A roundup of the latest ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 16 October to Sunday 22 October 2023.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monday, 16 October 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ArawakX: Wind-up to cause \u2018serious harm\u2019 on BOB battle<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas<\/em> \u2013 The Bahamas\u2019 first-ever crowd-funding platform will suffer \u201cserious harm\u201d if it is placed into provisional liquidation before it can pursue or settle its legal battle with Bank of The Bahamas over the freezing of its accounts\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas beginning to write a new narrative on digital assets and regulation, says Rolle<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas is beginning to set its own narrative in the digital assets space after the country\u2019s regulation came under a microscope following the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX almost a year ago, Executive Director of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) Christina Rolle told Guardian Business\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Central Bank sees big reduction in mobile wallet top-up <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Central Bank of The Bahamas (CBOB) has seen a four-fold reduction in mobile wallet top-ups in the first seven months of the year, the bank said\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top ArawakX investor \u2018seriously prejudiced\u2019 over BOB unfreezing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas<\/em> \u2013 ArawakX\u2019s largest investor has moved to intervene in its dispute with Bank of The Bahamas by alleging that the two sides\u2019 agreement to unfreeze the crowd-funding platform\u2019s accounts \u201cseriously prejudices\u201d his interests\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

DEREK SMITH: Develop cyber security plan to meet your need<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Caribbean <\/em>\u2013 As technology becomes an essential feature in every business, there is a growing need to ensure its safe use. Companies store crucial data and depend on technology for their day-to-day operations\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SK chief discusses ICT partnerships with Estonia, Carribean Community<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Caribbean<\/em> \u2013 SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won discussed economic cooperation with high-ranking government officials from Estonia and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) during their official visits to South Korea earlier last week, according to the Korean conglomerate on Sunday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sun, Sand and Smart Cities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Caribbean<\/em> \u2013 Imagine a city that talked to itself. Garbage bins that alert the council when they need to be emptied, road sensors that tell drivers about available parking spots or suggest ways to avoid traffic, digital kiosks that sync with phones to rate nearby restaurants, LED streetlights that brighten when there\u2019s a crowd, and dim if no-one\u2019s around\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Data Protection Integral To Guyana’s Development<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Given the value that is placed on data in a technological era, the recently passed Data Protection Act is an integral piece of legislation that seeks to ensure that data is not misused or stolen. It also seeks to safeguard the personal data of Guyanese\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flow sues Gov\u2019t, CHEC over infrastructure damage from road project<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 One of the island\u2019s major telecommunication firms, Cable and Wireless Jamaica, known as Flow Jamaica, is suing the Government and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to recover millions for damage allegedly done to its infrastructure during the implementation of the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP) along several roadways in Kingston\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orbtronics is hosting a Digital Literacy Program in Micoud<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Saint Lucia <\/em>\u2013 The Digital Literacy Program is a 4-day in-person educational training workshop, developed and implemented by Orbtronics Ltd, through partnership with our sponsors \u2013 The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and Republic Bank\u2019s Power to Make a Difference program\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget 2024: What is it doing for the digital economy?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trinidad and Tobago<\/em> \u2013 The 2024 budget, read in Parliament on October 02 by Finance Minister Colm Imbert, leans in heavily on infrastructure\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ministry of Digital Transformation presents D\u2019Hub proof of concept awards to developers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trinidad and Tobago<\/em> \u2013 The Ministry of Digital Transformation hosted its concept awards ceremony for the first D\u2019Hub Challenge on September 29. The selected developers will create a proof of concept based on their project submissions\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tuesday, 17 October 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas crypto exchange set to \u2018add another chapter\u2019<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 A crypto currency exchange Bahamian subsidiary says it will unveil a new feature for its platform next month to further cement its \u201csignificant\u201d contribution to the parent’s global brand\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steady interest in digital asset firm registration, says SCB boss<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) Executive Director Christina Rolle told Guardian Business that while there was an initial stigma of being a jurisdiction associated with failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, there continues to be steady interest in this jurisdiction as one with effective digital assets legislation\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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#BTColumn \u2013 Beyond Paradise Barbados: Battle for Digital Equality<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 In the Caribbean, digital businesses, including software development, confront a formidable challenge: the quest for global competitiveness by small island nations like Barbados. In this field of information technology, we consistently grapple with the harsh reality that the playing field is far from level\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duguid: Digital transformation a must for regional economies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Caribbean <\/em>\u2013 Digital transformation is no longer a choice for Caribbean countries, but it is imperative and must be placed at the forefront of the regional agenda\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUSINESS BYTE: Flow rolls out its new Store on Wheels<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dominica<\/em> \u2013 Flow Dominica rolled out its latest innovation on Friday with the launch of \u2018Store on Wheels\u2019. This new initiative is being touted as part of the company\u2019s revolutionizing of its customer retail experience\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nokia and EGC are selected by KFTL to deploy the first private wireless network in a Caribbean port<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica<\/em> \u2013 Nokia\u00a0today announced that it has been selected by\u00a0Kingston\u00a0Freeport\u00a0Terminal Limited (KFTL) to deploy the first private\u00a0wireless\u00a0network at a port in\u00a0the Caribbean, at its container terminal.\u00a0The network\u00a0will be deployed with the support of\u00a0Nokia\u00a0partner\u00a0EGC International\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wednesday, 18 October 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

