A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 4 February to Sunday 10 February 2019.

 

Monday, 4 February 2019

Director of Education says sorry over leaked e-books comment

Antigua and Barbuda – An education official who was secretly recorded in a private meeting where he contradicted the prime minister’s public statements regarding the ‘E-Book scandal’, said his (the education official’s) comment that the Cabinet was aware of the now controversial user fee for the product was premised on misinformation… more

Richard Lewis denies working on e-books project

Antigua and Barbuda – Author of information technology textbooks Richard Lewis is refuting the prime minister’s claim that he, Lewis, has been providing services for the now controversial government e-books project and has been paid over $1 million for that…more

Chinese donate IT equipment

Barbados– The Chinese Government has made a donation of technology equipment to Barbados… more

Belize moves up 18 spots in Global Fixed broadband ranking.

Belize – In December 2018, Digi announced that DigiNet customers would be able to enjoy double their internet speeds at no extra cost… more

200 jobs for Lindeners as Guyana gov’t invests $60M to reopen call centre

Guyana – Lindeners can expect 200 new jobs in the field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) by the end of 2019 as Government plans to invest $60M to rehabilitate the old call centre in the mining town… more

First Lady opens third ICT training workshop in Region 10

Guyana – First Lady, Sandra Granger, on Monday encouraged 40 youths drawn from several communities across Linden, Upper Demerara-Berbice to capitalise on the chance to learn Information and Communication Technology (ICT) so that they can take advantage of the employment opportunities in that sector… more

iCreate successfully closes IPO

Jamaica – Creative training institute, iCreate Limited successfully closed its initial public offering on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) Junior Market for little over 74 million shares last Friday… more

“Intellectual Capital Generated by CANTO, is Robust” Says Newly Elected Chair of CANTO

Regional – “Intellectual capital generated by CANTO, is robust” declared newly elected Chairman of CANTO, David Cox in his acceptance speech at CANTO’s 35th AGM. Mr. Cox who is the Head of Regulatory Affairs at Cable & Wireless Communications stated…more

Trinidad: Teenager commits suicide after mother takes away cell phone

Trinidad and Tobago– A 16-year-old girl is reported to have committed suicide after her mother took away her mobile phone after finding out that she had been posting revealing photographs on social media, the Trinidad Express newspaper reported Monday… more

Tuesday, 5 February 2019

BTC Celebrates 40 Years of partnership with Junior Achievement

Bahamas – BTC hosted over 70 aspiring entrepreneurs at its annual Junior Achievement Future Leaders Seminar held under the theme, “Cultivating the Right Leaders”… more

Digital B$ Pilot To ‘Crystallise’ In ‘19

Bahamas – The Central Bank is aiming to “crystallise” its strategy for a digital Bahamian dollar test project before year-end 2019, its governor revealed yesterday… more

FLOW Helping Children, Seniors Boost Online Safety

Jamaica – More than 250 students in primary schools across the island are now being trained by the FLOW Foundation to become online safety monitors for their peers and in their communities… more

TSTT making new CCTV bid

Trinidad and Tobago – Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Ronald Walcot responded to ‘misconstrued’ news circulating that TSTT had a $100 million contract to supply Government with closed circuit television (CCTV) services… more

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

Motorists warned about cellphone use, eating while driving

Antigua and Barbuda – The Antigua and Barbuda Government has warned motorists that they would be charged if they are found to be eating and using a cell phone while driving… more

E-tabulating machines only count votes | More public demonstrations on February 10

British Virgin Islands– As questions still surround the new electronic tabulating machines that will be used in the elections for the first time in BVI history, persons are being given another opportunity to test the equipment ahead of the February 25 general elections… more

Netflix rates increase in the country

Dominican Republic– As of March, Netflix users in the Dominican Republic will pay a new rate with an increase due to the use of this streaming service… more

iCreate IPO oversubscribed

Jamaica – CREATIVE training institute, iCreate Limited successfully closed its initial public offering (IPO) for the issue of 74,062,500 ordinary shares, a day after opening to the market… more

Technology In Focus | Finding Love In A Click -| At The Heart Of Cyber Dating , Safety Is Key

