A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 4 March to Sunday 10 March 2019.
Monday, 4 March 2019
Bahamas Central Bank Announces Key Tech Providers for Upcoming Digital Currency Pilot
Bahamas – The Central Bank of the Bahamas has announced its key collaborators for the development of a digital fiat currency system in the island country, according to an official document released on March 1… more
Central Bank of the Bahamas Selects Blockchain Startup NZIA for Digital Currency Project
Bahamas – The Central Bank of the Bahamas has selected NZIA Limited as the technology solutions provider for its Project Sand Dollar, a project aimed at developing a blockchain-based central bank digital currency… more
Digital B$ ‘Pilot’ Ready For 2020
Bahamas – The Central Bank’s governor has revealed that the Family Island communities where it will test the first version of a digital Bahamian dollar will be selected before the end of April 2019… more
The Bahamas to introduce blockchain central bank digital currency
Bahamas – Blockchain-based digital currencies can do things that no other form of money can… more
Cayman students enter tech competition
Cayman Islands– Cayman students are taking their tech education on the road… more
CarPIF regional connectivity meeting to address affordable and resilient internet access
Regional – The Eastern Caribbean island of Grenada has been selected as the venue for the fifth regional meeting of the Caribbean Internet Peering and Interconnection Forum, CarPIF, set for June 12 to 13… more
Tuesday, 5 March 2019
Digicel Holdings (Bermuda) Limited and Digicel International Finance Limited Announce Private Placement of Senior Secured Notes
Regional – Digicel Holdings (Bermuda) Limited (“Holdings”) and Digicel International Finance Limited (“DIFL” and, together with Holdings, the “Issuers”) today announced their intention to launch a private placement of US$550 million aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes (the “Notes”). Holdings, a subsidiary of Digicel Limited, is incorporated under the laws of Bermuda. DIFL, Holdings’ only direct subsidiary, is incorporated under the laws of St. Lucia… more
Wednesday, 6 March 2019
Cell phones a must-have in prisons
Guyana – Continued controls in the prisons have been regularly netting prohibited items. It seems that the item of choice is none other than the cell phone… more
GTT, gov’t agree to discuss “all outstanding issues” for liberalisation of telecoms sector
Guyana – The Guyana government and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company have inked a memorandum of understanding for the government’s planned liberalisation of the telecommunications market, but no date has been set for this to be realised… more
Hughes cites potential for third mobile service provider
Guyana – During a presentation to the Greater Houston Partnership Outreach last Tuesday, Minister of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes said there is room for a third mobile service provider… more
Flow Jamaica Sales Grow, But Demand For Handsets On The Decline
Jamaica – Cable & Wireless Jamaica, which trades as Flow Jamaica, increased its mobile subscribers in 2018, but handset sales declined, according to the wider group, which aims to source cheaper handsets… more
Technology In Focus | Leave Behind A Positive Digital Footprint
Jamaica – Your online identity can influence different aspects of your life, according to human resource recruitment specialist at the Jamaica National Group, Jason Wilson… more
WhatsApp Reduces Jamaica’s Telephone Tax Revenue
Jamaica – THE Government confirmed yesterday that the increasing use of the free WhatsApp messenger by mobile phone users continues to be reflected in drops in telephone call tax revenues… more
Digicel announces USD 550 mln debt placement
Regional – Digicel has announced plan to raise USD 550 million with the private placement of senior secured notes… more
ICANN LAC-i Roadshow yields high interest in Caribbean ccTLDs
Regional– The Caribbean can create a unique flavour on the Internet by using effectively managed and financially stable Country Code Top Level Domains… more
Thursday, 7 March 2019
Gov’t, GTT sign MoU on liberalisation
Guyana – The Government of Guyana (GoG) and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) yesterday announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the GoG’s planned liberalization of the telecommunications market… more
Gov’t has taken comprehensive approach to cybersecurity management
Guyana – Dear Editor, The Ministry of Public Telecommunications takes this opportunity to address the hypocritical attempt of former Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Rohee, to mislead the nation and more disingenuously scare and dissuade citizens from using government’s online services… more
