10:57 a.m. an earthquake of magnitude 5.6 occurred in Jamaica. The epicentre of that quake was in the northeast parish of Portland, with additional tremors felt throughout the rest of the day.

Earthquakes in the Caribbean region are nothing new, and in fact, should be considered the norm with the Eastern Caribbean already recognised as a hotbed of seismic activity as reflected in Exhibit 1. At the time of writing on 2 November, earthquakes of magnitude 3.5 and 3.7 were reported south of Grenada and near Antigua and Barbuda, respectively.

Exhibit 1:  Snapshot of an interactive map of recent seismic activity in the Eastern Caribbean (Source: Seismic Research Centre)

Although Jamaica tends to experience several earthquakes throughout the year, the 30 October activity was among the strongest felt in recent years, and so resulted in considerable panic among the populace. It thus emphasised the need for greater disaster preparation ­– which often kicks into high gear when a hurricane or severe tropical storm is imminent. However, with earthquakes often occurring with little or no notice, there is a need to have well-established, and more importantly, well-practised systems and procedures so that in the throes of an earthquake or other disaster that can occur without notice, such as a fire, you, your organisation, and even your family, know what to do.  

So, cognisant that you cannot avoid an earthquake or other natural disaster, it is crucial to focus on and invest in disaster planning and resilience. Below are [#] key steps every organisation should implement to speed up their recovery time should disaster strike.

1. Identify critical assets and systems. The first step is to identify your most critical assets, such as servers, data centres, and proprietary software. Knowing what is essential will help you and your team prioritise recovery efforts.
2. Develop a comprehensive business continuity plan. A business continuity plan should outline strategies for maintaining business operations during and after a disaster, and will be crucial in ensuring coordination across teams and resources. Among other things, this plan should address data backup and recovery, remote work capabilities, and communication protocols.
3. Secure data.  Data security is paramount. Data should be backed up regularly: the frequency should be a function of the volume of data, risk and losses to be incurred if data is lost in between backups. However, just as important as backing up the data is testing the recovery process regularly to ensure it works flawlessly when needed. It is also under this step that off-site and cloud-based backups for added security could be considered.
4. Invest in redundancy. Consider implementing redundancy in your critical systems and infrastructure. For example, if your organisation’s systems or infrastructure become compromised or are no longer accessible, redundant servers, data centres, network connections, etc., can minimise downtime in the face of hardware failure, loss or outages.
5. Secure organisation’s physical space. If your organisation relies on a physical location, ensuring that it is secure and equipped to handle (most) natural disasters cannot be overstated. We often underestimate the amount of ‘stuff’ we have – files, documents, equipment, etc., and so overlook the replacement cost and value.  Be proactive, and consider earthquake-resistant buildings, fire suppression systems, and adequate security measures.
6. Develop emergency communication system. A robust emergency communication system for your employees should be part of the business continuity plan, but it deserves to be highlighted. In today’s world, an omnichannel approach using email, text messages, and social media should be considered to ensure everyone is informed during a crisis.
7. Test and train. Finally, your organisation’s disaster recovery and business continuity plans should be tested regularly through simulated drills. All too often, simulated drills are rare in Caribbean organisations, but when there is an incident, panic often ensues. Regular testing helps identify weaknesses and areas for improvement, whilst also equipping your staff with the skills and knowledge to know how to respond in case of an emergency.

In summary, disasters can strike at any time, and being unprepared can lead to severe consequences for your organisation. However, doing the work upfront to develop and maintain a robust disaster plan and operational resilience will become invaluable when they need to be invoked.

Having said this, it must be emphasised that preparedness is an ongoing process. Vigilance, regular review and practice are essential to ensure that the disaster and business continuity plans remain relevant to the ever-evolving needs and circumstances of your organisation.

