A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 29 July to Sunday 4 August 2019.
Monday, 29 July 2019
Global data protection seminar held in The Bahamas
Bahamas – In a first of its kind event, compliance officers met in a half-day seminar to discuss how the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is changing the way businesses source and safeguard clients’ personal information and what’s required of local banking institutions, insurance companies, investment firms and even health care facilities to remain compliant… more
Govt’s Training Focus To Underpin Tech Hub
Bahamas – The government is focusing on education and training to help build the skilled workforce necessary to underpin its technology hub ambitions, a Cabinet minister says… more
Several new tech firms approved, being considered for GB
Bahamas – New technology companies continue to show interest in Grand Bahama, Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson said on Friday, adding that four are under consideration by the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA)… more
Skilled Workforce Is ‘Critical For Tech Hub
Bahamas – Transforming Grand Bahama into a “technology hub” involves far more than attracting investors, a Cabinet minister has conceded, with developing a skilled workforce “a critical part” of its plans… more
10 students in ICT internship with MOPT company partners
Guyana – Ten students from junior secondary schools in Georgetown began a ground-breaking paid five-week internship with the four leading private sector information communication and technology (ICT) enterprises in Guyana, the Ministry of Public Telecommunications (MOPT) said Monday… more
Facial recognition technology poses risk of rights abuse
Guyana – Dear Editor, On Saturday July 27th, 2019, the media reported on a real time facial recognition and facial tracking system to be deployed for 24 hours surveillance in Georgetown and East Bank of Demerara… more
Editorial | Wary Of Israel’s Spyware
Jamaica – The electronic monitoring of motor vehicles for road-traffic management and related law-enforcement purposes is common practice in many countries… more
Health + Tech | The Value Of Change Management In IT Implementation
Jamaica – I was once on site doing an initial tour of one of our prospective information technology (IT) implementations. We had just signed the contract and so decided to do a walk-through to have a more complete view of what to expect once we got started… more
‘JUTC Wi-Fi Closely Monitored’
Jamaica – The third-party partner responsible for public Wi-Fi service on Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses is insisting that adequate safeguards are in place to block inappropriate content… more
Digital, safe and secure
Regional – Blockchain, also referred to as distributed ledger, has captured the interest of business leaders, governments, academics and tech providers across the globe… more
Tuesday, 30 July 2019
Guyana Telecommunications Market Size, Segmentation, Strategy, Share, Growth Factors, Analysis and Forecast to 2019-2025
Guyana – Guyana Telecom outlook report is a comprehensive analytical research on the Guyana’s cellular, fixed telephone and fixed broadband segments… more
Ministry strives for digital education system
Trinidad and Tobago – THE Ministry of Education expects that by early next year, the education system will be digitally transformed, in alignment with technological innovations occurring around the world… more
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Data Protection Act will ‘end abuse of digital lives’
Barbados – The days of Barbadians’ data been misused are coming to an end, Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce Dwight Sutherland, has pledged… more
Credit Master Systems Launches App
Belize The Complaint Information System, or CMS, is an essential partner in the economic growth and development of Belize… more
Disaster preparedness network bolstered, less need to rely on imperfect mobile devices
British Virgin Islands – After roughly two years of relying primarily on their mobile devices, emergency officers across some government departments now have a more resilient way of communicating in the event of a disaster… more
Automated kiosks in works for airport security
Cayman Islands – An automated kiosk system for immigration and border control is expected to be piloted for travellers entering Owen Roberts International Airport… more
Digicel launches new range of mobile plans with ‘a lot more value’
Dominica – Digicel, on Wednesday, launched a new range of mobile plans that will be giving customers a lot more value in the form of data, minutes to call other networks and unlimited Digicel calling effective Wednesday 31 July 2019… more
OUR Accused Of Overreach – Telecoms Push Back Against Some ‘Shock Bill’ Mandates
Jamaica – Jamaica’s large telecom providers have separately accused the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) of overreach and are warning that its new directives could be costly to implement, amid a push by the regulator for the sector to be more open with customers about billing practices… more
Caribbean Airlines launches mobile app
Regional – Caribbean Airlines launched the latest of its digital products, the Caribbean Airlines Mobile App, designed for use by IOS and Android devices and features an array of tools to enhance the customers’ travel experience… more
Caribbean credit unions encouraged to use technology to improve customer experience
Regional – Tectonic shifts are taking place in the financial services sector as technology-enabled innovations continue to change how customers do business… more
2019 Future Of St. Kitts and Nevis Telecommunications Market-Trends, Outlook and Growth Opportunities of Mobile, Fixed Landline and Broadband Markets
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
Thursday, 1 August 2019
Data breaches prompt cybersecurity tightening – IT expert
Barbados – With recent data breaches at banks here and a regional government, an information technology expert has warned Government and companies to pay greater attention to cybersecurity… more
Website to help you stay safe online
Barbados – Barbadians who want to stay safe while navigating the World Wide Web now have a resource to help them do so… more
Attorney launches Caseload App to improve efficiency in legal industry
Jamaica – Lawyers will get the opportunity to digitise their cases with a new mobile application called Caseload, the brainchild Ano Miller Sewell… more
USF offers second chance to unattached youth with technology programme
Jamaica – SIX hundred unattached youth will get the opportunity to restructure their lives through the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) Technology Advancement Programme (TAP), at the start of the upcoming academic year… more
Digicel T&T remains financially stable
Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel T&T is not in financial trouble and no restructuring of the company is contemplated at this point in time… more
Does TATT have teeth?
