A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 5 December to Sunday 11 December 2016.

Monday, 5 December 2016

Port’s Ultimatum To Freeport Web Shops

Bahamas – The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) has issued an ultimatum to Freeport-based web shops, after the Government allegedly “hijacked” and “ambushed” the trial to determine who is the industry’s primary regulator in that city… more

Web Shops Urged: ‘Put Skin In Game’ Over Gbpa Case

Bahamas – The attorney for Chances Games has urged rival web shops, such as FML and Island Luck, to “put some skin in the game” given that they are totally exposed to the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) threat to cancel their licenses to operate in Freeport… more

C&W profits at $99.4m

Barbados – PROFITS ARE FLOWING at Cable & Wireless (Barbados) Limited (C&W)… more

Talks ‘to start’ on Guyana monopoly

Guyana – The government of Guyana is expected to begin talks this month with Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) about ending the republic’s telecoms monopoly. The government passed a law to end GTT’s position in July and originally said talks would begin in September… more

US ‘comes to defence’ of Guyana telecoms monopoly

Guyana – In a surprise intervention, a US embassy official in Guyana has called for telecoms liberalisation but said that existing contracts should not be violated… more

Caricel takes issue with US official stance on being granted third mobile licence

Jamaica – Loop News published an article last week where a US government official made it clear that his government was not made aware that the Jamaican government had decided to grant Caricel the third mobile licence… more

Digicel keen on ICT collaboration

Regional – Digicel yesterday said it welcomes the move by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) to establish a Caribbean ICT Collaboration Committee (CICC) responsible for shaping and aligning the strategic ICT agenda for the Caribbean… more

TSTT secures US$300mn for broadband rollout

Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad & Tobago’s state-run telco TSTT has secured a 2bn-Trinidadian dollar (US$297mn) financing package to partially fund the company’s 3.7bn-Trinidadian dollar … more

Tuesday, 6 December 2016

Bahamas needs to introduce a strong Freedom of Information Act

Bahamas – Transparency International, the global anti-corruption movement, and its partner organisations in the Caribbean, including Citizens for a Better Bahamas (CBB), call on the government of the Bahamas to introduce strong Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation… more

Flow giving away $200 000 in cash and prizes

Barbados – SOME LUCKY Flow customers could be in for a very merry Christmas… more

Marion’s new IT mission

Barbados – SHE EXCELLED IN economics and diplomacy, now Dr Marion Williams is out to leave her mark in the information technology (IT) field. And she hopes that Barbados will earn some foreign exchange in the process… more

ICTA Head to attend regional infrastructure forum

Cayman Islands – Finance and media leaders are convening in the Bahamas on December 6 and 7 to discuss and launch a new infrastructure forum for the Caribbean… more

OECS Statistical Services Unit aids in transition to computer-based surveys

Regional – Staff members of the Statistical Services Unit (SSU) at the OECS Commission teamed up with the Enumeration Officers of Saint Lucia’s Central Statistical Office (CSO) yesterday, to conduct the quarterly Labour Force Survey (LFS) with the use of electronic tablets… more

Digicel launches second wave of recruitment for sales people

Trinidad and Tobago – The company is offering competitive packages for confident and customer-focused candidates to join their sales team… more

TSTT: Rally around new brand

Trinidad and Tobago – Later that night, with surprising swagger before an audience that generally and tragically ignored his short speech—the price of admission for the telecommunications company’s annual media Christmas party—Dr Walcott would amplify those sentiments… more

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

Guyana govt prepares to battle GT&T to end monopoly

Guyana – Guyana’s government will begin negotiations on Friday to end a 26-year old monopoly on the fixed line market, the last one in the English-speaking Caribbean… more

VAT on Internet data “necessary” – Public Telecoms Minister

Guyana – Value Added Tax (VAT) on Internet data will be used to help fund the Guyana government’s Information Communication Technology (ICT), Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes said Wednesday… more

Experimental Digital TV Channel late…

Jamaica – On Monday, Jean Marie Altéma, Director General of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL), accompanied by André Lubin, Deputy Director of Broadcasting at CONATEL, made a follow-up visit to the National Television of Haiti (TNH) as part of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) experimental project… more

How online maps are helping Haiti rebuild after Hurricane Matthew

Jamaica – Since Hurricane Matthew swept through Haiti last month Paul Uithol and a team of volunteers have been using online maps to help rebuild devastated communities, as he explains to Moira Holden… more

Digicel Group Earnings Hit By Currency Movements

Regional – Digicel Group reported a marginal dip in revenue and earnings in its September second quarter, due in part to currency fluctuations in key markets, according to an investor release from UK bank Barclays… more

Thursday, 8 December 2016

Teachers trained in the use of modern technology

British Virgin Islands – The Ministry of Education and Culture is continuing its drive to modernize the Virgin Islands education system by investing in training for educators in the use of modern classroom technology to enhance the teaching and learning experience… more

