A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 4 August to Sunday 10 August 2014.
Monday, 4 August 2014
OAS assists Dominica in development of national cyber-security strategy
Dominica – A delegation from the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) of the Organization of American States (OAS) visited Dominica last week to conduct a workshop on the development of a national cyber security strategy for the government of the country… more
Bank of Jamaica approves second phase of m-wallet service
Jamaica – The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) has approved the second phase of the Jamaica credit union association JCCUL’ mobile wallet service, The Gleaner reports… more
Better Connectivity For LIME Business Clients
Jamaica – Telecoms firm LIME has announced that it will be leveraging its submarine fibre-optic network and far-reaching international partnerships to offer its business customers increased connectivity to, and benefits for, their offices across the globe… more
BTC planning to enter Haiti’s telecoms market
Regional – Leon Williams, director general of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), has reportedly indicated that the Bahaman telco is planning to enter the cellular market in Haiti… more
Latin America – Broadband and Internet Market
Regional – Investments in mobile networks boost broadband connectivity across the region… more
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Evans concerned about implications if BTC is not ready for competition
Bahamas – If the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is not ready for competition when the government issues a new cellular license, it would have implications beyond job losses, Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans said… more
Survey Says Cell Phone Spending High in Belize
Belize – According to a new survey of Caribbean countries, Belizeans spends more of their income on cell phone service than anywhere else in the Caribbean… more
Dominica’s national strategy on cybercrime advances
Dominica – Dominica has taken another step in the development of a national strategy on cybercrime. This strategy is intended to develop activities and programs necessary to combat cybercrime… more
Ag CEO: TSTT in line for $100m profit
Trinidad and Tobago – Just months after TSTT recorded a loss of more than $500 million for the financial year ended March 2014, acting CEO George Hill says is confident the company can earn profits of more than $100 million by the end of the financial year… more
Wednesday, 6 August 2014
URCA releases Adjudication and Order
Bahamas – The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), in exercise of its powers under section 103 of The Communications Act of 2009, has released an Adjudication and Order which was issued to a major licensee in the Electronic Communications Sector which is of significant public importance… more
An app for diagnosing diseases
Jamaica – A team of scientists has developed a new app that they claim is capable of detecting various diseases within seconds, using a smartphone and a low-cost lens attachment… more
‘Biggest deterrent for readers is Internet’
Trinidad and Tobago – “There’s not a culture of reading here,” my editor told me. The evidence suggests she is right. Trinis like to write and love to talk, but they don’t read… more
Thursday, 7 August 2014
ICTA reveals vicious circle
Cayman Islands – A report into the recruitment practices at the Information and Technology Authority (ICTA), triggered after a Finance Committee hearing last year that resulted in the early pay-off of the ex-managing director, has revealed the vicious circle government has created for local people when it comes to top level posts… more
Lighting strike knocks 27 off-air
Cayman Islands – A lightning strike damages Channel 27′s over the air transmission equipment. Engineers are working to repair the damage. You can still watch Cayman 27 on WestStar cable channels 27 and 327 or online via our Livestream… more
S.T.E.M. toys for girls
Cayman Islands – Female representation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) careers is low. According to the group Women In Science and Engineering (WISE), women make up 13% of the workforce in S.T.E.M. industries. This has brought up the question, can toys have an impact? … more
Youth Sexting
Regional – Batting eyelashes, cracking a smile, blushing, are all old-fashioned flirting methods defunct with the existing power of technology, and the enormous stream of messages and selfies as a common activity among teens unaware of the consequences and risks behind it… more
LTE Technology impacting lives in rural communities
Trinidad and Tobago – A recent CISCO report revealed one in three college students and young professionals consider the internet to be as important a fundamental human resource as air, water, food and shelter… more
Teleios receives global award
Trinidad and Tobago – A three-man delegation from local software company Teleios Systems flew to Washington DC last month to receive two major awards from ICT giant Microsoft… more
Friday, 8 August 2014
PM: New telecoms firm six months after request for proposals
Bahamas – The government hopes to have a new telephone service provider in the market six months after its telecoms liberalization committee issues a request for proposals (RFP), Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday… more
Can bitcoin become a major currency?
Cayman Islands – The continuing spread of bitcoin, the private “crypto-currency” that launched in 2009, elicits a variety of reactions from economists… more
Cyber crime: Insurers in the firing line
Cayman Islands – As banks become more sophisticated and effective at defending themselves against attack, the focus of much cyber crime is changing. Increasingly, insurance companies are becoming the target… more
Phillips: Government Committed To ICT Investors – Barnett Tech Park On Track For November
Jamaica – Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips says the Government will continue to work with investors in the information and communication technology sector (ICT) on solutions to high operating costs, especially in the area of energy… more
Giving you a ‘Heads Up’ that this app is huge fun!
Regional – I was recently complaining about the fact that the 42” flat-screen TV in my living room had died on me… more
TSTT partners with CTEX to offer data centre, cloud services
Trinidad and Tobago – State-controlled telecoms company Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) has partnered with Curacao Technology Exchange (CTEX) to deliver communications, managed services, data centre and disaster recovery services to customers in the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA)… more
Rampant credit card fraud in V.I. most likely cybercrime
United States Virgin Islands – Investigating agencies may be no closer to figuring out who is committing the rash of credit card fraud throughout the territory, but they may have a better idea of how the crimes are being committed… more
Saturday, 9 August 2014
Flow Offers Customers Free Movies This Summer
Jamaica – Flow is set to give thousands of customers 20 free movie channels this summer from June to September 2014 as part of Flow’s Summer Blockbuster promotion… more
CBU supports media dialogue
Regional – President of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Shida Bolai has announced the names of three member systems selected to receive bursaries from the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA)… more
Cyber security expert warns: Caribbean could be losing millions
Regional – The CEO of Caribbean Cyber Security Centre (CCSC) James Bynoe says cybercrime is a growing national security, public safety and economic development threat to the region and he is urging governments, businesses and other institutions to take more action to deal with the problem… more
Sunday, 10 August 2014
– Nil –
Image credits: (Mick Baker)rooster (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia;
__________