FLOW Addresses St Mary Customers’ Concerns
Jamaica – Telecommunications company F LOW Jamaica has reached out to disgruntled St Mary customers by attending the parish’s Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry monthly meeting to hear their grouses and offer solutions… more
CXC candidates to have e-certificates this year
Regional – Students who in 2019 sit the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examinations will be able to access their certificates electronically in addition to the traditional paper-based certificate… more
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank to Issue World’s First Blockchain-Based Digital Currency
Regional – The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) and the Barbados-based fintechcompany, Bitt Inc. (Bitt) have signed a contract to conduct a first-of-its-kind blockchain-issued Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot within the Eastern Caribbean… more
End of cash? Ask them in St Kitts
Saint Kitts and Nevis– Basseterre, the tiny capital of St Kitts and Nevis, could be the flashpoint for a world revolution… more
Friday, 8 March 2019
Airbnb rentals up 37%
Bahamas – The popularity of Airbnb vacation rentals continues to rise with the Central Bank reporting a 37 per cent increase in bookings for January compared to the same period last year… more
TAJ developing mobile app for tax payment
Jamaica – Jamaicans will soon be able to pay some taxes via their mobile phones…more
The case for a personal social media policy
Jamaica – AT the recent Emerge conference, during Naomi Garrick’s presentation, a woman asked questions on balancing her personal and professional brand online. What should she post? What is too much… more
St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications Market 2019 Market Shares, Strategy, And Forecasts, Worldwide 2025
Saint Kitts and Nevis– The St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications report – 8th series from OGAnalysis provides a complete view of the St. Kitts and Nevis telecom ecosystem along with trends and growth factors shaping the future of the market… more
RSVGPF using social media to engage with civilians
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has set up accounts on social media for easier communication between them and the public… more
SVG nationals added to the Canadian Immigration Biometrics programme
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – The Canadian Government has expanded its Immigration Biometrics programme (i.e. fingerprints and digital photograph) to include nationals of St Vincent and the Grenadines, effective December 31, 2018…more
Robbery awareness training at Telem Group.
Sint Maarten – The Sint Maarten Police force in an effort to provide a safer environment for residents and visitors to the island provided its first robbery awareness training session for the year with the staff of the Telem Group, on Thursday 8th March 2019… more
Saturday, 9 March 2019
2019 Future 0f Jamaica Telecommunications Market-Trends, Outlook and Growth Opportunities of Mobile, Fixed Landline and Broadband Markets
Jamaica – The Jamaica Telecommunications report — 8th series from OGAnalysis provides a complete view of the Jamaica telecom ecosystem along with trends and growth factors shaping the future of the market… more
BPOs To Showcase Products And Services At Conference
Jamaica – Public-sector entities have partnered with the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) for the 2019 staging of the Outsource2Jamaica (O2J) Symposium and Expo in April… more
FLOW customers get free Internet upgrade
Jamaica – TELECOMMUNICATIONS company FLOW says thousands of its residential customers have been enjoying the benefits of faster broadband speeds, free of cost… more
CXC to provide students with e-certificates after successful trial
Regional – The Barbados-based Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) says it will provide students across the region with e-certificates following a successful trial period… more
Sunday, 10 March 2019
Digicel sim cards
Jamaica – Dear Claudienne, I am writing this letter in anger and disgust in regard to my Digicel Sim Cards… more
Woke to wake up Jamaica’s telecoms market
Jamaica – New Jersey, USA-based Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corp and WCI (formerly Wikibuli Communications Inc) have formed a joint venture partnership to provide Jamaica with a new telecommunications service provider in Woke Communications… more
Stop social media attacks
Trinidad and Tobago – Assistant resident representative of the UNDP (TT) Sharifa Ali-Abdullah yesterday expressed her disgust for the manner in which some people use social media to attack marriage and family… more
Image credits: rawpixel.com (Pexels); Wikipedia: Caribbean Tracker; Wikipedia; Wikipedia
