{"id":128535,"date":"2018-04-16T06:47:23","date_gmt":"2018-04-16T11:47:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=128535"},"modified":"2018-04-18T09:02:17","modified_gmt":"2018-04-18T14:02:17","slug":"roundup-week-15-april-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2018\/04\/roundup-week-15-april-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Roundup: for the week ending 15 April 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

A roundup of the latest ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 9 April to Sunday 15 April 2018.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monday, 9 April 2018<\/h3>\n

Aliv Near ‘End Game’ Over Network Roll-Out<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 ALIV says it is “close to the end game” on its network roll-out, its top executive expressing confidence the full build-out will be completed within the two-year target\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC Approves 100 Voluntary Departures<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has approved just under 100 employee voluntary separation packages (VSEP), with a union chief suggesting it is due for a post-2011 privatisation ‘report card’\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BTC Breaches ‘No\u00a0Trivial’ Issue<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 REGULATORS have fined the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) almost $31,000 for violating pricing and consumer protection rules, rejecting its claim that the breaches were “trivial”\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Block chain rules coming<\/h4>\n

Barbados<\/em>\u2013 The block chain and cryptocurrency sectors that have been developing and gaining ground in Barbados with little Government involvement, could soon see regulations coming\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tech expert suggests way of boosting reserves<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 A regional technology industry expert is suggesting that Barbados\u2019 dwindling foreign exchange reserves could receive a much needed boost if the island were to increase its use of blockchain technology\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Commission On Caribbean Communications Resilience Meets With FCC On Regional Network Resilience<\/h4>\n

Cura\u00e7ao<\/i> <\/em>\u2013 Members of the Commission on Caribbean Communications Resilience (CCCR) met with United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) representatives on April 5 to discuss new ways to increase the resilience of regional communications infrastructure to extreme natural events\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

NSOs trained in data anonymization<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 \u00a0OECS member states and the OECS Commission benefitted from a Data Dissemination Workshop held from March 19 \u2013 23, at the Radisson Beach Resort in Grenada\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Data Protection Act not proclaimed<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013If the United National Congress campaign team did use personal information from public agencies to influence potential voters for the 2015 general election, they did not break the law under the Data Protection Act\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Slaves to technology<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 At the recent launch of its newest smart-phone, Samsung\u2019s sales manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, Terry Weech, was asked what was the best feature of the Galaxy S9. Without hesitation, he said, \u201cThe camera!\u201d He proceeded to promote the US $1,000-plus device\u2019s 12- megapixel camera that captures photographs and videos that are \u201ccomparable with the quality used by media houses\u201d, but said hardly a word about its communications prowess and other features that might propel me to hobble off to the nearest mobile phones dealer and buy one\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Weech: Samsung\u2019s TT market share top rated<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Terry Weech, Mobile Innovations Manager of Samsung, has said that he expects Samsung\u2019s new models to do well in T&T\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Unboxed: Samsung S9<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ is now available in Trinidad and Tobago and is set to transform the way we communicate and share with the most advanced camera in the world, powerful speakers through AKG and a refined Infinity Display\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tuesday, 10 April 2018<\/h3>\n

\"\"BVI: Telecoms companies given until end of year to improve internet<\/h4>\n

British Virgin Islands <\/em>\u2013 Local telecommunications providers have until the end of the year to at least start showing signs of improved internet service in the British Virgin Islands… more<\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday, 11 April 2018<\/h3>\n

Tech Hub Goal Will Take Years<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Deficiencies ranging from energy costs to ‘business ease’ and data protection must be remedied if a Cabinet Minister is to achieve his dream of attracting 500 ‘high tech’ firms to the Bahamas\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

MARION E. LAMBEY CONTRIBUTES SOME BTL HISTORY<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 Dear Editor, I am a regular reader of your newspaper, and recently, I have read articles that delve into\u00a0the history of the Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL) as background information to try to analyze the present financial state of that organization\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Public safety radio equipment on the way<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 The Cayman Islands is scheduled to take delivery this week of a new communication system for future disaster-related emergencies\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Testing continues for new emergency radio comms<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 Government is moving ahead with plans to install a \u201ccutting edge\u201d communication system for the emergency services… more<\/a><\/p>\n

Kingston Airbnb hosts earn US$2.4m in 2017<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em>\u2013 Some 910 Airbnb hosts in Kingston, Jamaica earned a collective US$2.4 million from the digital home sharing site in 2017, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Caribbean girls to \u2018hack\u2019 for a safer future<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Over 800 girls across five Caribbean nations will come together on 26 April for an immersive experience in technology to mark the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Girls in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Day\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Caribbean Nations Introduce Crypto Payments in the Travel Industry<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 The Caribbean Tourism Organization is going to introduce cryptocurrency payments for tourism services and products offered in the region\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Intellectual property at risk<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Intellectual property is often overlooked by business operators but its importance cannot be overstated\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Pay maintenance online<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 PARENTS who have been ordered by the court to pay child maintenance fees can now do so online\u2026. more<\/a><\/p>\n

