A roundup of the latest ICT\/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 13 February to Sunday 19 February 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nMonday, 13 February 2017<\/h3>\n

Attorneys say reject creation of national fingerprint database<\/h4>\n

Antigua and Barbuda <\/em>\u2013 Local, regional and international lawyers are telling Antiguans and Barbudans to reject the recently declared government policy of setting up a data bank of fingerprints for broader use, deeming such unjustifiable, \u201can invasion of privacy\u201d and likely an initiative originating outside the country\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Call For Resistance To \u2018Dangerous\u2019 Spying Bill<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 FORMER Bahamas Bar Association President Elsworth Johnson yesterday joined activist calls for Bahamians to organise protests and public resistance to the recently tabled Interception of Communications Bill (ICB) 2017, which he called \u201cdangerous\u201d spying legislation\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable & Wireless Could Be Worth Buying<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 John Malone and his Liberty Global group are known for creating value for their investors\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel endorses regional co-regulated approach to open internet<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Speaking at the 11th Capacity Caribbean Conference in Puerto Rico, David Geary, General Counsel for Digicel Caribbean, compared the debate on Net Neutrality to that of Brexit in the United Kingdom\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

General Counsel for Digicel Caribbean compares Net Neutrality to Brexit<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Speaking at the 11th Capacity Caribbean Conference in Puerto Rico, David Geary, General Counsel for Digicel Caribbean, compared the debate on Net Neutrality to that of Brexit in the United Kingdom\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Tuesday, 14 February 2017<\/h3>\n

Antigua And Barbuda Launch World’s First Tourism Social Media Channel Dedicated To Romance<\/h4>\n

Antigua and Barbuda<\/em> \u2013 Antigua and Barbuda is celebrating Valentine’s Day by launching the world’s first tourism social media channel dedicated to romance on Facebook\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Attorney General: Interception Bill Will Enhance Privacy, Not Harm It<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 ATTORNEY General Allyson Maynard-Gibson yesterday defended the Interception of Communications Bill as an important anti-crime tool that would enhance the privacy of law-abiding citizens rather than encroach upon it, as detractors claim\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Mobile\u00a0number portability delayed until March<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 The launch date for consumers to experience mobile number portability (MNP) in The Bahamas was set for today, but is now expected to occur in March 2017\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

URCA announces delayed implementation of Mobile Number Portability (MNP)<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 On 23 December 2016, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) issued its Preliminary Determination on Mobile Number Portability (MNP)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Regulator seeks to gain trust with consistency<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands<\/em> \u2013 The newly appointed boss of the government\u2019s newest regulator says there are several challenges ahead for the new office but one of the most important is gaining the trust of the stakeholders across the utilities that he and the team will be regulating\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

17,500 Tablets to be Provided for Schools<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The Government is to spend $7 million to provide 17,500 tablets to increase learning opportunities to students under the Tablet in Schools programme\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable Workers Go On Strike<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts and Nevis<\/em> \u00ad\u2013 The technical staff at The Cable has taken industrial action after employee concerns about salary increase and other issues were reportedly not met by the Board of Directors\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CWU: Pay pension sums for Telco, TSTT!<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago<\/em> \u2013 THE Communication Workers Union (CWU) last week held its fourth in a series of weekly protests outside RBC Bank, Independence Square, Portof- Spain, to demand that the bank does its duty as trustee for the pension fund of TSTT and Telco and make payments to retirees\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Ministry plans crackdown on Uber drivers<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago<\/em> \u2013 If you are a \u201cPH\u201d (private hire) taxi driver working with ride sharing app, Uber, you better watch out\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Trinidad and Tobago launches Lime365 campaign and GoTrinBago mobile destination app<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago<\/em> \u2013 Lime365 was designed to highlight and promote the destination\u2019s active annual event calendar. In Trinidad and Tobago\u2019s local parlance, to lime (verb) is to \u201chang out or socialize\u201d and a lime (noun) is a social event. Lime365 boasts that there is something to do every day in Trinidad and Tobago\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday, 15 February 2017<\/h3>\n

Bahamas AG on the Interception of Communications Bill<\/h4>\n

Bahamas <\/em>\u2013 Statement from the Hon.\u00a0 Allyson Maynard Gibson, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs on the Interception of Communications Bill, 2017\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Government launches Electronic Single Window<\/h4>\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 The Barbados government Wednesday announced plans to establish the relevant institutional infrastructure to ensure that greater levels of efficiency, productivity and international competitiveness are achieved\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

