A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 11 April to Sunday 17 April 2016.

Monday, 11 April 2016

John Gomez named new Chief Operating Officer of Cable Bahamas

Bahamas – Cable Bahamas Ltd (CBL) announced today that John Gomez has been appointed Chief Operations Officer of the company. As COO, Mr Gomez will assume responsibility for the entire CBL operation, including finance, marketing, customer experience, engineering and technology… more

Q&A: Caribbean Sets Sights on Becoming Legal Process Outsourcing Hub

Barbados – Legal expertise is probably not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Barbados, a small island nation best known for its white sandy beaches, welcoming people, and beautiful climate. But the 295-square-mile island is hoping to change that… more

Police IT Specialists actively probing cyber threat to President

Guyana – Police information technology experts are vigorously probing several aspects of the matter involving the 52-year-old woman and others, who allegedly posted racially-inciting social media comments about African Guyanese, and what appeared to be a threat to President David Granger… more

Marketing Strategies Today: Seven tools and tips for social media marketers

Regional – Do you need to streamline your daily social media tasks? … more

Tuesday, 12 April 2016

FTC addresses Digicel triple credit complaints

Barbados – THE FAIR TRADING Commission has intervened in a matter with Digicel after receiving complaints about a promotion offered last week… more

Ashcroft company asks US to seize $38 mil from Belize

Belize – The United States Supreme Court has invited US Solicitor General Donald Verrilli to file a brief expressing the federal government’s point of view in a rare case asking the US authorities to move against the assets of a foreign government in fulfillment of an international arbitration award… more

BOTC passport applications going digital

Cayman Islands – As government continues its slow crawl towards the use of technology to improve services, the time it takes to get new British Overseas Territory citizens (BOTC) passports has been reduced by around five days through technology supplied by the British passport office… more

Cayman_Islands flag (Wikipedia)Hackers hitting Cayman companies

Cayman Islands – Several Cayman businesses have been hit in the last few months by a “ransomware” virus scam… more

Dominican Republic ends January with 8.82 mln mobile lines

Dominican Republic ­– A total of 8.82 million mobile lines were in operation in the Dominican Republic in January 2016, compared with 8.79 million in December 2015, according to data published by the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel)… more

Telecoms Minister To Consider Consumer Rights Tomorrow

Saint Lucia – THE Ministers with responsibility for telecommunications in the OECS region will meet in Saint Lucia tomorrow to consider new legislation to strengthen the rules on consumer rights and ensure that the climate for investment remains open and competitive… more

Wednesday, 13 April 2016

Bahamas government invites public consultation for Freedom of Information Bill

Bahamas – The Bahamas Government has officially launched the Freedom of Information Bill and has planned a series of Town Meetings for public consultation on the process… more

BTC to Provide Prepaid Electricity

Bahamas – Metered and prepaid electricity will soon become a reality as the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has started testing the service in Spanish Wells, Eleuthera. Prepaid metering allows customers to better manage their electricity use and bills via BTC’s 4G LTE data network… more

Barbados flag (Wikipedia)ON THE LEFT: Regulators balancing varying interests

Barbados – THE FAIR TRADING COMMISSION has determined that the new Price Cap Plan 2016 (PCP 2016) will govern the adjustments of rates of regulated telecommunications services of Cable & Wireless (Barbados) Limited from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2019… more

ON THE RIGHT: A fair deal for the consumer

Barbados – THE LATEST DECISION on regulated rates is out… more

THE ISSUE: The landline a dying species

Barbados – IN THE BARBADIAN HOUSEHOLD the landline was once a precious thing… more

Dominican Republic mobile penetration passes 150%

Dominican Republic – The mobile telephony penetration rate in the Dominican Republic has passed 150 percent, as most of the population -around 60 percent- use two to three mobile phones, according to the president of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel), Gedeon Santos… more

60 J’can youth to participate in CDB workshop on ICT and entrepreneurship

Jamaica – This week 60 youths from across the island will learn about ICT and entrepreneurship as part of the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Vybzing Youth Forum… more

CXC to introduce electronic testing

Jamaica – THE Barbados-based Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) says it will soon implement electronic testing to allow learners to take their examinations on a computer or electronic device… more

New ICT Access Centre for Canaries

Saint Lucia – The Government will take a significant step in bridging divide when it opens a new, modern Community Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Access Centre in Canaries on Thursday 14th April, 2016… more

Thursday, 14 April 2016

‘Champions’ promotion lands Digicel in FTC hot water

Barbados – Telecommunications services provider Digicel has apologized to cellular phone customers for a “miscommunication” following a reprimand from the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) over an advertisement… more

CONVERSATIONS WITH FTC: New FTC boss shares vision

Barbados – CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECENT APPOINTMENT as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Commission. How many years have you been with the organisation? … more

The Fleecing of the “People’s Company”?

