{"id":152408,"date":"2020-05-04T06:00:49","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T11:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=152408"},"modified":"2020-05-03T17:52:47","modified_gmt":"2020-05-03T22:52:47","slug":"roundup-week-3-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2020\/05\/roundup-week-3-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Roundup: for the week ending 3 May 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

A roundup of the latest ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 27 April to Sunday 3 May 2020.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monday, 27 April 2020<\/h3>\n

Truss: Ministry dropped tech ball<\/h4>\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 If the Ministry of Education had embraced technology in a greater way, says philanthropist Aron Truss, then it would have been able to make an easier transition to the digital teaching environments now required because of the coronavirus pandemic\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Coronavirus highlights need for digital money alternatives<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has seen merchants and customers alike shy away from cash. Even so, under lockdown conditions, it is much easier to order goods, pay bills and transfer funds online\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Delroy McLean | Dealing With Cybersecurity<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 As the world grapples with the impact of the COVID-19 virus, many hackers are exploiting the panic and discomfort brought on by the pandemic. Images, emails, and documents used to spread awareness on COVID-19 have been found with embedded Baby Shark malware, while maps of the pandemic have been found with the AZORult malware\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel’s customer care staff now work from home<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Telecommunications giant Digicel has successfully completed transitioning its more than 300 customer care agents to a work-from-home environment, in response to the coronavirus threat and the need for social distancing\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Pia Baker: Our woman in ICT<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 PIA Baker is living proof that women are present in, and leading information and communications technology (ICT), and that they can, and have been working from the ground up on their own merit\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

UWI Mona to distribute over 500 tablets to students in need<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 A cross-sector partnership to support students at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona Campus with distance learning will provide over 500 devices to students in need\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Western Union to beef up digital services<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 GraceKennedy Remittance Services Limited, the exclusive agent of Western Union (WU) financial services in the country, has said that given the restrictions in movement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they will be seeking to increase services provided by their digital payment platforms\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Puerto Rican Kids Struggling with Virtual School<\/h4>\n

Puerto Rico <\/em>\u2013 It\u2019s been more than a month since the Monta\u00f1ez brothers \u2014 Nataniel, 14, and Jariel, 16 \u2014 stopped going to class after schools in Puerto Rico shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tuesday, 28 April 2020<\/h3>\n

Tired of lines? Go Digital with Digicel, do social distancing right<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 As Barbados navigates the COVID-19 health crisis, telecoms giant Digicel is responsibly calling on its customers to utilise online payment platforms\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

United Nations Development Programme partners with WiFetch to boost Caribbean\u2019s e-commerce Sector and Economic Recovery amid Covid-19 pandemic<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 One month after launching its contactless delivery service and online marketplace in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WiFetch has entered into a partnership with The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to promote innovation, economic transformation and quick digital transitions in the midst of the COVID pandemic\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Belize Telemedia Limited Responds to the COVID-19 Pandemic<\/h4>\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 As Belize responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, Digi acknowledges the increasing demands of our customers and remain confident in our ability to support their needs\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

GTT observes Int\u2019l Girls in ICT Day<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 A number of young girls were on Friday given the opportunity to interact with several of GTT\u2019s women in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) via an online platform, as the company observed International Girls in ICT Day\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Slow Flow putting my family at risk<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 Dear Editor,\u00a0 A few weeks ago I saw a news item which carried an ominous warning from Flow that slower broadband speeds are coming\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Website Crashes As Stranded Jamaicans Offered Return Option<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaicans stranded overseas amid the COVID-19 pandemic can now qualify to return home by applying through an online portal under the Government\u2019s programme of controlled re-entry\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"USF To Facilitate Establishment Of 20 New CAPs<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The Universal Service Fund (USF) will facilitate the establishment of 20 new Community Access Points (CAPs) and provide access to schools, libraries and post offices, along with faith-based organisations and the disabled community\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel Extends Expiration Date Of Its Tender Offers And DIFL Consent Solicitation And Increases Consideration For Tender Offer For Existing DL 2023 Notes<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Digicel Group Two Limited (“DGL Two” and, together with its subsidiaries, “Digicel”) today announced that it is extending the expiration date of its previously announced offers to exchange existing debt of Digicel Limited (“DL”), DGL Two and Digicel Group One Limited (“DGL One”) for various new securities and related solicitations of consents and waivers (the “Tender Offers and Solicitations”) pursuant to the two confidential offering memoranda dated April 1, 2020, as amended\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