BTC digitises learning and recruitment roles<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday said it has completed the digitisation of its learning and recruitment processes in a bid to provide on-demand education for staff and better efficiency\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

REPORT: PM asked Bankman-Fried to give his son advice on NFT project<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 \u00a0Two months prior to the collapse of FTX, Prime Minister Philip Davis asked FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried to speak with his son regarding an NFT project he was consulting for, according to an email presented by prosecutors on Tuesday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Securities Commission partners with UB and University of Cambridge to offer exclusive Fintech programme<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 \u00a0The Securities Commission of The Bahamas (the Commission) announced an exclusive five-year licensing agreement to offer the Cambridge FinTech and Regulatory Innovation (CFTRI) Programme at the University of The Bahamas, during the inaugural D3 Bahamas Web3 and FinTech Conference\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Government transformation insight shared at first-ever Caribbean Digital Summit<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 The inaugural Caribbean Digital Summit brought together senior public servants from more than 10 countries to share insight on the challenges of achieving digital transformation in public services and government operations, and the region\u2019s success stories\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUSINESS BYTE: Digicel marks Cyber Security Awareness Month<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Caribbean<\/em> \u2013 As the world embraces the digital era, the importance of robust cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated. In honor of Cyber Security Awareness Month this October, Digicel Business reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding businesses of all sizes with cutting-edge cyber solutions\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EU launches 9.5 million-euro support to Digital Jamaica initiative<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaica’s digital transformation agenda has received its first concrete grant-funded multi-sector initiative in the form of the Digital Transitioning Programme for Jamaica (Digital Jamaica), a collaborative effort between the European Union (EU) and the Government of Jamaica, with a total investment of 9.5 million euro. The launch event for the initiative was recently hosted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

itel bolsters presence with 800 new seats and key client acquisitions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaican BPO (business process outsourcing) company itel will add over 800 seats to its Jamaica and Saint Lucia destinations and generate another 1,800 CX (customer experience) jobs in the region over the next six to eight months\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JaCIRT evolves into national cyber authority for enhanced cybersecurity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT), a division under the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, is undergoing a significant transformation, evolving from a national security operations centre to the nation’s cybersecurity authority\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mass uptick in reported cyber incidents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Significantly driven by the evolution of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and quantum computing, stakeholders have indicated that they are now witnessing a more than 200 per cent increase in the number of locally reported cybersecurity breaches annually\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Not OUR purview’<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 THE Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) has hit back at claims that it is not adequately monitoring telephone calls for tax purposes, saying its regulatory role does not extend to such monitoring and is instead the purview of Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