Image credit:  Jens Aber (Unsplash)

In our February 2023 Community Chat, one of the topics discussed was the challenge critical, but under-resourced, sectors experienced with respect to cyber security. As was noted during the conversation, the impetus for the topic was the cyber-attack at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Barbados, which occurred in December, and more recently, the breach that occurred at the Southeast Regional Health Authority (SERHA) in Jamaica.  However, these are incidents that made the news. It is likely that many more organisations and arms of government that manage or deliver critical services have experienced a cyberattack.

What infrastructure sectors should we be concerned about?

To a considerable degree, the sectors that are considered critical are likely to vary from country to country, based on how developed the sector is and by extension, the country. However, at its basic, the list is likely to include:

• Electricity and energy, which would include electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
• Emergency services, which would include the police/law enforcement, fire and rescue services, emergency medical service, disaster and emergency management, public works.
• Food and agriculture, which would include farms, food manufacturing, processing, and storage facilities.
• Healthcare and public health, which would include hospitals, clinics, testing laboratories, mortuaries, crematoria, drug manufacturing and distribution channels, and other healthcare facilities.
• Telecommunications and IT/ICT, which would include the internet, base stations, towers, data centres, terrestrial telecommunications networks, wireless networks, satellite communications, critical internet resources.
• Transportation, which would include roads and motorways, airports and seaports, aircraft, air traffic control systems, airports, heliports, landing strips, marine vessels and waterways, mass transit and passenger rail.
• Water and wastewater, which would include the preparation and delivery of potable water, managing sewerage and wastewater.

These services and sectors could be considered essential for the functioning of our societies, as their absence or incapacity would have a debilitating impact on our collective well-being.

However, with the exception of telecommunications and IT/ICT and electricity, which in the Caribbean are often privatised or privately owned, the other sectors and services tend to be government owned and operated. Invariably, these sectors are underfunded, resulting in less-than-optimal services being delivered to citizens.

The cybersecurity challenge

In managing critical infrastructure and delivering critical services to citizens the security of those sectors is becoming increasingly crucial. Over the years, cyberattacks on critical services, especially the electric grid, such as at the Jamaica Public Service,  have become more common. However, hospitals and healthcare facilities, such as QEH, SERHA, and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, are just a few of the recent casualties.

Unfortunately, as many security experts have stressed over the years, a breach of an organisation’s security is almost inevitable. It is more a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.

It thus means that as much as there should be an effort to ensure that good perimeter security is in place; and since it is not infallible, there should also be an emphasis on intrusion detection, management, and remediation. However, the systems and manpower can be costly, regardless of whether they are maintained in-house or outsourced to a third-party service provider. They are not a one-off or capital expense. Costs to maintain and upgrade the systems, to regularly test them and to keep the staff up to speed on the latest developments require regular investment, which all add up.

However, with hospitals and clinics and emergency services trying to operate and deliver services on a shoestring budget, how much money is available to comprehensively address cybersecurity generally, and more so when are becoming an even greater target for attack?

Critical infrastructure security and resilience planning

In light of the financial and other resource constraints that critical infrastructure sectors face in the Caribbean region, their security should not be left to luck and chance. As was noted in an article published last week in Barbados, and nearly two months since the breach at QEH, the institution had not fully recovered. Although our Community Chat panellists posited that should a critical sector come under attack, governments will find the resources to address and remedy the issue, such situations are fraught with several challenges. Some of the issues that would need to be addressed include: whether to pay the ransom if demanded, improving the security of the associated systems and networks, ensuring the integrity of the data should the systems be restored, and navigating the requirements regarding individuals’ personal information, cognisant of the emerging data privacy and data protection regimes.

Noting the vulnerability of our critical infrastructure sectors and the limited resources available, it would be prudent for these sectors to be given deliberate attention, through the establishment of a framework through which critical infrastructure could be strengthened and made more secure and resilient to attacks. This framework would not only focus on cybersecurity, but should also consider natural disasters, physical attacks, along with other exigent or emergency situations that could threaten the proper functioning of these sectors.