Jamaica – More persons are embracing online dating now than a decade ago. According to The Knot, a wedding website based in the United States, in a survey of more than 14,000 persons who were engaged or recently married, 19 per cent of brides said they met their spouses online… more

New CANTO chairman outlines priorities for his tenure

Regional – The newly elected chairman of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organizations (CANTO), David Cox, says he believes the regional organisation “can become the largest and most influential forum for everything related to the Caribbean and technology”… more

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Investment summit explores data globalization and machine learning

Cayman Islands – Globalization is not over. In many ways, it is accelerating, as a new form of internationalization is no longer about goods and services but about data, according to Tony Cowell, partner at KPMG and chairman of the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit… more

Digicel dragged into $1.5bn US lawsuit over alleged corruption in Haiti

Haiti – Digicel, the Caribbean telecoms company owned by Denis ’Brien, has become embroiled in a $1.5 billion US lawsuit over allegations it is a “co-conspirator” in a “ruse” to divert cash that is meant to fund education in Haiti, but is instead allegedly spent corruptly… more

Digicel embroiled in US lawsuit; €50m for social housing and Big Techs possible new role

Haiti – Digicel, the Caribbean telco owned by Denis O’Brien, has become embroiled in a $1.5 billion US lawsuit over allegations it is a “co-conspirator” in a “ruse” to divert cash that is meant to fund education in Haiti, but is instead allegedly spent corruptly. Mark Paul reports… more

Company to implement ATM network, related technology for St. Lucia credit unions

Saint Lucia – Bevertec CST Inc., a leading provider of retail financial services technology and services in the Caribbean and worldwide, is pleased to announce that the company has reached an agreement with Capita Financial Services Inc. (Barbados) to implement an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) network and related technology to serve the credit unions of St. Lucia… more

‘Make social media your friend’

Trinidad and Tobago – Sagicor staff have been encouraged to make use of social media, or they would be left behind, by American actress, singer, author, and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph Hughes… more

Media workshop a good intervention

Trinidad and Tobago – THE British High Commission and the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) deserve fulsome congratulations and thanks for a timely and provocative two-day media workshop on “Freedom, Facts and Fake News”… more

Friday, 8 February 2019

Digicel Barbados appoints new CEO

Barbados– Digicel Barbados today announced Yaser Maher as its new Chief Executive Officer. This appointment comes on the heels of the former CEO, Alex Tasker, being appointed to the role of Executive Chairman of Digicel Barbados in October of last year… more

TSTT employee wins lawsuit against company after accident

Trinidad and Tobago – A TSTT em­ploy­ee, who was se­ri­ous­ly in­jured in a car ac­ci­dent due to faulty brakes on the com­pa­ny’s ve­hi­cle, has scored a mi­nor le­gal vic­to­ry in his lengthy le­gal bat­tle for com­pen­sa­tion… more

Saturday, 9 February 2019

GRA striving to make ASYCUDA function to its maximum capabilities for a full rollout in second quarter

Guyana – Dear Editor, The Guyana Revenue Authority notes the concerns recently expressed by Mr. Manzoor Nadir in the Wednesday, February 6, 2019 edition of three daily newspapers regarding the implementing and monitoring of the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) World (AW)… more

Teleperformance rents six-storey building for corporate headquarters

Guyana – The international call centre, Teleperformance, is about to occupy the long vacant six-storey building at Camp and Lamaha Streets, the owner Neil Sooklall said Saturday… more

Call centre appealing US$4.2 million award to Fly Jamaica

Jamaica– ADS Global Limited, the company that operated Fly Jamaica’s call centre five years ago, is appealing the US$4.2 million awarded to the airline in December for breach of contract… more

Sunday, 10 February 2019

Digicel says new fibre optic cable system will change the way St. Lucians work, play, learn and live

Saint Lucia – Digicel, your total communications and entertainment provider in the Caribbean, is today pledging to the government and every business in Saint Lucia: the new fibre optic cable system (currently under construction) will be a total game changer…more

 

 

Image credits:  Free-Photos (Pixabay);  Wikipedia;  Wikipedia;  Wikipedia;  Brands of the World