Scotia leads the way<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Four years ago, Scotiabank opened its Operations and Shared Services Company at Ramsaran Park, Chaguanas\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday, 12 April 2018<\/h3>\n

\"\"Blockchain summit coming to Cayman next month<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 The Arizona-based World Tokenomic Forum LLC is holding a blockchain summit in the Cayman Islands from May 8-10 at the Marriott Beach Resort\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Privacy protection takes world stage, little noticed in Cayman<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 The issue of personal data protection took center stage in Washington D.C. this week as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg tried to explain to Congress how information belonging to 87 million social media users was improperly shared with a company now accused of attempting to influence U.S. elections via the use of some of that data\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Jamaican Telecoms Market Report 2018: Analysis & Forecasts (2005-2025): Analyzes Market Trends, Drivers and Challenges<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The\u00a0“2018 Jamaica Telecom Market Analysis and Outlook Report”\u00a0report has been added to\u00a0ResearchAndMarkets.com’s\u00a0offering\u2026more<\/a><\/p>\n

Symbiote asks gov’t to reconsider decision to revoke its licences<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Symbiote Investments Limited, which trades as Caricel, has asked the Government of Jamaica to reconsider its decision to revoke its telecommunications licences\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Embracing technology is key for tomorrow\u2019s jobs in LatAm, Caribbean<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 New technologies provide a pathway to poverty reduction and could usher in a wave of higher productivity and growth across Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a new World Bank report\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Go digital for loans<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Medical emergencies and unexpected expenses are two of the most common reasons why people seek loans from their employer or a third-party financial institution\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Radio company pleads guilty, fined<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) yesterday described as \u201cyet another victory in the courts\u201d the fact that Radio Vision Ltd pleaded guilty to two offences related to breaches of the Telecommunications Act last week Thursday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tech firms get $3.2m to develop economy<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Six organisations from the information technology-enabled services sector have been awarded a total of $3.2 million to undertake projects aimed at developing Trinidad and Tobago\u2019s economy\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday, 13 April 2018<\/h3>\n

Western Union launches Mobile App in the Bahamas<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Aligned to its digital expansion strategy, Western Union, a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement, today announced it has launched the Western Union\u00ae mobile app in the Bahamas, bringing a new level of convenience to consumers who prefer to use cash to fund money transfers\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Cybercrime in spotlight<\/h4>\n

Cura\u00e7ao<\/em> \u2013 More than 150 people from all over the region participated in Wednesday\u2019s Caribbean Cybercrime Conference in Cura\u00e7ao\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Non-compliant broadcasters begin settling accounts after being identified by GNBA<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 The response to an ad by the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) for 12 broadcasters, including the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN), to make urgent contact because they failed to stick to the agreement on how they will pay over $100 million owed for broadcast rights, has been \u201cheartening,\u201d board chairman Leslie Sobers has said\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Blockchain technology serving agribusiness<\/h4>\n

Haiti<\/em>\u2013 Thursday as part of the 8th International Summit on Finance, Jean Baden Dubois, Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) exposed the Bank’s monetary policy and Blockchain technology\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

AI no threat to BPO sector \u2014 Epstein<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Immediate\u00a0past president of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) Yoni Epstein has sought to allay fears that the emergence of artificial intelligence will be detrimental to the sector\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BPO Attracting Top Professionals \u2013 Malahoo Forte<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Attorney General, Marlene Malahoo Forte, says business process outsourcing (BPO) is growing in leaps and bounds and is attracting some of the top professionals in the country\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Girls in ICT : Juleen Gentles takes to technology from an early age<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Raised by a tech savvy father, Juleen Gentles has been exposed to technology from an early age\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Telecoms Company Asks Jamaica Government To Reconsider Revocation of Licence<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Days after the Jamaica Government revoked the licence issued to telecommunications firm, Symbiote Investments, which operates as Caricel Jamaica, the company is asking it to reconsider\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Shared Services Sector Making a Major Impact \u2013 PIOJ Head<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Director General, Dr. Wayne Henry, says the global shared services (GSS) sector, of which business process outsourcing (BPO) is a part, is a key pillar in the country\u2019s economic growth and diversification strategy\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Thanks For Restoring My Service, Digicel<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 THE EDITOR, Sir:\u00a0 Subsequent to my letter published in\u00a0The Gleaner<\/strong>\u00a0of Tuesday, April 10, 2018, I received a call from Sherene McPherson, a supervisor at Digicel\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Bondholders in Denis O\u2019Brien\u2019s Digicel seek reassurance after rough ride<\/h4>\n