VAT on internet required to fund ICT programmes – Hughes

Guyana – As day three of the 2017 National Budget debate continued yesterday, Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes defended the application of Value Added Tax (VAT) to internet service, saying the tax would provide the monies needed to fund the Government’s Infor-mation and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes… more

bmobile relaunches as TSTT and RBL conclude major financing agreement

Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT CEO Dr Ronald Walcott recently announced that the company’s technology convergence strategy also fed into a decision to simplify TSTT’s diverse brands and bring all products under an umbrella refreshed “bmobile” brand which now spoke to TSTT supporting the mobility of the lifestyle of the company’s customers with the tagline “Life is On”… more

Friday, 9 December 2016

Cable Bahamas Still Working On Restoration After Hurricane

Bahamas – CABLE Bahamas teams have been working around the clock to advance restoration efforts on Grand Bahama since Hurricane Matthew left the island devastated in October, the company said, adding that it hopes to have all areas restored by the end of this month… more

Cable Bahamas updates on service restoration on Grand Bahama

Bahamas – Cable Bahamas teams have been working around the clock to advance restoration efforts on Grand Bahama… more

Maynard-Gibson to ICT for Persons with Disabilities Workshop

Bahamas – Remarks by Sen. the Hon. Z.C. Allyson Maynard Gibson, QC Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs at The ICT for Persons with Disabilities Workshop Melia Nassau Beach Hotel on 8th December, 2016… more

Businesses warned to keep up or die

Barbados – Keep up with technological changes or face extinction! … more

Job hunting app available soon

Barbados – A NEW REGIONAL mobile app will make job hunting easier for Caribbean nationals… more

Chris Dehring’s ReadyTV to launch in the first quarter of 2017

Jamaica – Former chairman of LIME (Jamaica), founder and conceptualiser of Sportmax Chris Dehring is all set to launch his new project ReadyTV in the first quarter of 2017… more

Jamaica moves up two places on ICT Development Index

Jamaica – Jamaica has been ranked 99th of 175 countries on the 2016 ICT Development Index (IDI), an improvement of two places from the 2015 rankings, the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology announced today… more

LIME, NWC irk consumers

Jamaica – Consumer complaints against utility companies jumped by 23 per cent, the latest annual report of the Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) indicate… more

How The Caribbean’s Top Court Is Going High-Tech

Regional – A suite of new high-tech court management systems are to be adopted by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)… more

T&T’s tech entrepreneur wins PitchIT Caribbean Challenge

Trinidad and Tobago – Local entrepreneur Kelly-Ann Bethel won US$5000.00 at the PitchIT Caribbean Challenge 2016 for her technology solution app SKED… more

Saturday, 10 December 2016

CCJ rules in favour of private telecom company in Belize

Belize – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) yesterday ruled in favour of the private telecommunications services provider, Speednet Communications Limited, reversing a Belize Court of Appeal ruling that had favoured the regulator, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)… more

PM Expects More BPO Investors

Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has said he is expecting to see expansive growth in the business processing outsourcing (BPO) sector and, as a consequence, the Government will be seeking to create more space to accommodate investors expected in the coming year… more

TSTT goes high speed…but

Trinidad and Tobago – THE Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) yesterday launched its super high speed internet for mobile, 4G LTE (Long- Term Evolution). However TSTT says it cannot provide nationwide coverage until the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) allocates it the 700 megahertz spectrum… more

TSTT launches 4G LTE

Trinidad and Tobago – Majority state-owned telecommunications provider, TSTT, yesterday launched a 4G LTE mobile broadband service in T&T, even as its chairman, Emile Elias, criticised the sector’s regulator for not making the spectrum for 4G LTE available to the company… more

Sunday, 11 December 2016

Govt, GTT begin negotiations to end landline, int’l calls monopoly

Guyana – Government has begun talks with Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GTT) and its US parent company, ATN International (ATNI) to end the current monopoly on landline and international voice and data services… more

BPO Market Energised – More Jobs Coming As Operators Expand

Jamaica – Sutherland Global will roll out two new call centre operations in six months… more

Digicel problems in Trelawny

Jamaica – Dear Claudienne, I have been a Digicel 4G postpaid customer since 28th August 2010, and — living in Duncans, Trelawny — have always had some issues with the speed of the Internet that I receive… more

Mark Wignall | Caricel, USA And The Power Of Innuendo

Jamaica – First, there was the lumbering giant known as Cable & Wireless (C&W). Then it became known to Jamaicans simply as Telephone Company… more

Minett Lawrence | Caricel’s Response To Media Publications

Jamaica – On December 1 and 2, 2016, two articles were published in LoopNews and The Gleaner, respectively. Both articles included quotations from United States (US) Embassy officials, purporting to comment on the legitimacy of the grant of a spectrum licence to Symbiote Investments Limited (operates as Caricel)… more

Profits dialled down at Digicel

Regional – DIGICEL, the Caribbean and Central American mobile operator owned by the billionaire Denis O’Brien, was hit by a 14% slide in earnings in the three months to the end of September, figures show… more

 

Image credits:  GotCredit (flickr);  Wikipedia;  Wikipedia;  Wikimedia

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