OIC gets ready for DPA despite skills gap hurdle<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 WITH little over a month left before the Data Protection Act (DPA) is set to take full effect, the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) said it has been increasing its readiness but cites skills gap concerns atop its immediate challenges\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit Union Week 2023: Digital Transformation For Financial Inclusion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Saint Kitts and Nevis <\/em>\u2013 Credit Union Week is being celebrated this week and Prime Minister Hon. Terrence Drew opened the week encouraging the unions to continue embracing digital transformations\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MIC-IT’s entrepreneurship unit hosts BiZ Day<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 On October 13, the Entrepreneurship Unit of MIC-IT organised an Entrepreneurship BiZ Day as part of its BizStart Programme, under the theme Building Business Communities. The event aimed to support and guide aspiring entrepreneurs on their journey to building successful businesses\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thursday, 19 October 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Cybersecurity Important To Bahamas National Strategy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Minister of Economic Affairs Sen. the Hon. Michael Halkitis said cybersecurity plays a pivotal role in The Bahamas\u2019 national strategy and is crucial for advancing the nation\u2019s utilization of information and communications technology and managing cyber risks-particularly from an economic, but also from a national security perspective\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital payments \u2018paramount\u2019 to tourism continuing success<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas<\/em> \u2013 DIGITAL engagement by the tourism sector is \u201cparamount\u201d to the continued success of the industry, according to Rafique Symonette, chairman of the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team to tackle cybersecurity issues \u2018to launch in December<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas<\/em> \u2013 As part of efforts to strengthen cybersecurity, the National Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) will be launched in December, according to Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barbados looking to refine digital strategies<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology Davidson Ishmael is hoping the Digital Summit being held here will help the government refine its digital strategies for a modern public sector\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Culprit\/s steal all equipment and printers from Carmelita\u2019s Digital Connect Centre<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Belize <\/em>\u2013 \u041c\u0456n\u0456\u0455t\u0435r \u043ef \u041d\u0435\u0430lth \u0430nd W\u0435lln\u0435\u0455\u0455, \u041a\u0435v\u0456n \u0412\u0435rn\u0430rd \u0456\u0455 d\u0456\u0455h\u0435\u0430rt\u0435n\u0435d f\u043ell\u043ew\u0456ng th\u0435 n\u0435w\u0455 th\u0430t th\u0456\u0435v\u0435\u0455 br\u043ek\u0435 \u0456nt\u043e th\u0435 n\u0435w D\u0456g\u0456t\u0430l \u0421\u043enn\u0435\u0441t \u0421\u0435ntr\u0435 \u0456n \u0421\u0430rm\u0435l\u0456t\u0430 \u0430nd \u0435\u0455\u0441\u0430\u0440\u0435d w\u0456th \u0430ll th\u0435 \u0435qu\u0456\u0440m\u0435nt \u0430nd \u0440r\u0456nt\u0435r\u0455\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Konris Maynard at Caribbean Digital Summit and ICT Week 2023<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Caribbean <\/em>\u2013 The Minister of Technology and Communication for St Kitts and Nevis, Konris Mayard is currently attending the Caribbean Digital Summit held at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa, Rockley, Christ Church, Barbados, from October 16th to 20th, 2023\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EU launches Digital Transition Programme for Jamaica<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The European Union recently launched a Digital Transition Programme for Jamaica in support of the country’s transition towards a digital economy and society\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shift the AI mindset<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Addressing staff fears and data-security concerns is key to capturing the great potential gains of artificial intelligence (AI)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trinidad and Tobago students selected for Huawei ICT training<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 TEN university students from TT are in Costa Rica, alongside 92 students from Central America and the Caribbean, where they will compete for US$100,000 as part of Huawei Technologies Global Seeds for the Future Programme\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using big data, AI to optimise Trinidad and Tobago\u2019s energy sector<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Data analytics and big data have emerged as powerful tools that can revolutionise industries globally\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Friday, 20 October 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas kickstarts FTX assets sell-off<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 An auto dealer yesterday disclosed he expects to sell 60 percent of the former FTX vehicle fleet assigned to him within 30 days, but warned: \u201cThis is not a fire sale.\u201d \u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delays in CCTV network rollout, but system \u2018never been better\u2019<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

British Virgin Islands <\/em>\u2013 Police Commissioner Mark Collins has assured residents that CCTV camera systems across the territory are up and working and suggested that he has not gotten any reports indicating that the system is not functioning as it should\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybercrime reprieve<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 A security guard, who was taken to court for stealing images of a woman from her mobile phone and threatening to post them on social media if she did not comply with his sexual and financial demands, was eventually freed after both parties reached an amicable settlement in a mediation session\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

$$ approved for President’s Office, Digital Transformation Ministry<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 THE Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives approved a budgetary allocation of $23,871,470 for the Office of the President (OTP) when it met at the Red House on Wednesday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saturday, 21 October 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the digital age, Guyana\u2019s economy is still predominantly cash-based<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 We now have smart phones, online banking, and contactless payments. You can transfer credit from your phone to a friend but yet you find that some businesses still do not have the means or refuse to accommodate electronic payments\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunday, 22 October 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Embracing Artificial Intelligence?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Saint Lucia <\/em>\u2013 ARTIFICIAL Intelligence, this ever-evolving field of computer science, which has taken the world by storm, has a strong presence in Saint Lucia, but are we taking it seriously?\u00a0And by a strong presence we mean that from the moment a Saint Lucian wakes up to check his\/her smartphone, or watch another Netflix recommended movie, artificial intelligence is staring them in the face\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flow, Digicel in Support of TR4 Awareness Activities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Saint Lucia <\/em>\u2013 THE TR4 Communications Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture is collaborating with telecommunications providers Digicel and Flow set to release Fusarium Wilt TR4 text messages to all their customers. The messages will also be released on their respective websites and social media platforms as well\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Images credit: rawpixel.com (Pexels<\/a>); Wikipedia<\/a>; Wikipedia<\/a>; Wikimedia Commons<\/a>; Wikipedia<\/a>; Wikimedia Commons<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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