Governments would be advised to consider common or harmonised policies and procedures that would allow for benefits from economies of scale and scope to be realised. Across the region, government ministries, departments and agencies still tend to operate in silos, which often results in a disjointed and uncoordinated approach and the uneven application of resources and development of policies and procedures.

Finally, coordination across the public sector, and even across sectors between Caribbean countries could improve and increase the information and intelligence that would guide the security and resilience-related policies and procedures that are developed, whilst also fostering greater regional cohesion as we move towards a single market and economy.

Images credit:  Gerd Altmann (Pixabay);  MELANIO SALOME JR. PEC (Pexels);   Erich Westendarp (Pixabay);  Alina Kuptsova (Pixabay) 

The start of the 2022 North Atlantic Hurricane Season in June was pretty quiet, and it may have seemed that the countries would have been spared for another year the devastation a major hurricane can cause. However, with the recent passage of Hurricane Ian, which so far has devastated Cuba and Florida, and the fact that we still have two more months before the official end of this year’s hurricane season, we are still vulnerable.

For the past two years, thanks to the upsurge in Saharan dust and Lady Luck, the Caribbean region had experienced limited devastation from adverse weather conditions, such as tropical storms and hurricanes. As a result, we may not have been as vigilant in our disaster preparation and disaster recovery planning as we have been in previous years. Further, with more organisations benefiting from work-from-home and flexi-work arrangements, the disaster preparation and recovery plans instituted when all staff members worked on-site may still be the ones in effect. In this article, we offer a few key tips to get organisations’ business continuity plans back on track.

1.  Broaden the range of disasters that can threaten your operations:

In the Caribbean region, we are acutely aware and tend to make provision for disasters, such as storms, hurricanes, flooding, fire and civil unrest. However, in our increasingly digital age, the scope of business continuity plans ought to be expanded to include, among other things:

• Cyberattacks
• Ransomware infections
• Viruses and malware
• Power failures
• Telecommunications failures
• Infrastructure failures.

Caribbean organisations are not immune to any of the above, and each should be fully assessed and the requisite procedures and other supporting mechanisms established to minimise the loss, damage and downtime should they be experienced.

2.  Apply lessons learned from COVID

Although there might be a greater sense of normalcy these days than existed two and a half years ago, it is prudent to revisit the initial impact of the pandemic on your organisation: the uncertainty, the lockdowns, the curfews, sanitisation, etc.  To a considerable degree, many businesses and organisations were unprepared for the impact of the pandemic on their operations, which resulted in panic and uncertainty.

The disruption to business operations, employees and consumers would be similar to that experienced for other types of disasters. Hence, there may be takeaways and lessons that can be incorporated into the revised business continuity plans to make them more robust and directly relevant to the organisation and its operations.

3.  Invest in employee training

When storms are pending, staff are often asked to assist in taping windows and in squirrelling away important documents and equipment in filing cabinets or garbage bags that are safely stored. In essence, the focus is on tangible items that can be damaged or destroyed. However, the same approach cannot be applied to digital assets, which can be compromised or destroyed without notice.

It thus becomes critical for employees to be more informed and vigilant with respect to the digital equipment, data and digital assets that are under their care. In addition to observing basic computer security protocols and good digital hygiene, staff need to be versed in the procedures to be followed if a vulnerability is suspected, seemingly suspicious activity is observed, or a failure is experienced. Frequently, and when computing equipment, data or software is involved, time is of the essence to minimize damage and loss.

4. Ensure the plan aligns with compliance requirements

In organisations that are regulated or are required to comply with specific standards, the business continuity plan ought to consider the requirements of the standards or regulations to which the organisation needs to adhere. This approach should also be employed in matters related to insurance, for example, as there might be specific actions that ought to be taken to maintain coverage and/or support potential claims that may be made.

