A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 30 March to Sunday 5 April 2020.
Monday, 30 March 2020
Distance education soon available
Haiti – The Ministry of National Education informs educational agents in particular and the population in general, that it is finalizing the establishment of a digital platform of Educational Resources and Learning to allow students to continue to take distance courses in the basic and secondary programs… more
Digicel to Enter 30-day Grace Period on Interest Payments
Regional – Digicel Group Limited (“Digicel”) today announced that arising from ongoing constructive and consensual discussions with some of its largest debtholders… more
Tuesday, 31 March 2020
More than 20,000 public students registered for virtual education platform
Bahamas – Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd indicated yesterday that they are still unaware how many students don’t have access to its Virtual Learning Education due to lack of devices or access to services… more
Networks can handle increased traffic
Barbados – Management of the two major telecommunication companies in Barbados are giving assurances they have the Internet capacity to accommodate the large number of employees and students who have migrated from business to home networks… more
BVI students to benefit from free online study programme
British Virgin Islands – Students across the British Virgin Islands will have free access to Flow’s Study programme until June 15… more
Flow blames vandals for service disruption to thousands of customers
Jamaica – Flow has blamed vandals for the recent disruption in service to thousands of customers in St. Catherine and St. James… more
Jamaica’s regulator promoting infrastructure sharing
Jamaica – Jamaica’s telecom sector remains propped up by the mobile sector, which accounts for 82% of internet connections as well as 88% of voice lines… more
CANTO Launches Task Force to Join the COVID-19 Fight
Regional – CANTO has joined forces in the fight against the COVID-19 crisis by establishing the “CANTO Covid19 Task Force” to support the industry, engage Governments and Regulators and share best practices during this global pandemic… more
CARIBBEAN DIGITALLY UNPREPARED FOR COVID-19
Regional – Therese Turner-Jones, General Manager, Caribbean Country Department, Inter-American Develop-ment Bank (IDB), is of the belief that the region is not ready to operate in a virtual state… more
NIC accepts filing of benefit claims electronically
Saint Lucia – The National Insurance Corporation (NIC) recognizes that we are living in unprecedented and uncertain times and organizations are faced with many difficult but necessary decisions to ensure the well-being of their employees and customers… more
WiPay, MasterCard roll-out online payment
Trinidad and Tobago – MASTERCARD, the American network payment processing giant, has signed a multimillion dollar, multi-year and multi-country non-equity investment in T&T’s WiPay, which will lead to the roll-out of a new virtual card by the end of April… more
Wednesday, 1 April 2020
GTT closing stores from April 1
Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) will close all its stores from today, as part of efforts to ensure the health and safety of customers and staff amidst the growing threat from the Covid-19 pandemic… more
E-signatures and e-contracts in the ‘working remotely’ age
Jamaica – Globally, many brick and mortar enterprises are shutting their physical office doors due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This has forced employees of these businesses to transition to the new norm of working remotely… more
NCB Moves Transactions To Digital Channels, Waives More Fees
Jamaica – National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB) says it has moved to further reduce face-to-face transactions as part of efforts to observe social distancing, self-quarantine and other measures to stem the spread of COVID-19… more
A&B students among thousands to benefit from free virtual learning platform
Regional – Pupils aged five to 18 in Antigua and Barbuda who are enrolled in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools are among more than 130,000 students across the Caribbean to benefit from the Flow Study programme free of charge until June 15… more
As COVID-19 hits, Digicel may be unable to repay debt due this year, Fitch believes
Regional – The internationally acclaimed rating agency Fitch is expressing the view that Caribbean telecoms giant Digicel may be unable to repay debt due this year, even as it gets a 30-day grace period for interest payments on US$2.9 billion worth of debt… more
COVID-19 and the Caribbean Internet
Regional – With COVID-19 disrupting business and information technology systems worldwide, a new suite of webinars is offering participants real-time understanding of the challenges, solutions and best practices to address ongoing changes to network services and digital services delivery… more
COVID-19 pressures Digicel
Regional – The internationally acclaimed rating agency Fitch is expressing the view that Caribbean telecoms giant Digicel may be unable to repay debt due this year, even as it gets a 30-day grace period for interest payments on US$2.9 billion worth of debt… more
Digicel Announces Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations
Regional – Digicel Group Two Limited (“DGL Two” and, together with its subsidiaries, “Digicel”) today announced the commencement, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in two confidential offering memoranda dated the date hereof (the “Offering Memoranda”), of offers to exchange existing debt of Digicel Limited (“DL”) DGL.. more
Digicel Continues to Engage in Discussions Regarding Potential Exchange Offers
Regional – Digicel Group Limited (“Digicel”) today announced that it has been engaged in discussions with certain debtholders regarding potential transactions (the “Transactions”) involving exchanges of existing debt of entities in the Digicel Group for new securities to be issued by existing and newly formed entities in the Digicel Group… more
Cable & Wireless’ Business Operations Advisory
Saint Kitts and Nevis – Dear Valued Customer, At Cable and Wireless we are here to work with you to provide business continuity during this unprecedented time resulting from COVID-19… more