New utilities regulator aims to bridge OfReg \u2018skills gap\u2019<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 The new chief executive of the commission charged with oversight of local utilities acknowledged a \u201cskills gap,\u201d but said he hoped to make Cayman \u201cthe Singapore of the Caribbean.\u201d \u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

GTT announces restructuring, 120 to be laid off<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 GTT today said that a restructuring of its operations will see 120 positions becoming redundant\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

GTT begins sending home 120 workers<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) on Wednesday announced that it would be sending home 120 persons over the next 12 months as part of plans to adapt the company to liberalised telecommunications sector in the country\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Jamaica Implements One-Stop Economic Data Portal<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Jamaica became the first Caribbean country and the second in the Western Hemisphere to implement the recommendations of the Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS) when it launched the National Summary Data Page (NSDP) earlier today\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

OUR does not regulate cable service<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Dear Editor, On February 7, 2017, the Jamaica Observer published a letter from a FLOW customer who complained about her favourite shows being dropped from her cable package\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

OUR Telecoms Contract Review Awaits Tax Information From Consultant<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is trying to ascertain whether the consultant it engaged to assess contracts issued by telecoms operators is tax compliant\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Government Officially Launches 5 Additional Apps For E Government Portal<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts and Nevis <\/em>\u2013 The Team Unity Government officially launched 5 additional applications (apps) for its E-Government portal during a ceremony at the OTI conference room on Wednesday\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Beesion to Enable TSTT’s Retail Transformation and Omni-Channel Experience<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 Beesion Technologies, the pioneer of low-code telecom software, was selected by Telecommunications Services of Trinidad & Tobago Limited (TSTT) to transform the bmobile in-store experience to support both wireless and wireline services across the company’s 10 corporate-owned stores and 90 national resellers\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday, 16 February 2017<\/h3>\n

BENEFITS ABOUND FROM ELECTRONIC SINGLE WINDOW, SAYS MINISTER<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 Multiple benefits are expected to be derived from the newly launched Barbados Electronic Single Window (BESW)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Telecoms provider promises better service<\/h4>\n

Barbados <\/em>\u2013 Local businesses are demanding more of their telecommunications provider as they seek to become more competitive\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

OfReg chief settles in quickly<\/h4>\n

Cayman Islands <\/em>\u2013 Although he has only been in office for three weeks, Mr. Morgan has already identified some challenges and set goals for the regulatory body\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

120 to lose jobs in GTT restructuring as liberalization looms<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 As Government continues negotiations with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) to end its monopoly and to allow new players in the market, that US-owned entity has announced plans to send home up to 120 staff members over the next 12 months\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

New York-based Guyanese pushing technology in teaching Mathematics<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 As Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders prepare to discuss, among other matters, the future of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in the region, a group of Caribbean Professionals has rolled out an application to help students learn Mathematics at the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) level\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Online move<\/h4>\n

Guyana <\/em>\u2013 Doing business with Government is about to get a lot easier \u2013 at least that is what officials are promising with the implementation of an Electronic Single-Window (ESW) system\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Next \u00abKaravan T\u00e8k-T\u00e8k\u00bb in Jacmel<\/h4>\n

Haiti <\/em>\u2013 The General Directorate of the Executive Body of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) informs the general public that it will organize the 2nd edition of the “Karavan T\u00e8k-T\u00e8k” on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 February 2017 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm In the Southeast Department, at the Convention Center in Jacmel\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

PM breaks ground for BPO complex in Portmore<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Prime Minister Andrew Holness today broke ground for the construction of a 150,000 sq ft Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) space at the Portmore Informatics Park, which is expected to employ 3,000 persons\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable & Wireless Reports Preliminary Results<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Cable & Wireless Communications Limited (\u201cCWC\u201d) is the leading telecommunications operator in substantially all of its consumer markets, which are predominantly located in the Caribbean and Latin America, providing entertainment, information and communication services to 3.5 million mobile, 0.4 million television, 0.6 million internet and 0.8 million fixed-line telephony subscribers\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Cable & Wireless Transforms its Network with Cisco and Ericsson<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 There are obviously many, many challenges involved in building a next-generation network, but in terms of geography, not too many operators face the challenges Cable & Wireless Communications face\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