Belize – BTL is not the people’s company. It became a special interest company led by the Government ever since the Barrow Administration took it over in 2009. Everything Barrow touches takes a strange turn… more

ECTEL sensitizes stakeholders on Electronic Communications Bill

Dominica – Players in the electronic communications sector are meeting today for a one day national stakeholder workshop organized by the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL)… more

Radio in Haiti is heartbeat of the community

Haiti – Enel Beaulière stands in front of his radio studio in Fondwa, Haiti, looking at his phone for someone to call about troubles with launching Radio Zetwal’s broadcast… more

C&W Business Launches Innovative Software Defined Data Center Solution

Regional – C&W Business, a division of Cable & Wireless Communications, Plc (LSE: CWC), today announces the launch of an innovative high-value Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) solution that allows customers to use Information Technology as a Service or ITaaS from any one of the Company’s datacenters… more

ECTEL LogoECTEL FIGHTS BACK – LIME, FLOW To Be Brought In Line

Regional – New Telecoms Licenses To Reflect Quality Service For Consumers. Licences given to telecommunications companies to operate in the jurisdictions controlled by the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Company (ECTEL) will be adjusted to reflect a better quality of service to consumers… more

Tax on online shopping gets mixed reviews

Trinidad and Tobago – It’s an activity that uses millions of dollars in foreign exchange annually and—with the country’s tight foreign exchange situation—local business groups have been lobbying the Government to crack down on it… more

Digicel backs women in leadership

Turks and Caicos Islands – In support of the initiatives which encourage women to take an active role in global economic development, Digicel hosted a ‘Women in Leadership’ Forum at The Palms Resort in order to encourage young women to aspire to be leaders and to encourage those already involved to continue to be game changers in their respective areas… more

Friday, 15 April 2016

Taiwan helps Belize vehicle/drivers license system go digital

Belize – Belize will soon have an electronic system for driver and vehicle licenses, as well as vehicle registration with a web portal to access information thanks to the efforts of the Central Information Technology Office (C.I.T.O.) and Taiwan’s technical mission in Belize, led by Ming-Cheng (Diego) Tsai… more

Dominican digital inclusion project to require USD 300 mln

Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic’s digital inclusion plan, which foresees the deployment of fibre optic cables to all regions and communities in the country, will require an investment of USD 300 million, according to the president of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel), Gedeon Santos… more

Jamaican online education platform featured on BBC

Jamaica – Edufocal, the online learning platform created by Jamaican Gordon Swaby, was featured by the BBC on its website on April 5… more

Geraldine Pitt to lead the combined CWC/Columbus business

Saint Lucia – Following the successful merger of Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) and Columbus International, President, Consumer Group, CWC, John Reid, today, announced the appointment of Geraldine Pitt as Country Manager for our combined buiness in St. Lucia, under the new Flow brand with immediate effect… more

LIME officially rebrands to FLOW in St. Lucia

Saint Lucia – The transformation from LIME St. Lucia to the new and refreshed Flow heralds the start of a new and exciting era for the brand, which underscores the successful integration of Cable & Wireless Communications and Columbus Communications Ltd… more

Message from Wayne Hull – FLOW Country Manager

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Hello Vincy,: Welcome to the new FLOW! … more

Saturday, 16 April 2016

FLOW names new manager; ECTEL express displeasure with merger

Regional – Flow has named Grenadian Geraldine Pitt as the new country manager in St. Lucia even as the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Company (ECTEL) continues to express its displeasure at the merger involving Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) and Columbus International… more

Saint_Lucia flagCountry Manager Reacts To ECTEL Criticism

Saint Lucia – THE Country Manager of FLOW St. Lucia, Geraldine Pitt has partially responded to comments made by Telecommunications Minister James Fletcher during the 33rd meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) Council of Ministers on Wednesday… more

‘FLOW–ING’ – New Entity Promises Service Second To None

Saint Lucia – THE Telecommunications giant FLOW has now been officially launched in Saint Lucia… more

Sunday, 17 April 2016

Guyana holds second public consultation on draft cybercrime bill

Guyana – The second public consultation on Guyana’s draft Cybercrime Bill of 2016, kicked off on Wednesday in Georgetown; with stakeholders making several meaningful submissions on almost every aspect of the draft legislation, which seeks to rein in perpetrators of cybercrimes against Guyanese citizens, companies, and state institutions… more

Inside BPO Call Centres: Uncertainty Looms – Politicians’ Hopes Of Boosting Employment Through Call Centres Could Flop

Jamaica – During the recent election campaign period, both the then governing People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) pointed to the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector as an area which would provide thousands of jobs over the next five years… more

Rogue Operators Hurting Sector – Stakeholders

Jamaica – Some business process outsourcing (BPO) call centre operators are expressing fear that the legitimacy of the industry in Jamaica is being threatened by players who are refusing to become a part of the formal system… more

 

Image credits:  filipe ferreira (flickr);  Wikipedia;  Wikipedia;  ECTEL;  Wikipedia

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