A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 3 February to Sunday 9 February 2020.
Monday, 3 February 2020
Caribbean AG Tells Bahamas: ‘Get Into The Digital Asset Race’
Bahamas – A former Caribbean attorney general is urging The Bahamas to “get into that race” of digital currency regulation as a means to overcome its traditional challenges with economic scale… more
Internet Gives 30% Boost For Bahamian Tourism Forecasts
Bahamas – The Bahamian tourism industry’s ability to accurately predict visitor arrivals trends increases by 30 percent if it incorporates Internet search data into its forecasts, an IMF paper has revealed… more
Gov’t urged not to allow 7MB doomed plan
Cayman Islands – A complex engineering project that has been proposed to replace sand on a stretch of Seven Mile Beach is doomed to failure and will cause even more problems, the Department of Environment has warned… more
Government to use digital economy to advance and safeguard Dominica’s future
Dominica – The government is hoping that the implementation of a Digital Economy will advance and safeguard Dominica’s future… more
Digital court registry crashes…No back-up system available
Guyana – With no backup system available, litigants and court officials alike are feeling the effects of a crash to the digital system at the registry of the Georgetown Supreme Court… more
GTT dividends to Chinese company garnished over outstanding $$ for gov’t shares
Guyana – The High Court recently ordered the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) limited, to pay over to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) the more than US$3M owed in garnishment for the outstanding sum for the sale of the government’s shareholding to a Chinese company… more
GTT promises refunds if Blaze Internet service is not up to standard
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GTT) says if it does not meet publicly-stated standards of its Blaze fibre optic internet service from February 1, 2020, customers will receive refunds… more
eGov Jamaica Prepares For Transition
Jamaica – Chief Executive Officer (CEO), eGov Jamaica Limited, Maurice Barnes, says preparation by the agency to transition into its role as the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Authority of Jamaica is in the final phase… more
MDAs urged to cooperate with eGov Jamaica’s data-gathering exercise
Jamaica – Science, Energy and Technology Minister Fayval Williams is encouraging government ministries, departments and agencies to cooperate with the data-gathering activities being undertaken by eGov Jamaica Limited in preparation for the entity’s transition to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Authority of Jamaica… more
St. Lucia to benefit from the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project
Saint Lucia – The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank has collaborated with the World Bank to formulate a program with will lead to the digital transformation of the Eastern Caribbean… more
Online renewal of business licences in the works
Turks and Caicos Islands – IN A bid to reduce long frustrating queues at the Treasury the Government is looking to introduce an online renewal system for business licences… more
Tuesday, 4 February 2020
Anguilla, with its domain name, cashes in on a quirky trend
Anguilla – The luxury resorts along serene white-sand beaches have long propped up the economy of Anguilla, a tiny British territory in the Caribbean… more
Telephone Services Management Unit not paid for major additional duties since 2017
British Virgin Islands – Since being assigned the major additional duty of processing all government utility bills roughly three years ago, the Telephone Services Management Unit (TSMU) has not been remunerated for those services… more
GOV’T EMBRACES DIGITAL SECTOR
Barbados – According to one Government official, data is the engine of life, and it is for this reason that the Government of Barbados believes that ensuring this data is protected is paramount… more
No fair answer from Digicel
Jamaica – Dear Editor, Jamaica’s leading telecommunication provider Digicel has implemented a new system applicable to their postpaid customers called the fair usage policy since November 1, 2019 without advising their customers until customers’ outcry started in mid-January 2020… more
Gallagher and RMS join to deliver innovative solutions locally
Regional – Gallagher and Risk Management Services Ltd. (RMS) will head into 2020 with an increased focus on global technology that provides accessible insurance coverage, and solutions delivered through experienced local professionals seeking their best interests… more
Wednesday, 5 February 2020
Governor delays govt’s Cyber Crime amendment due to concerns with freedom of speech and press
British Virgin Islands – Governor Augustus Jaspert has said the delay to assent the VIP government’s Computer Misuse & Cyber Crime Amendment Act of 2019 is because of a few concerns he has in the Bill surrounding freedom of speech and freedom of the press… more
Fighting financial crime with the technology that criminals use
Jamaica – “Jamaica is a hotbed for talent, but talent and classroom knowledge is not enough,” says President of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro), Diane Edwards said… more
Smartphone Apps To Boost Mental Health
Jamaica – Approximately 40 per cent of Jamaicans are facing a mental disorder, according to data published by The University of the West Indies in 2011, but the stigma and discrimination that persist cause many to be coy about seeking professional help… more
WiPay announces partnership with CaribShopper in Jamaica -tokenised WiPay IPO will reduce costs
Jamaica – Online shopping in the Caribbean is being made easier through a strategic partnership between WiPay, a technology solutions company and e-commerce outfit,and CaribShopper… more
Beware of Fraudsters
Trinidad and Tobago – TSTT wishes to advise that we are not conducting an online customer reward programme that involves completing a survey to win a mobile device. We are also not affiliated with any promotion that selects winners based on their IP addresses… more
Thursday, 6 February 2020
Telecoms Auditor Touts 12-25% Client Savings
Bahamas – A telecommunications audit specialist says its recommendations can often help Bahamians companies slash their monthly phone bill by between 12-25 percent… more
Guyana plays hardball over GTT tax dispute
Guyana – Guyana’s regulator has dismissed a proposal from Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) to settle a long-running tax dispute… more
Digicel seeks to land submarine cable
Guyana – With mere weeks to go before general and regional elections, the continuous delay of opening the telecoms sector is likely to become a hot topic… more
Cloud technology changing the face of business, says telecoms expert
Regional – Vice President of Mobile Products and Technology at Liberty Latin America, Tim Burke, affirmed that cloud technology will continue to change the face of business… more
Friday, 7 February 2020
2020 Future Of Dominica Telecommunications Market-Trends, Outlook and Growth Opportunities of Mobile, Fixed Landline and Broadband Markets
Dominica – The Dominica Telecommunications report – 8th series from OGAnalysis provides a complete view of the Dominica telecom ecosystem along with trends and growth factors shaping the future of the market… more
Digicel announces prepaid plan changes
Trinidad and Tobago – DIGICEL has announced changes to its prepaid plans in response to customer “pain-points” it has discovered in focus groups and in social media feedback… more
Saturday, 8 February 2020
Bahamas must get into the digital currency race: Former Caribbean AG
Bahamas – The Bahamas needs to step up its digital currency efforts or risk losing out to its neighbors who are moving quite fast… more
GTT is utility company with most complaints
Guyana – US-controlled Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) is the utility with the most complaints… more
Sunday, 9 February 2020
2017 PUC Report reveals… GTT admits failure to uphold license obligations
Guyana – In Part 1 of this series, Kaieteur News focused on GTT’s parent company, Atlantic Tele-Networks Inc. (ATNI) and its generation of massive profits from the Guyanese market as a result of a monopoly… more
Image credits: Andrys Stienstra (Pixabay); Guyana Chronicle; Wikipedia; Trinidad and Tobago Newsday; Wikipedia
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