A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 19 July to Sunday 25 July 2021.

 

Monday, 19 July 2021

Govt bonds could crowd out new crowd funding, warns Fidelity Group CEO

Bahamas – The government could be choking out its own crowdfunding initiative for small and medium-sized businesses by seeking so much financing from local capital markets, one financial expert warned… more

Nadeen Matthews Blair talks digital transformation

Jamaica – DIGITAL is the way of the future, and one way to get Jamaicans to connect with this reality is to empower them through education in order to further the island’s digital transformation… more

Digitisation continues at Town & Country Planning

Trinidad and Tobago – THE digitisation of documents has continued at the Planning and Development Ministry’s Town and Country Planning Division (TCPD) despite the current public health and state of emergency (SoE) restrictions… more

 

Tuesday, 20 July 2021

BTC first to introduce AI-driven customer care platform

Bahamas – Keeping its commitment to continuously deliver the best experience for its customers, BTC has introduced a new artificial-intelligence-driven WhatsApp virtual assistant aimed at providing customer support. The new solution is a “BTC Chatbot” that provides a number of services right in the palm of the customer’s hands… more

Sand Dollar rollout continues with successful implementation across government agencies

Bahamas – Bahamian residents will now be able to pay for government services with the new digital Sand Dollars… more

BVI’s Online Work Permit System Activated

British Virgin Islands –Employers and employees across the Territory are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with the user manual to allow for efficient and effective use of the recently launched Online Work Permit System… more

BPO sector striving despite COVID-19, says Hill

Jamaica – MINISTER without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), Senator Aubyn Hill last Friday congratulated the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector for its performance during the current novel coronavirus pandemic… more

How to Drive Jamaica’s Development and Create Opportunities with Technology

Jamaica – If you want to know how to use technology to help drive Jamaica’s development and create opportunities for yourself, then this Thursday, July 22nd is your day… more

Protecting your data in the event of a natural disaster

Jamaica – Local technology experts state that as Jamaica is susceptible to natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, it is important that businesses have a disaster recovery plan, or business continuity strategies in place… more

Digital dictation for tertiary education

Trinidad and Tobago ­– Digital access has become a make or break factor for local tertiary education institutions as the COVID-19 pandemic has dictated that most classes are now online… more

Local Government welcomes Digital Transformation

Trinidad and Tobago – The Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, Senator the Honourable Haji Kazim Hosein, hosted a meeting to chart the way forward in the Digital Transformation of Local Government… more

Microsoft supports TT’s medl with US$120,000 cloud and support grant

Trinidad and Tobago – Focusing on high-risk patients with chronic diseases, medl is a mobile application offering quick prescription medication delivery services… more

 

Wednesday, 21 July 2021

EMBRACE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN TOURISM

Barbados – Entities within the Tourism Sector are being encouraged to embrace digital transformation and to research the benefits of the process not just to themselves but also to clients and guests… more  

Cybersecurity road map – use maximum protection

Caribbean – TO mark the 9th article in the series on cybersecurity, we are recounting the critical guidance shared to ensure that our recommendations can be taken as a whole… more

Digicel to create 200 new jobs with Finance Shared Service Centre

Caribbean – AS part of its commitment to Caribbean regional development, Digicel Group announced that it has begun an evaluation process of selecting a single Caribbean market in which to base its Finance Shared Service Centre… more

Home automation — getting started

Caribbean – Is home automation a “smart” move for your home or business? We have used the terms home automation and smart home interchangeably… more

Jamericans in Technology – Making a Difference and Giving Back to Jamaica – Virtual Chat Series With Ambassador Marks on July 22nd, 2021

Jamaica – Jamaicans in the USA are once again invited to a conversation with Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Audrey Marks, for this month’s virtual Let’s Connect on Thursday, 22nd July 2021 at 7:00PM EDT… more

Digital dominance!

Jamaica – On the cusp of the pilot phase of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the Bank of Jamaica is forecasting its new digital currency “will be the preferred means of payment…in ten years from roll-out if not before”… more

John Matthew Sinclair — Making The Future Easier

Jamaica – THRILLED by the idea of creating something and solving problems with every project he was presented with, John Matthew Sinclair had his heart set on pursuing a career as an architect… more

One Caribbean — the future of tech success in the region

Jamaica – The Caribbean region as a whole is one of the most fertile regions when it comes to the potential to be extracted from technology enablement, digital transformation and tech investments… more

Digital dictation for tertiary education

Trinidad and Tobago – Digital access has become a make or break factor for local tertiary education institutions as the COVID-19 pandemic has dictated that most classes are now online… more

 