Regional\u00a0<\/em>\u2013 For bondholders in Irish billionaire Denis O\u2019Brien\u2019s mobile empire, it has been a roller coaster few months. Now, they\u2019re looking for reassurance that the rough ride is almost over\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Flow Supporting TopUp Vendors<\/h4>\n

Saint Lucia\u00a0<\/em>\u2013 \u00a0Smartphone users on the Flow network already enjoy the best rates in Saint Lucia for data, text and voice, in addition to flexible combo plans, inclusive of roll-over data on the island\u2019s fastest and most reliable network\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Saturday, 14 April 2018<\/h3>\n

\"\"Editorial: Internet \u2026 necessary for life<\/h4>\n

Antigua and Barbuda <\/em>\u2013 We typically get in trouble for criticising the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA). \u00a0Defenders cloak themselves in the garb of patriotic protectionism and shield the company from anyone who dares say anything that is deemed negative\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Scotiabank launches 50th anniversary, gives UG $2M for Smart Classroom<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 As part of its 50th anniversary, Scotiabank Guyana has donated $2M to the Faculty of Natural Science, University of Guyana, to commission a smart classroom\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Use of ATMs in Guyana constrained by interoperability-Report<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 There are only 21 Automated Teller Machines and 159 Point Of Sale (POS) devices for every 100,000 adults in Guyana. And apart from Visa co-branded cards, neither the ATMs nor the POSs are interoperable\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

BPO Earnings Could Reach US$750 Million by 2020<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, says the local business process outsourcing sector (BPO), which is valued at more than US$400 million, continues to grow exponentially, and could reach US$750 million by 2020\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel Promises Hi-Tech Experience At Expo Jamaica<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Expo Jamaica 2018 title sponsors Digicel are promising a high-tech experience for the approximately 20,000 patrons expected to converge on the National Arena and National Indoor Sports Centre for the four days of the highly anticipated manufacturers’ showpiece event on April 19-22\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Managers Wanted – JAMPRO Head Says Local BPO Sector Needs More Mid-Level Personnel<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Diane Edwards, president of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) has pointed to the lack of trained personnel to fill slots in middle and upper management as a major threat to the continued growth of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel sets out to woo investors with roadshow<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 For bondholders in Irish billionaire Denis O’Brien’s mobile-phone empire, it’s been a rollercoaster few months. Now, they’re looking for reassurance that the rough ride is almost over\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

More than 700,000 viewed FLOW Carifta Games<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 More\u00a0than 700,000 customers across 21 countries in the Caribbean and The Bahamas got their fill of the athletics action \u2014 live and direct \u2014 as FLOW delivered unprecedented in-home and on-the-go access to the 2018 FLOW Carifta Games; increasing its 2017 viewership numbers by a whopping 25 per cent\u2026more<\/a><\/p>\n

Zuckerberg\u2019s world<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 I may be in a minority of one but I feel that Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, has been made a bobolee of this week because most of us don\u2019t really understand anything at all about the intellectual and technological world in which he lives and works\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Laptop Diplomacy and Long-Term Results<\/h4>\n

Saint Lucia <\/em>\u2013 Laptop Diplomacy is a buzzword often bandied about in diplomatic circles. It\u2019s also an issue particularly near and dear to our Saint Lucia\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Saint Lucia bets on blockchain!<\/h4>\n

Saint Lucia<\/em>\u2013 At an intimate gathering convened earlier this week by the Ministry of Finance and Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young, I joined a group of local bankers, lawyers, and financiers for an informative one-day seminar devoted entirely to blockchain\u2014the underlying technology used to power cryptocurrencies like bitcoin\u2014and its potentially broader commercial applications promised to \u2018up- end\u2019 entrenched industries\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday, 15 April 2018<\/h3>\n

\"\"Coding course launched to encourage more girls in ICT field<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Over 40 young girls will over the next 12 weekends undergo training in coding as part of an initiative to encourage and nurture their participation in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) field\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cryptocurrency hedge fund manager for Destination Experience<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaican\u00a0attendees of the upcoming Destination Experience Visionaries Summit will get to interact and listen to superstar hedge fund manger John Burbank\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CCTV Surveillance Programme Gets Private Sector Support<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The national closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme, geared at improving public safety and security, is receiving strong support from members of the private sector, who believe that the initiative will make an impact on crime in the country\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image credits: \u00a0NS Newsflash<\/a> (flickr); \u00a0<\/em>Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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