{"id":171590,"date":"2024-10-02T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-02T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/?p=171590"},"modified":"2024-10-02T06:21:04","modified_gmt":"2024-10-02T11:21:04","slug":"ictp-322-2024-update-on-the-caribbean-digital-economy-with-chelcee-brathwaite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2024\/10\/ictp-322-2024-update-on-the-caribbean-digital-economy-with-chelcee-brathwaite\/","title":{"rendered":"ICTP 322: 2024 update on the Caribbean digital economy, with Chelcee Brathwaite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>According to the research and advisory firm, Forrester, the global digital economy will reach USD 16.5 trillion and capture 17 per cent of global GDP by 2028, but how is the Caribbean region\u2019s digital economy developing? Management Consultant and International Trade Policy Specialist, Chelce\u00e9 Brathwaite, returns to the Podcast to provide an update. She discusses among other things:\u00a0 the changes or developments that <\/em>have occurred regarding the concept of the digital economy since our first conversation in 2022; the metrics <em>used to measure a country\u2019s digital economy; key challenges to Caribbean countries more fully realising their digital economies; and priorities Caribbean countries and\/or the region should be focussing on to more fully develop their digital economies<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/1927399229&#038;color=%23ff5500&#038;auto_play=false&#038;hide_related=false&#038;show_comments=true&#038;show_user=true&#038;show_reposts=false&#038;show_teaser=true\"><\/iframe><div style=\"font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-673719274\" title=\"ICT Pulse Podcast\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\" rel=\"noopener\">ICT Pulse Podcast<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-673719274\/ictp-322-2024-update-on-the\" title=\"ICTP 322: 2024 update on the Caribbean digital economy, with Chelcee Brathwaite\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\" rel=\"noopener\">ICTP 322: 2024 update on the Caribbean digital economy, with Chelcee Brathwaite<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This episode is also available on <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-673719274\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SoundCloud<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/ict-pulse-podcast\/id1373550291\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/3d0U4ZYX80e5lenYLdzyX4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spotify<\/a> <strong>and <a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/3f727ec1-de7d-416f-8bdc-31d9a911a09e\/ict-pulse-podcast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazon Music<\/a>!!<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is the size of your country\u2019s digital economy? And how much does your country\u2019s digital economy contribute to its overall economy? These are some of the basic questions that Caribbean countries should know how to answer \u2013 especially since there have been longstanding calls for the continued development of the region\u2019s digital economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;We first explored the Caribbean digital economy on the Podcast in 2022, and at the time, there was no singular or official definition for the term. Further, the digital economy in individual countries was still nascent, and many of our guests indicated that considerable work still needed to be done for Caribbean countries to fully realise their digital potential and, consequently, a thriving and well-established digital economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the two years that have passed since we last explored the subject, what has been achieved? Has the Caribbean digital economy grown? Have there been any new developments? We are not aware of specific reports tracking the development of the digital economy in the Caribbean region, so we are circling back to some of our regional experts to get an update on this crucial issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introducing our guest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"431\" data-attachment-id=\"171595\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2024\/10\/ictp-322-2024-update-on-the-caribbean-digital-economy-with-chelcee-brathwaite\/chelcee-brathwaite-2024_cropped-c-brathwaite\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chelcee-Brathwaite-2024_cropped-C-Brathwaite-e1727807511117.jpg?fit=480%2C431&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"480,431\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Chelcee Brathwaite 2024_cropped (C Brathwaite)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Chelce\u00e9 Brathwaite &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chelcee-Brathwaite-2024_cropped-C-Brathwaite-e1727807511117.jpg?fit=300%2C269&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chelcee-Brathwaite-2024_cropped-C-Brathwaite-e1727807511117.jpg?fit=480%2C431&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Chelcee-Brathwaite-2024_cropped-C-Brathwaite-e1727807511117.jpg?resize=480%2C431\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-171595\" style=\"width:300px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chelce\u00e9 Brathwaite <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/chelce%C3%A9-brathwaite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chelce\u00e9 Brathwaite<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;is a Management Consultant with experience working across developmental projects in the Caribbean. She specialises in international trade policy with a focus on e-commerce and the digital economy. She has successfully executed several projects in this field, with the most notable including: serving as the technical lead for Pillar 3 (Digital Economy) of the USAID Digital Country Ecosystem Assessment for 11 Caribbean countries; drafting a strategic briefing paper outlining the defensive and offensive interests of CARICOM states in the plurilateral negotiations on trade-related aspects of e-commerce; and conducting a diagnostic review of e-commerce related policies, legislations and initiatives across CARICOM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chelce\u00e9 also co-lectures the course e-commerce and the digital economy at the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus. She has published various articles on the topic including: &#8220;A Holistic Approach to Digital Trade: Closing the Digital Gender Divide&#8221; (2019); &#8220;Re-Imagining Tourism: Leveraging Digital Technologies to Revive the Caribbean Tourism Industry&#8221; (2021); \u201cPotential Applications for Artificial Intelligence in Latin America and the Caribbean\u201d (2020), among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Insights