CARICOM high-level confab\u2026 Roadmap on single Regional ICT space to be presented<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Aside from the issue of crime and the withdrawal of correspondent banking relationships within the Region, the creation of a single Information and Communications Technology (ICT) space, will engage regional heads as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) convenes its high-level confabulation today\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Government Launches Five New Mobile Interactive Apps Aimed At Expanding The Technological Footprint Of St. Kitts And Nevis<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts And Nevis <\/em>\u2013 The launch of five new interactive mobile apps forms part of the government\u2019s strategy to strengthen Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in St. Kitts and Nevis and increase the exchange of information, said the Honourable Shawn Richards, Deputy Prime Minister\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Government To Introduce Comprehensive E-Payment Service<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts And Nevis <\/em>\u2013 The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is in the process of introducing an electronic payment system across all ministries and departments, which will afford persons the opportunity to make payments online, said Attorney General and Minister of Communications, the Honourable Vincent Byron Jr, during the launch of the e-Government Mobile Applications on Wednesday, February 15\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Free viewing of HBO and Max this weekend with Flow<\/h4>\n

Saint Lucia <\/em>\u2013 This weekend Flow has an exciting treat for its TV customers. They will be able to view all HBO and Max channels free, all weekend long! \u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

bmobile partners with Naparima College for TT\u2019s first Smart School<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago <\/em>\u2013 \u201cStudents in a small economy like Trinidad and Tobago may not be exposed to many of the experiences that students in first world countries have, but through a partnership with TSTT and the benefits of the advancements in technology this brings, our students will be able to gain this kind of global experience\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday, 17 February 2017<\/h3>\n

BPO sector heating up<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Country manager of Sutherland Global Services Limited (SGS), Odetta Rockhead-Kerr, says that the company wants to triple its workforce over the next three years \u2014 but which is facing a significant shortage of leadership \u2014 guaranteeing employment to those who successfully complete a new associate degree in business process outsourcing being offered by the Portmore Community College (PCC)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Digicel rolls out new mobile plan<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 Telecoms provider Digicel yesterday announced that it has rolled out a new mobile plan which, it said, will give customers greater data and text space, as well as more talk time\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

FSC, Liberty Still Haggling Over Mandatory Offer For C&W Jamaica Shares<\/h4>\n

Jamaica <\/em>\u2013 The Financial Services Commission (FSC) is not commenting on infor-mation that Liberty Global has been asked to make a mandatory offer for the shares in Cable & Wireless Jamaica, which trades as FLOW Jamaica\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Portmore Informatics Park expansion under way<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) yesterday broke ground for an expanded Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) cluster in Portmore, the Portmore Informatics Park (PIP), a project valued at $2.2 billion\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Regional leaders end successful summit in Guyana<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have ended a two-day summit here adopting decisions that they said are important to moving the 15-member regional integration movement \u201ctowards its objects\u201d\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Roadmap to single ICT space submitted to CARICOM heads<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 A roadmap towards creating a single ICT space for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is being tabled at the 28th Inter-sessional CARICOM summit for the approval of the conference of heads of government\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Nevis observes ICT\u00a0week<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts and Nevis <\/em>\u2013 Managing Director of ECTEL Embert Charles, will be the feature speaker when the Nevis Island Administration\u2019s Information Technology Department holds its Delta Awards Dinner and Ceremony this Saturday, February 18th\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

NIA Information Technology Department Observes ICT Week<\/h4>\n

Saint Kitts and Nevis <\/em>\u2013 An Introduction to ICT for Positive, Social and Economic Development is the theme under which the Nevis Island Administration Information Technology Department is hosting \u00a0its Information and Communication Technology week (ICT)\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Saturday, 18 February 2017<\/h3>\n

MAVIS BECKLES: Technology good and bad<\/h4>\n

Barbados<\/em> \u2013 TECHNOLOGY IS A wonderful thing. When I was growing up and anybody did tell me dat one day in my lifetime every and anybody would have a phone walking ’bout wid it attached tuh dem evah where duh went, I would not even be able tuh comprehend dat\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

PM and CARICOM Heads Agree on Regional ICT and Tourism Agenda<\/h4>\n

Regional <\/em>\u2013 Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley and other regional leaders have approved a draft roadmap for the region\u2019s single Information and Communications Technology (ICT) space\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

Careful steps on Cybercrime Bill<\/h4>\n

Trinidad and Tobago<\/em> \u2013 Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi\u2019s recent pronouncement of an intention to amend the Cybercrime Bill to deal with social media abusers has brought the country to another crossroads in its still young life… more<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday, 19 February 2017<\/h3>\n

Speednet Belize allies with Tango Telecom for CDMA to GSM upgrade<\/h4>\n

Belize \u2013 Tango Telecom, a leading provider of Data Monetisation Solutions for evolving mobile networks, today announced an upgrade deal with Speednet, Belize for its Subscriber Interaction Manager\u2026 more<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image credits: \u00a0\u00a0carterse<\/a> (flickr); \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0The West Indian News<\/a>; \u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>; \u00a0Facebook<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

____________<\/p>\n

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