A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 8 July to Sunday 14 July 2019.

 

Monday, 8 July 2019

Jitney Drivers ‘Hold Off’ On Cashless Payments

Bahamas – Jitney drivers have held-off on introducing cashless payment mechanisms into the bus system due to the costs associated with maintaining them… more

UB professor: Young people must prepare for workforce automation

Bahamas – The labor market will undergo a radical transformation during the next 20 years, according to Natasha Turnquest, adjunct professor in the School of Social Sciences at the University of The Bahamas (UB)… more

Establishing a Cyber Security Strategy

Belize – G.O.B. is in the process of establishing a policy that specifically addresses the issue of cyber security… more

New BVI Ministry of Natural Resources social media accounts manager named

British Virgin Islands – Karyn Alexander has joined the BVI Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration and will serve as Minister Vincent Wheatley’s social media accounts manager… more

CEC LAUNCHES TECH TALKS

Cayman Islands – As the tech industry grows globally Cayman’s local industry needs to keep up with those trends… more

Shetty sees digital future for healthcare

Cayman Islands – From a suite at Grand Cayman’s Marriott Beach Resort, Dr. Devi Shetty does the rounds… more

PIOJ Report on science, tech and innovation

Jamaica – THE Government of Jamaica invested more than $5 billion or 0.7 per cent of the total national budget in science, technology and innovation (STI) for the 2018/2019 financial year… more

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court implement e-Litigation portal

Regional – The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s (ECSC) objective for creating and implementing an e-Litigation portal is to provide an efficient, cost-effective, transparent and reliable platform for submitting and processing court documents electronically… more

 

Tuesday, 9 July 2019

Seminar To Focus On Harnessing Fintech

Bahamas– The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) has partnered with Aliv to host its annual Fintech (financial technology) seminar on July 26 at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel… more

Cayman Tech City holds Tech Talks

Cayman Islands – A live series of monthly tech talks by Cayman Tech City, a special economic zone by Cayman Enterprise City, begins Thursday, 11 July, at South West Collective… more

Haiti Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Drivers, Trends, Opportunities and Industry Key Players – Natcom, HaiTel, Digicel | 2019

Haiti – Haiti again turns attention to digital broadcasting. Haiti’s economic and social indicators remain far lower than the average for Latin America and the Caribbean… more

The first fifty – CBU

Regional – I assumed the job I was offered as the second full time Secretary General (SG) of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) in December 1982 after the first SG, Jones Madeira, had left office after less than a year… more

 

Wednesday, 10 July 2019

No-no to online threats in Barbados

Barbados – The word must go out – the Internet was not developed for issuing threats and death wishes on others, Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch declared on Monday… more

Letter from B.T.L. Chairman to FinSec – “an outrageous lie”

Belize – At a press conference held by the People’s United Party last Wednesday, Area Representative Kareem Musa attested to the existence of a letter in which the chairman of B.T.L.’s Board of Directors is purportedly requesting a tax waiver from the Financial Secretary… more

PM Barrow – “B.T.L. pays its files and pays its G.S.T.”

Belize– Prime Minister Barrow, during his press conference this afternoon, also touched briefly on Telemedia’s G.S.T. issue… more

Technology In Focus | Jamaicans In A Fast-Paced Online World

Jamaica – Those old enough will remember the sound of a dial-up Internet modem, the anticipation felt as it played like the introduction to your favourite song, albeit where the selector made you wait too long for the drop… more

Technology minister pledges to fast-track digital switchover

Jamaica – Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Fayval Williams is pledging to make the national digital switchover (DSO) a reality before 2021… more

WeXchange invites female entrepreneurs to apply to pitch competition

Regional– WeXchange, the largest forum in Latin America and the Caribbean connecting high-growth entrepreneurs with mentors and investors is inviting applications from Latin American and Caribbean start-ups for its pitch competition… more

 

Thursday, 11 July 2019

40 Cable Staff Gain Leadership Awards

Bahamas – More than 40 supervisors and high performers at Cable Bahamas have graduated from with college-level certificates in leadership from the National Cable Television Institute (NCTI)… more

2019 Future Of Belize Telecommunications Market- Trends

Belize– The future value proposition for telecommunications market in Belize to 2025 is detailed in the report… more