Thursday, 22 July 2021

Basic Broadband package roll out coming from APUA

Antigua and Barbuda – The Minister of Public Utilities Sir Robyn Yearwood has agreed that the Antigua Public Utility Authority will introduce a basic broadband package at a minimum of 10MBps at a rate below EC$ 100.00 per month on its Fiber to the Home service… more

Bahamas implements Sand Dollar digital currency

Bahamas – Bahamian residents will now be able to pay for government services with the new digital Sand Dollars… more

Audit found CBC website at risk of cyber attack

Cayman Islands – A heavily redacted report by the government’s Internal Audit Service about the vulnerabilities of the Customs and Border Control website said that it needed to be protected from the “growing rise of cyber attack”… more

E-Networks submarine cable to create ‘significant’ opportunities in Essequibo – President

Guyana – The landing of the E-Networks submarine fibre optic cable in Essequibo, a first for the region, is considered to be a “significant” development for the county that will create numerous opportunities for socio-economic development, job creation and wealth generation, according to President Irfaan Ali… more

Technology Innovators to Feature on Let’s Connect At 6:00 p.m

Jamaica – Using technology to drive Jamaica’s development will take centre stage at the upcoming monthly town hall meeting with Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States… more

Government Using IT For Better Physical Planning

Jamaica – The Government’s capacity to make better planning and development decisions will be improved with the launch of the National Spatial Planning Information Technology (NSPIT) platform. The NSPIT will provide reliable, accurate and updated data on distribution of people and activities… more

 

Friday, 23 July 2021

Antiguan crypto exchange closes US $900-m fund-raise

Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua and Barbuda-based cryptocurrency trading platform, FTX trading Limited, has closed a US$900- million fund-raising round, describing it as “historic”… more

URCA Demands Cable Bahamas Pull Political Ad

Bahamas – THE Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority has ordered Cable Bahamas Limited to immediately cease and desist from broadcasting a political advertisement of Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis that has been showing on its channels… more

Barbados prime minister: Caribbean must use digital technology to be competitive

Caribbean – Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has said the Caribbean has many untapped digital possibilities and opportunities that can make the region a strong competitor globally… more

Digicel Ja to pump $30b into digital deployment

Jamaica – Declaring that Digicel is back, CEO of the telecom’s Jamaica operations, Jabbor Kayumov, says the company will be investing US$200 million, or nearly $31 billion, to accelerate the build-out of infrastructure and deployment of new technology over… more

Preparing for the next wave of digital transformation

Trinidad and Tobago – At the recently concluded 12th Mansmith Market Masters Conference, we asked three seasoned marketers about the next wave of digital transformation… more

Three antenna towers installed to enhance emergency communication

Turks and Caicos Islands – The Turks and Caicos Islands has three new mobile antenna towers to ensure emergency communication is available during and swiftly after disasters… more

 

Saturday, 24 July 2021

Public Works’ Building Control implements new digital system

Bahamas – The Ministry of Public Works yesterday announced a new era of digitalization for its Buildings Control section is on the way… more

URCA orders Cable Bahamas cease and desist political ads against Opposition Leader Philip Davis

Bahamas –The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has issued an interim order mandating Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL) cease and desist its broadcast of political ads against Opposition Leader Philip Davis and the Progressive Liberal Party… more  

Agreement signed for increased wages and salaries for GTT workers

Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) and the Guyana Postal and Telecommunications Workers Union (GPTWU) on Friday signed an agreement for the increase in wages and salaries of workers… more

Global Technology awards scholarships to 10 David Rose Special School teachers

Guyana – Ten teachers from the David Rose Special School are to benefit from sponsored Computer Science scholarships from Global Technology to advance the teaching offered at the school while the company is also upgrading the school’s IT capability… more

FLOW to Provide Tech Training to Jamaican Teachers

Jamaica – Caribbean telecom firm FLOW has agreed to train as many as 1,500 Jamaican teachers in digital technology so they can teach their students online during this COVID-19 era… more

 

Sunday, 25 July 2021

Digicel urges gov’t to free up spectrum

Guyana – As it announced a rollout of state-of-the-art mobile service in Region Two, Digicel Guyana has called on the government to free up spectrum for the expansion and upgrade of its services… more

GTT commits to act based on customers’ needs

Guyana – Dear Editor, I write in response to a letter published in your newspaper on July 16, 2021 under the caption “GTT can certainly care more for their customers” by M. Abraham… more

Mahfood prioritising market access, e-commerce as new JMEA president

Jamaica – Newly elected president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association John Mahfood has set himself a goal of increasing the quantity of goods that manufacturers – particularly those producing on a smaller scale – sell to Caribbean markets… more

 

 

Image credits: Suzy Hazelwood (Pexels); Twitter; Wikipedia Commons; E-Networks; Wikipedia; Guyana Chronicle;