into our conversation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Globally, the digital economy space has been developing, and in some quarters developing rapidly, since our 2022 conversations on the subject. In the region, there is some evidence that some of the elements that contribute to the enabling environment are being addressed, but those efforts did not appear to be occurring within a cogent framework geared towards achieving specific results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest challenges for the region, which was articulated in our 2022 conversations, is that we have not (yet) defined what a digital economy means for us. Further, we are not tracking its development. Hence, we have no idea what our digital economy comprises and how it has been performing \u2013 which seems to be at variance with its growing importance nationally and regionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are key questions that drove our conversation with Chelce\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What changes or developments have occurred regarding the concept of the digital economy since we last spoke in 2022?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What does the term \u2018digital economy\u2019 mean?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What metrics are used to measure a country\u2019s digital economy?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are key challenges to Caribbean countries more fully realising their digital economies?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can Caribbean countries leverage their geographic location and resources to capitalise on opportunities in the digital economy?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What priorities should Caribbean countries and\/or the region be focussing on to more fully develop their digital economies?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>We would love to hear your thoughts!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ICTPulse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook<\/a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ict-pulse-consulting-limited\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>&nbsp;pages, or via Twitter,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ICTPulse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@ICTPulse<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode,&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fgd.dfv.mybluehost.me\/.website_c81a1e61\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>do get in touch<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Let\u2019s make it happen!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Select links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/chelce%C3%A9-brathwaite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chelce\u00e9 Brathwaite<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ICT Pulse Podcast episode, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3IRzvGz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">ICTP 197: Understanding the Caribbean digital economy<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ICT Pulse Podcast episode, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3W1CdRo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">ICTP 227: Are we there yet? Understanding the Caribbean region\u2019s digital ecosystem and how developed it is<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/ohrlls\/mvi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Multidimensional vulnerability index<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New York Times article, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/03\/22\/business\/artificial-intelligence-anguilla.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">The A.I. Boom Makes Millions for an Unlikely Industry Player: Anguilla<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forbes article, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/barrycollins\/2024\/01\/31\/the-tiny-caribbean-island-thats-making-a-fortune-from-ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">The Tiny Caribbean Island That\u2019s Making A Fortune From AI<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>International Monetary Fund article, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imf.org\/en\/News\/Articles\/2024\/05\/15\/cf-an-ai-powered-boost-to-anguillas-revenues\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">An AI-Powered Boost to Anguilla&#8217;s Revenues<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Images credit:&nbsp; C Brathwaite;&nbsp; Alicja (<a href=\"http:\/\/pixabay.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pixabay<\/a>); wahyu_t (<a href=\"http:\/\/freepik.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Freepik<\/a>); Ahmad Ardity (<a href=\"http:\/\/pixabay.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pixabay<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Ch\u00e9rie), by Andy Narrell<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Podcast editing support:&nbsp; Mayra Bonilla Lopez<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to the research and advisory firm, Forrester, the global digital economy will reach USD 16.5 trillion and capture 17 per cent of global GDP by 2028, but how is the Caribbean region\u2019s digital economy developing? Management Consultant and International Trade Policy Specialist, Chelce\u00e9 Brathwaite, returns to the Podcast to provide an update. She discusses among other things:\u00a0 the changes or developments that have occurred regarding the concept of the digital economy since our first conversation in 2022; the metrics used to measure a country\u2019s digital economy; key challenges to Caribbean countries more fully realising their digital economies; and priorities Caribbean countries and\/or the region should be focussing on to more fully develop their digital economies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":171596,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_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":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[355],"tags":[71,305,499,357],"class_list":["post-171590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-businesses","tag-digital-economy","tag-digital-society","tag-interviews","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\/2024\/10\/Featured-Image-%E2%80%93-Digital-Economy-Update.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2iE1G-IDA","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171590","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=171590"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":171631,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171590\/revisions\/171631"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}