Prime Minister: “BTL owes no taxes”

Belize – In recent weeks, one of the major news stories had to do with Belize Telemedia Limited and their alleged tax debt coupled with allegations that the Chairman Nestor Vasquez had written to the Financial Secretary, Joseph Waight, requesting a tax waiver for the company… more

New computer course to inspire Cayman’s next generation of coders

Cayman Islands – Code Cayman is launching Youth Code Cayman 2019, its first one-of-a-kind computer programming course that will inspire Cayman’s next generation to break into the technology by learning to code… more

Allison Cole Philbert appointed CEO of Digicel Jamaica

Jamaica – Digicel Group on Thursday announced a change of leadership for its Jamaica operations with the promotion of Digital Programme Director Allison Cole Philbert to CEO of the organisation… more

Bridging the global infrastructure gap

Regional – ACCA’s immediate past president Leo Lee, recently presented at the CAROSAI XI Congress in Guyana… more

Flow Introduces Paternity Leave, Extends Time Off For Moms

Regional – Telecommunications firm Flow has announced a new policy introducing paid leave for fathers, adoptive and foster parents and extending time off for moms… more

LatAm absent from top 50 fastest internet countries

Regional – Latin America and the Caribbean failed to get into the top 50 countries in the world with the fastest broadband in 2019, with only six, all from the Caribbean, above the global average, according to UK-based internet speed comparison site Cable… more

E-Services For Vehicle Licensing

Saint Kitts and Nevis – Officials of the St. Christopher and Nevis Inland Revenue Department stopped by the ZIZ studios on Wednesday July 10th for the show Traffic Talk to introduce their online vehicle licensing and renewal initiative that will be available to the public in the coming weeks… more

Digicel expands Home and Entertainment offering

Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel is taking things up a notch as it expands its Home and Entertainment offering to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago… more

Trinidad and Tobago Telecommunications Market Professional Survey, Growth, Shares, Opportunities and Forecast 2019-2025

Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad & Tobago Telecom outlook report is a comprehensive analytical research on the Trinidad & Tobago’s cellular, fixed telephone and fixed broadband segments…more

 

Friday, 12 July 2019

‘Well Beyond Time’: Realty Vat Paid Online This Year

Bahamas – The Ministry of Finance’s top official yesterday pledged that VAT on real estate sales will be payable online during this fiscal year, adding: “It’s well beyond time to go digital… more

Schools get into digital era with DigiLearn

Belize – Digi and the Ministry of Education (MOE) have announced the official rollout of DigiLearn – a Digital Learning platform for students and teachers… more

Justin Morin leaves Digicel

Jamaica – Digicel Group announced yesterday that Justin Morin has resigned as chief executive officer (CEO) of Digicel Jamaica, to be replaced by another Jamaican Allison Cole Philbert, effective August 1, 2019… more

NIDS ruling could impact data protection talks

Jamaica – THERE are indications from the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) that the Constitutional Court ruling on the controversial National Identification and Registration Act (NIRA) in March could have some implications for the deliberations on the Data Protection Act which is now before a Joint Select Committee of Parliament… more

Moody’s gives Digicel negative rating

Regional – Ratings agency Moody’s has downgraded telecommunications firm Digicel and changed its outlook for the company to negative… more

New Sports channel RUSH joins Flow TV

Regional – new sports channel is coming to Flow! RUSH, home of the Premier League for the Caribbean, will make its debut across all Flow TV markets on July 15th as fans get ready for the 2019/20 Premier League season kickoff… more

St. Lucia Telecommunications Market 2019-2025

Saint Lucia – Telecom operators in St. Lucia are witnessing wide range of challenges including rapidly changing customer patterns, financial and technological challenges… more

 

Saturday, 13 July 2019

– Nil –

 

Sunday, 14 July 2019

Technology boost for Bina Hill students ─ 34 students from Regions 1, 7, 8 & 9 to benefit

Guyana– The Bina Hill Institute’s Youth Learning Centre (YLC) in Annai, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, received 10 new laptops on Friday… more

 

 

Image credits:  carterse (flickr);  WikipediaWikipediaWikipedia;