US court throws out $1.5bn alleged corruption case against Digicel<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Denis O\u2019Brien\u2019s Caribbean telco, Digicel, has succeeded in having a $1.5 billion (\u20ac1.4 billion) Haiti-linked political corruption case against it thrown out by a US court\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

A Look Into The Telem Group\u2019s Efforts During the COVID-19 Pandemic<\/h4>\n

Sint Maarten <\/em>\u2013 Given the impact of this global pandemic the Telem Group has implemented the below strategies to assist St. Marteen at this time\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel goes Smart<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 IT\u2019S TIME to be smart. About Health. Education. Mobility. And Security\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wednesday, 29 April 2020<\/h3>\n

Bridging Digital\u00a0Divide In World’s New Reality<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 In an address to the nation on COVID-19, the Prime Minister said: \u201cInnovation and trying new things are an essential part of what we must do at this time\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Gov\u2019t now accepting payments through remote processing<\/h4>\n

British Virgin Islands <\/em>\u2013 With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting regular operational hours in the British Virgin Islands, government is now accepting payments for services via remote processing\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Laptops for lease | Education Minister unveils plans to facilitate e-learning locally<\/h4>\n

British Virgin Islands <\/em>\u2013 As the territory\u2019s education sector moves from physical classrooms to an e-learning platform due to the challenges posed by the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley said plans are afoot to introduce a loan programme to allow students to access laptops\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

GTT drops broadband prices for corporate customers<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 US-owned Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has announced that it has lowered its prices for select broadband services for its corporate customers to assist them in managing and optimizing their operations during and after COVID-19\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Company introducing ‘Internet boxes’ for online learning<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 PIONEERING e-learning across the Caribbean, One on One Educational Services Limited \u2014 a Jamaican-based educational technology company \u2014 has found a solution that it says will allow students in remote areas to access educational content without the Internet\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel Unplugged hits high note<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Telecommunications firm Digicel continued its series of online performances on Sunday, serving up another healthy dose of strong reggae acts during this COVID-19 crisis\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Force Call Centres Under BPO Umbrella \u2013 Henry<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 THE UMBRELLA group for BPOs is appealing to the Government to make it mandatory for all outsourcing firms operating in Jamaica to register with the representative body to ensure good governance in the sector\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Inspection of BPO facilities to be completed by May 4<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Daryl Vaz, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation says the inspection of all Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) facilities in the island is to be completed by May 4\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

New Kingston BPO Shut Down – Worker Tests Positive For COVID-19<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 LESS THAN 24 hours after the Government hinted at its hope for a whole-scale reopening of call-centre sites after an outbreak of COVID-19, it has emerged that a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm has been ordered shut by public health authorities in the wake of a positive case\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

COVID-19 is an opportunity to strengthen the Caribbean Internet<\/h4>\n

Regional<\/em> \u2013 Across the Caribbean, pandemic-related risk-mitigation measures have left millions confined to their homes, relying on their Internet connections for work, school, entertainment and for keeping in touch with family and friends\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Dissecting Covid-19 online-teaching, distance-learning internet challenge<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Ensuring the fulfilled needs of tertiary-level students during the Covid-19 lockdown period is an interesting endeavour and challenge, to say the least. I am particularly concerned with their online and Internet needs\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thursday, 30 April 2020<\/h3>\n

Online payment for licences underway as Barbados goes digital<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 By mid-June Barbadians will be able to renew their driver’s licences and make payments online using eZpay\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

App created for residents to stand in virtual queues to access goods and services<\/h4>\n

British Virgin Islands <\/em>\u2013 Residents of the British Virgin Islands will soon be able to stand in line to receive goods or services without being physically present, thanks to a new mobile application called VI Queue\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"GTT partners with delivery companies to offer online SIM applications<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 GTT says its customers can now apply for new SIM cards or replacements via the company\u2019s online platform and have it delivered to their home or office through Hero Cart or Onecart delivery\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Professor warns COVID-19 data could inform surveillance system<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 PROFESSOR Anthony Bogues, Asa Messer Professor of Humanities and Critical Theory at Brown University, has warned that among the perils that could emerge after the COVID-19 pandemic is a \u201csurveillance system\u201d driven by data collected during the health crisis\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tony Sewell | Using The Lockdown To Create A New Knowledge Economy<\/h4>\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 Our history as Jamaicans has been this extraordinary ability to find excellence and positivity in the face of adversity\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Packages for The Cable customers, Wi-Fi hotspots in Basseterre reopened<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts and Nevis <\/em>\u2013 The Cable (a telecommunications company in St. Kitts), has announced internet packages for its customers, in response to the CoVID-19 Pandemic\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Caribbean Digital Transformation Project conducted its first Virtual Mission for St. Lucia<\/h4>\n