Trinidad and Tobago – THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS Authority (TATT) was set up under law with a wide mandate… more
Friday, 2 August 2019
BTC Labour Relations ‘Not Beyond Repair’
Bahamas – Union leaders say labour relations at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) are not beyond repair provided management treats the workers with “respect”… more
Belmopan can do well with technological businesses
Belize – The Belmopan Rotary Club held a meeting on Tuesday at Scotchies Belize Restaurant in Belmopan. It was a meaningful meeting since it gave members an opportunity to prepare for Belmopan Day, which has been scheduled for August 3rd at the Mae Gordon Park in Belmopan… more
Digi Signature Store Doors are Open
Belize – Belize Telemedia Limited opened its office at the newly built Mirab building on the Northern Highway…more
Joe Waight Confirms Audit of B.T.L.’s GST Payments
Belize – An audit of Belize Telemedia Limited to determine whether it owes anything in taxes to the GST Department is underway and nearing completion… more
No Jumping the Gun: Fin Sec Says BTL Audit Should be Completed Soon
Belize – Turning back now to our interview with the Financial Secretary, we also asked him about the ongoing audit by the General Sales Tax Department to determine whether or not BTL owes them taxes… more
Rochus Schreiber Knew He Would Not Remain B.T.L. C.E.O
Belize – Two days after news broke of B.T.L.’s purported multi-million dollar debt; the resignation of C.E.O. Rochus Schreiber was announced… more
Will BTL audit report shows it owes GST?
Belize – In late June, a document purportedly being (BTL VO) financials of almost thirty million dollars owing to GST by Belize Telemedia Limited was leaked to the media… more
Tougher penalties: Cybercriminals blackmailing local parents with lewd content of children
British Virgin Islands – Reporting a number of cases involving minors being blackmailed over lewd photos and videos, Premier Andrew Fahie has said the 2019 amendments to the territory’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act is proposing penalties of more than a decade in prison and/or fines of up to half-a-million dollars… more
Transforming Jamaica’s BPO Industry – Why GSS Is Needed In 2019
Jamaica – Business process outsourcing, BPO, has taken its place in the global business landscape as one of the fastest growing sectors… more
The price of digital
Jamaica – IF you are on Instagram or Facebook , I am certain you noticed the eerily real photos of friends in your feed last week. The only thing is they looked decades older… more
RBL hit with technological issues
Trinidad and Tobago – Customers of Republic Bank Limited had to endure long lines and at times could not complete their transactions as the bank was hit by ‘technological problems’ affecting its customer transactions, including mobile and Internet banking… more
Saturday, 3 August 2019
BTL CEO SPEAKS ON IMMINENT DEPARTURE
Belize – At the end of June, two years after he took over as Chief Executive Officer at BTL, and just two days after an explosive allegation that BTL owed GST $29M in unpaid taxes, the announcement came that Rochus Schreiber was department the company… more
Tech guru found temporary home in Cuba while running for president and running from trouble
Cuba – Rogue tech guru John McAfee is campaigning for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination, and his headquarters earlier this summer was a yacht at the Marina Hemingway, west of Havana… more
Huawei announces profits, backs TT digital transformation
Trinidad and Tobago – Huawei’s business has remained robust in the first half of 2019… more
Sunday, 4 August 2019
EXPOSING PERSONAL INFORMATION ONLINE RISKY
Barbados – Barbadians are being warned of the risks of exposing their personal information online… more
‘Scaling with AI’—Let the discussions begin
Jamaica– The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean (Branson Centre) in partnership with the US Embassy Kingston’s Public Affair Section kicked off the launch of their series of fireside chats with ‘Scaling with AI’ on Wednesday (July 31) at the USEmbassy in Kingston… more
To Airbnb, or not to Airbnb
Jamaica – The advent of Airbnb has brought forth countless options for the discerning individual seeking a memorable but less expensive vacation or staycation for destinations across the world… more
Yaneek Page | The Art Of Personal Branding Online
Jamaica– QUESTION: That story about how one of your readers was able to take your advice and triple her income was very inspiring. I read it and it is like my life story, without the happy ending. I am so frustrated in my current job… more
Image credits: journalismthatmatters (flickr); Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Belize Web; Wikipedia