FLOW gets SEA students ready with pennacool.com
Trinidad and Tobago – In preparation for the Secondary Extrance Assessment (SEA) exam, pennacool.com, sponsored by internet provider Flow, will launch its series of online practice tests on Thursday… more
Thursday, 2 April 2020
Digital strategy needed for new business environment
Bahamas – The nationwide lockdown has exposed the lack of a digital strategy for many companies that are now facing difficulties today because of the sudden change in the way they now have to conduct business in this new environment, Chairman and CEO of Kanoo Keith Davies said yesterday… more
Online Delivery Firm In 60% Demand Rise
Bahamas – A Bahamian online delivery service yesterday said it has seen a 60 percent increase in demand following the COVID-19 country-wide lockdown and closure of many businesses… more
Ministry of Education continues work on online platform
Barbados – The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT) is working to implement the online education platform G Suite for Education for the scheduled beginning of Term 3 on April 14… more
Telecom providers urged to not cut customers’ phones
British Virgin Islands – Telecommunication companies in the Virgin Islands have been told by Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) to not disconnect the telephone or mobile services of any customer during this curfew period… more
BUSINESS BYTE: KFC launches Click & Collect Ordering
Dominica – KFC Dominica is set to launch a new innovative online platform which allows our customers to order their favorite KFC meals, either for in-store pick up or delivery… more
Free mobile services for healthcare workers during COVID-19 fight – GTT
Guyana – Healthcare workers, the brave individuals on the frontline of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana, are to benefit from free mobile services, compliments of GTT. This will last until the COVID-19 battle is over…more
Fitch Ratings downgrades Digicel for missed interest payments
Regional – Fitch Ratings has downgraded Digicel Group following the suspension of interest payments on some of its debt… more
Friday, 3 April 2020
BTC Enjoys ‘Uptick’ In Internet Demand
Bahamas – The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday confirmed it has seen an increase in broadband Internet subscriptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Govt: E-Commerce Critical To Recovery
Bahamas – The government yesterday said its draft e-commerce policy is now being shared with industry stakeholders as a critical element in “accelerating” the country’s post COVID-19 recovery… more
Digicel: The preferred internet provider of the gov’t of Dominica
Dominica – The government of Dominica has partnered with Digicel to ensure that all citizens have access to telecommunications services… more
Digicel’s Denis O’Brien in billion dollar debt-restructuring plan
Jamaica – The Irish Times newspaper has reported that businessman Denis O’Brien may end up handing over 49 per cent of his Digicel phone empire under a complicated debt-restructuring plan aimed at creditors writing off US$1.7 billion of what they are owed… more
Innovate 10X: A Different Kind Of Tech Company
Jamaica – TWO-YEAR-OLD TECH company Innovate 10X is putting the finishing touches on a digital platform for the buying, selling and renting of commercial and residential property including e-commerce capabilities, for launch within this quarter… more
Digicel Negotiating New Debt Plan With Creditors, Delays Interest Payments
Regional – TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY Digicel Group announced a halt to interest payments to bondholders for 30 days, which led the rating agency Fitch to downgrade its bonds to ‘C’… more
O’Brien may pull off $1.7bn Digicel debt write-off – but at what cost?
Regional – Denis O’Brien scrapped a $2 billion (€1.85 billion) initial public offering of his Digicel phone group 4½ years ago, baulking at the prospect of handing over more than 50 per cent of his empire to stock market investors… more
CANTO 2020 – Cancellation of Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition
Regional – CANTO has been monitoring the global impacts of the COVID-19 virus and the resulting uncertainty about when it will end. As such, the decision was taken to cancel the Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition scheduled for July 2020 in order to minimize the risk of contagion amongst conference delegates… more
Students Across Caribbean to Benefit from Virtual Learning Platform
Regional – Over 130,000 kindergarten, primary and secondary school students across the Caribbean will benefit from the Flow Study program FREE of charge from now through June 15, according to The Cable and Wireless Charitable Foundation (CWCF) in partnership with Flow and One on One Educational Services Limited… more
Saturday, 4 April 2020
Broadcasting Authority praises media
Barbados – Traditional media have come in for high praise from the Barbados Broadcasting Authority (BBA) for their role in informing and educating Barbadians about the novel coronavirus COVID-19… more
DIGICEL RECONNECTS CUSTOMERS
Barbados – Digicel Barbados customers who were disconnected yesterday because of overdue bills should be back in service… more
Flow appeals to ‘heartless’ vandals amidst COVID-19 crisis
Jamaica – TELECOMMUNICATIONS firm Flow is again appealing to criminals to cease the senseless acts of theft and vandalism being levelled against its operations, even as the nation grapples with meeting the needs of customers with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis… more
Sunday, 5 April 2020
GTT asks staffers to take pay cut
Guyana – The biggest telecoms company in Guyana has asked workers to take a pay cut amid measures to battle the COVID-19 pandemic… more
Digicel brokers deal to reduce debt
Jamaica – REGIONAL telecoms giant Digicel has brokered a deal, which — if accepted by all its bondholders — could result in significant reductions in its mounting international debt, which currently stands at US$7 billion… more
Image credits: Bernard Goldbach (flickr); Facebook; Brands of the World; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Facebook
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