Depending on the situation, compliance may be relaxed, but those circumstances ought to be clearly known and understood. Further, although one aspect of an organisation’s operations may be under threat, it does not necessarily remove or cancel any of its other compliance-related responsibilities, which ought to be factored into the business continuity plan developed.

5.  Test the plan regularly

Finally, there is a lot of information and guidance online and from other resources on how to prepare a business continuity plan. However, regardless of how well or comprehensively the plan has been prepared, its true test comes when it is put into action.

Mock scenarios, tests, drills, and even penetration tests ought to be scheduled regularly, and at least once a year, to check the integrity of the organisation’s systems and recovery procedures. The outcome of those exercises may highlight a broad range of deficiencies, such as with respect to the plan itself, the capability of designated team members, or the knowledge of the wider team on the plan and key procedures.

In summary, a business continuity plan is not just a “nice-to-have” that sits on a shelf gathering dust. It is a living instrument for the organisation it serves, which will become invaluable when disaster strikes. To that end, it also needs to evolve with the organisation and be seen as an integral tool for its continued functioning, particularly in adverse situations.

Image credit:  jcomp (freepik)

Monday, 30 May 2022

No ‘$80K contract’ but Digicel hired in GIS TV venture

British Virgin Islands – Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has expressed that a contract exists in relation to a Government Information Services (GIS) television programme that was planned under the now-dismantled Andrew Fahie-led administration… more

Customs questioned on why IT system cost $1.1 million more than forecast

Cayman Islands – Members of the Public Accounts Committee questioned Customs and Border Control officials Wednesday on how a project to modernise the department’s IT system went from an initial estimated budget of $277,000 to $1.4 million… more

New player enters Jamaica’s telecoms market

Jamaica – The Barbadian firm Neptune Communications has received the green light to set up shop in Jamaica… more

Tuesday, 31 May 2022

Cable In $169m Refinance Amid Return To Profitability

Bahamas – Cable Bahamas yesterday unveiled plans to refinance $169m in preference share debt, and slash annual interest payments by $500,000, after generating its first quarterly net profit for several years… more

Hinduja Global Solutions records 13.6% revenue growth

Jamaica – Business Process Management company, Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), recorded a 13.6 per cent growth in revenue for the January to March quarter… more

[UPDATED] Industrial Court puts 400+ TSTT firings on hold

Trinidad and Tobago – Communication Workers Union (CWU) head Clyde Elder says his union has secured an injuction from the Industrial Court to stop TSTT from retrenching workers represented by the CWU for 14 days… more

Wednesday, 1 June 2022

Renewed calls for axing of minister over e-books saga

Antigua and Barbuda – An opposition party has called for the immediate resignation or firing of former Education Minister Michael Browne – now Creative Industries Minister – over the e-books controversy… more

Using SMART Technology to Improve Wildlife Conservation

Belize – The National Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool Conference was held this morning in Belmopan where representatives of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Wildlife Conservation Society and the National Biodiversity Office met to discuss new technologies to aid enforcement officers in safeguarding Belize’s marine and terrestrial protected areas. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports… more  

C&W confirms readiness for hurricane season

Caribbean – C&W Communications, operators of the Flow, Flow Business, C&W Business and BTC brands in the Caribbean, is confirming all systems are in place for the start of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season which begins on June 1… more

High praise for Sagicor data management

Jamaica – Sagicor received high praise for its data management and analytics to achieve high-level business success at an international panel which explored success stories in building data-driven cultures in global businesses… more

Symptai 3-day symposium opens today

Jamaica – Today is the first of a three-day Symptai Symposium, bringing together technology experts, IT executives, business leaders, technology vendors, regulators, technology investors and IT evangelists who have a vested stake in the region’s success… more

Turning ugly into beauty

Jamaica – This week we will take you on a journey on how we launched Jamaica’s first AI and data analytics start-up. StarApple AI is the culmination of my life and experiences… more

TelEm Group announcing Prepaid Data Plans with EVEN MORE DATA.