Saint Lucia <\/em>\u2013 The Government of St. Lucia has continued its collaboration with the World Bank in the implementation of the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Fintech \u2013 enabling TT\u2019s economy post-covid19<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 As our society and the wider world continue to feel the far-reaching effects of covid19, and the exacerbated knock-on shocks, such as reduced demand for oil and gas, grounded airlift and decimated tourism, the necessity to grow our economy has never been more urgent\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

How TSTT responded to covid19<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 \u201cI SAID to one of my teams, we should not let this opportunity go to waste,\u201d said TSTT\u2019s CEO, Dr Ronald Walcott\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

US upset over 4 TV networks<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Trinidad and Tobago has been put back on to a watch list by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for the failure by the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) to take enforcement actions against local cable operators broadcasting US free-to-air networks locally… more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Friday, 1 May 2020<\/h3>\n

Digicel provides free access for Barbados\u2019 eLearning platforms<\/h4>\n

Barbados \u2013 In keeping with its pledge to keep everyone connected during Barbados\u2019 response to COVID-19, Digicel and the Ministry of Education, Technological & Vocational Training announced today the launch of free access to the Government\u2019s suite of eLearning platforms over Digicel\u2019s mobile network\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Online payment, renewal of driver’s licences soon<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 Barbadians will be able to renew and pay for their driver\u2019s licences online by the end of June this year\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Online learning out of reach for Jawalla\u2019s students<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Although many persons living in the indigenous community of Jawalla, in Region Seven, are slowly adapting to the restrictions that have been put in place by the Ministry of Public Health to slow the spread of COVID-19, some who need internet access for their education have been unable to properly attend their online classes due to lack of cellular service and poor Wi-Fi connectivity\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Parents Urged To Protect Children In Cyberspace<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Kerrian Barrett beamed with pride as she watched her two-year-old daughter, Keijhaine Thompson, manoeuvre her way through the YouTube tabs on her tablet, easily selecting her favourite shows on her own\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Prime Minister Wants Expansion Of Internet Access<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said the Government will be taking steps to expand broadband Internet access to Jamaicans\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel TT cuts staff salaries<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Staff on a basic annual salary of US$10,000 or less will not be affected and similar changes are being made across the entire Digicel Group to share the burden equally\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Saturday, 2 May 2020<\/h3>\n

Digicel says more than 2,000 medical professionals have received free data for three months<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Digicel today said that more than 2,000 medical professionals engaged on the COVID-19 frontlines have received free 4G data bundles for three months\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Scammer pretended to be calling from GTT<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Dear Editor,\u00a0 I got a landline phone call purporting to come from GTT. A cell number 617 2789 came up on my caller ID\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sunday, 3 May 2020<\/h3>\n

NCB kicks digital transformation into high gear<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Given the contraction in some of its business and the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamaica’s largest commercial bank, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB), is accelerating its digital transformation initiative\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

P\"\"eart reacquires majority ownership of Bluedot<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Larren Peart, founder and CEO of Bluedot Data Intelligence Limited, has reacquired SSL Venture Capital (SSLVC) Limited’s 50 per cent shareholdings in the company. SSLVC originally entered the equity agreement with the data insights company in 2018\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Face-to-face\u2019 tech here to stay<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Virtual face-to-face communication may very well remain common place even after the COVID-19 global pandemic, says IT specialist Richard Ottley\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image credits:\u00a0 journalismthatmatters<\/a> (flickr);\u00a0 Wikipedia<\/a>;\u00a0 Wikipedia<\/a>;\u00a0 Wikipedia<\/a>;\u00a0 Guyana Chronicle<\/a>;\u00a0 Wikipedia<\/a>;\u00a0 Facebook<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

————–<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A roundup of the latest ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 27 April to Sunday 3 May 2020.   Monday, 27 April 2020 Truss: Ministry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[77],"tags":[71,105,36,49,78,23],"class_list":["post-152408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-businesses","tag-cybercrimecybersecurity","tag-devices","tag-education","tag-news-roundup","tag-ua-us","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Old-News-Story-and-New-Tools-journalismthatmatters-flickr.jpg?fit=640%2C374&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2iE1G-DEc","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152408"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":152414,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152408\/revisions\/152414"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}