Sint Maarten – TelEm Group has launched new mobile Prepaid Data plans, available as of June 1st, with even MORE data while keeping package prices the same. Plans are tailored to fit every budget starting as low as $2 for 1GB on their 1-day plans and offering up to 15GB with their longer 30-day plans… more

Gonzales: TSTT acting in best interest of shareholders

Trinidad and Tobago – Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said he is satisfied that TSTT’s executive management and board of directors was acting in the best interest of shareholders and complying with the collective bargaining agreement in retrenching 28 estate police officers represented by the Estate Police Association… more

Indarsingh: TSTT retrenched over 400 unlawfully

Trinidad and Tobago – MP for Couva South Rudranath Indarsingh has said the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) has acted unlawfully in retrenching 468 workers… more

MSJ condemns TSTT retrenchment as ‘union-busting’

Trinidad and Tobago –  THE Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) has condemned the proposed retrenchment of over 400 TSTT workers… more

[UPDATED] CWU: Some workers barred from TSTT despite court order

Trinidad and Tobago –  COMMUNICATION Workers Union (CWU) head Clyde Elder said on Wednesday that some workers had told him they had been barred from entry to the premises of TSTT… more  

Updated: TSTT serves retrenchment notices on 468 employees (CWU secures 14-day stay)

Trinidad and Tobago –  Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (TSTT), today initiated its restructuring exercise with 468 employees receiving retrenchment notices… more  

Thursday, 2 June 2022

MoENT TV Launching In July 2022

Saint Kitts and Nevis – A new television (TV) channel from St. Kitts and Nevis will hit the airwaves next month as the government continues its strategy to develop and promote local artists as well as to enhance the film industry… more  

Friday, 3 June 2022

B.T.L. Acquires Alternative Networks Ltd.; Look Out for Bundled Services in One

Belize – The country’s largest telecommunications company, B.T.L. has announced its acquisition of Alternative Networks Limited (A.N.L.), which will form part of the B.T.L. Group and propel the company into becoming the country’s first Quad Play Service provider… more

Caribbean countries harness the power of data science

Caribbean – Senior government officials, policymakers and industry leaders in the field of data science are gathering in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda this week for an intensive workshop on how to harness data for impactful innovation, while addressing the significant data gaps that Caribbean countries face… more

SVGTCCU launches ‘Access 365 mobile app’

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Cooperative Credit Union (SVGTCCU) has launched a mobile app which the financial institution said marks another milestone in its digital transformation… more

WiPay proposes partnership with Social Development Ministry for grant distribution

Trinidad and Tobago – WiPay CEO and founder Aldwyn Wayne says the company intends to send a proposal to Social Development and Family Planning Minister Donna Cox next week for the establishment of a public-private partnership to distribute grants… more

Saturday, 4 June 2022

Digital currency coming for Barbados, rest of region

Barbados – Barbados will be one of the first two Caribbean countries in which a common central bank digital currency (CBDC) is to be rolled out… more

Gov’t confident digital currency can stand up against fraudsters

Jamaica – SCAMMERS and other fraudsters will not be able to use the central bank’s digital currency (CBDC) in their illicit activities, the Government has promised… more

Flow opens new store in Chaguanas

Trinidad and Tobago – THE opening of Flow’s new retail store in Chaguanas offers better services to customers and stimulates more business activities. Flow vice-president Simone Martin-Sulgan and Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit expressed these views at the opening of the store at Price Plaza, Chaguanas on Wednesday… more

Sunday, 5 June 2022

Know your cyberthreats

Caribbean – The growing use of digital technologies have been contributing to a rise in the number of cyberattacks globally. In light of their increased Internet presence, digital users are urged to become more sensitised about the various forms of threats and how they can impact them… more

Images credit: Bank Phrom (Unsplash); Bahamas Local; Marketing Magazine; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia