A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 10 January to Sunday 16 January 2022.
Monday, 10 January 2022
CWI strikes new broadcast partnership with ESPN for 2022 season
Caribbean – Cricket West Indies (CWI) has entered a new broadcast partnership for the region with ESPN that will allow more Caribbean fans than ever to have the chance to access live coverage of the West Indies home international matches… more
SEC charges another Cayman ICO issuer
Cayman Islands – The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Australian Craig Sproule and his companies Crowd Machine, Inc. and Metavine, Inc. for making materially false and misleading statements in connection with an unregistered offer and sale of digital asset securities… more
Kaiso, kaiso goes data stream
Trinidad and Tobago – “The season is upon us, and we’ve heard nothing from the powers-that-be as to our art,” Phillips said in response to e-mailed questions about his new series of shows on WACK, which he now bills as a “visual radio station… more
Tech startups invited to join Yara Marine X accelerator program
Trinidad and Tobago – Yara Marine X opens for applications and invites technology startups to work collaboratively while addressing the urgent need to decarbonize the maritime industry… more
Tuesday, 11 January 2022
Bahamas Sees $715m Gain If ‘Infrastructure Gap’ Closed
Bahamas – The Bahamas stands to gain a $715m boost if it invests just $31m to close the “digital infrastructure gap” between itself and the world’s leading economies, a multilateral lender is arguing… more
New case study demonstrates cybersecurity skills drives economic growth
Caribbean – Dr. Dustin E. Fraser of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and native of Guyana, presented a scholarly study of how cybersecurity can be a driver for economic growth in developing nations… more
Tech Beach and Visa partner to aid Bahamian and regional startups
Caribbean – Tech Beach (TBR LAB) has announced a partnership with Visa that will allow startups and fintech companies in The Bahamas, and other islands throughout the region, to benefit from easier access to the financial systems, scalability, reliability and security insights Visa has to offer… more
Telecoms key to unlocking productivity growth in the Caribbean – IDB
Caribbean – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Monday said closing the digital access gap between the Caribbean and the more advanced economies could increase the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) by as much as 12 per cent over the medium term… more
Government intends on making further strides within the Telecommunication Sector in 2022
Dominica – The Government of Dominica says it intends on making further strides in 2022 within the Telecommunications Sector… more
C&W Business and USF connect communities to the digital highway
Jamaica – Scores of Jamaicans across the island now have access to free public internet thanks to a digital-inclusion initiative by C&W Business and the Universal Service Fund (USF)… more
JTS donates 14 tablets to Mount Airy students
Jamaica – Jamaica Trading Services (JTS) donated 14 tablets to students of the Mount Airy All-Age School in Westmoreland recently… more
From TV show to online SME platform
Trinidad and Tobago – STEPHANIE Pemberton has a mission—to nurture the next generation of the middle class… more
Nalis’ online learning series returns
Trinidad and Tobago – The National Library and Information System Authority’s (Nalis) Educational Library Services Division (ELSD) will continue its Navigating Online Learning Series in 2022… more
Smart contracts and capital markets
Trinidad and Tobago – THE New Year is still in its infancy and this week’s article focuses on an area that can be categorised as being in a similar state: smart contracts… more
Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Digital Banking Can’t Be ‘Rammed Down Throats’
Bahamas – A senior banker yesterday said the industry must adopt the “Mary Poppins with medicine” approach in encouraging more Bahamians and businesses to switch to digital transactions… more
15 Laptops to Help with Hybrid Learning
Belize – Today City Hall was the venue for a laptop handing over ceremony. Over twenty thousand Belize dollars worth of ACER devices were handed over to deserving recipients and it was an exciting moment as the donation was made possible through a sister city partnership established between Belize and Taiwan. News Five’s Duane Moody reports… more
Digital justice here to stay — Chief Justice Janice Pereira
British Virgin Islands – Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) Dame Janice Pereira has praised the efficiency and innovation of the judicial system as it continues to adapt to the era of COVID-19… more
This online nonsense doesn’t work! Skelton Cline blasts e-learning
British Virgin Islands – The real cost of keeping children out of school, even as they continue to engage in online learning, may not be something that is being properly calculated by the powers that be… more
TRC plans to change licensing rules
British Virgin Islands – A requirement to administer telecommunications businesses locally — as well as the removal of provisions for obsolete technologies like payphones — may be part of revised licensing requirements as the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission prepares to consider renewal applications for all four of the territory’s providers this year… more
COMMENTARY — Need seen for ‘skills revolution’ in region
Caribbean – It is no exaggeration to say that education has made the Caribbean what it is today… more
Get mesh platform for security
Caribbean – As networks become more complex and distributed, seeing and responding to threats has become increasingly difficult. This has led to a security sprawl that complicates management, fragments visibility, and limits the ability of organisations to respond effectively to threats… more
Let technology lead
Jamaica – There’s a mental hurdle that Jamaicans will need to overcome for us to all fully embrace that every company is a technology company… more
WiPay launches Colour Bank
Caribbean – WITH an ambition to further transform the financial and payment landscape in the Caribbean, WiPay has announced the creation of a US neobank called ‘Colour Bank’ which will launch at the end of March, and in which WiPay Jamaica is one of the holding entities… more
Cayman Islands Blockchain And Cryptocurrency Regulation 2022
Cayman Islands – Alistair Russell, Chris Duncan and Jenna Willis have authored the Cayman Islands chapter of Global Legal Insight’s fourth edition guide to blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation… more
Digicel Foundation donates $28 million to Coding in Schools programme
Jamaica – The Amber Group and Digicel are one step closer to closing the gap on STEM education, as the Digicel Foundation made a $28 million donation towards the Coding in Schools programme… more
Government Providing Internet For Schools Close To Fibre Infrastructure
Jamaica – The Government has started the onboarding of 362 schools that are in close proximity to its fibre infrastructure… more
Is the future biometric?
Jamaica – As debates around the biometric component of the national identification system (NIDS) rage on, the use of biometric data in other ways is growing in popularity… more
Manchester Southern MP wants more Wi-Fi hot spots
Jamaica – Member of Parliament for Manchester Southern Robert Chin is insisting that the Government’s target of equipping each constituency with three Wi-Fi hot spots is not enough… more
More schools connected to internet; Gov’t moves to cut digital divide
Jamaica – As the Ministry of Education pushes to get more students connected digitally, it has started what Portfolio Minister Fayval Williams has described as the “on-boarding of 362 schools that are located in close proximity to the Government’s fibre infrastructure… more
Traffic eTicketing Management System a worthwhile tool in ensuring public order – Chang
Jamaica – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang, says that he is confident that the electronic Traffic Ticket Management System (TTMS) will be a positive addition towards the transformation and modernisation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in carrying out its mandate to ensure public order and safety… more
Digicel apologises to Internet customers for disruption
Trinidad and Tobago – THOUSANDS of Digicel+ Internet customers experienced intermittent disruptions yesterday, due to a technical equipment failure… more
Digicel says internet was down due to technical issues
Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel has officially responded to reports of a series of disruptions to customers’ internet service that began early on Wednesday… more
Thursday, 13 January 2022
Greater investment in financial technologies needed
Barbados – Barbadian authorities are being urged to incorporate greater use of financial technology to help bridge the digital gap… more
8 apps to help with online learning
Caribbean – Using online tools can make navigating the online learning process a bit easier for students… more
Ávera Tech revolutionising tourism in the Caribbean through technology
Caribbean – For us, by us. That’s the philosophy at the heart of the US Virgin Islands-based tech company, Ávera Tech, which is on a mission to leverage technology to revolutionise the Caribbean tourism industry… more
Guyana remains below regional benchmark on internet use
Guyana – While the share of the Guyanese population using the internet has risen significantly it remains below the benchmark averages of Latin America and the Caribbean as a whole… more
Portmore Gardens gets free Wi-Fi hotspot
Jamaica – Residents of Portmore Gardens in St Catherine now have access to reliable Internet service as the Government continues to roll out free secured Wi-Fi hotspots across the island… more
Friday, 14 January 2022
$1.1m Donation By FTX To Benefit Agriculture
Bahamas – FTX Digital Markets announced a $1.1m donation to the newly created non-government, not-for-profit, Agricultural Development Committee… more
Department of Youth Services provides access to computers with internet service at Benque Viejo Town Hall
Belize – The Department of Youth Services is providing access to computers with internet service at the Benque Viejo Town Hall, according to the Benque House of Culture (NICH)… more
ECCB Reports Region-Wide Service Interruption Of DCash Platform
Caribbean – The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has announced an interruption in service of the DCash platform affecting all users… more
Grow by closing digital gap
Caribbean – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is trumpeting the possibility of making Caribbean economies rich by closing the digital gap… more
Dominica’s deadline for complete adoption of E-passport is now August 2022
Dominica – An original deadline given by the government of Dominica to replace the machine readable passport to the new E-passport has now been revised from July 30, 2023, to now August 30, 2022… more
Duncan arrested in cybercrime probe
Guyana – APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Sherod Duncan was yesterday arrested by the police for allegedly calling the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Information Technology (IT) Manager a ‘jagabat’ and ‘trench crappo’… more
Repeal Cybercrime Act
Guyana – Dear Editor, The Irfaan Ali administration must move to immediately repeal the Cybercrime Act of 2018. It forces the Guyana Police Force to act on any frivolous complaint and makes the Government of the day look opposed to freedom of speech… more
Beware of Email Scams – CAC
Jamaica – Jamaicans are being advised to be alert when using their email accounts… more
Jamaica Being Positioned as Caribbean Innovation Hub – PM
Jamaica – Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government is taking deliberate steps to position Jamaica as the technology and innovation hub of the Caribbean… more
Jamaicans urged to be alert for email scams
Jamaica – Jamaicans are being advised to be alert when using their email accounts… more
Government to undergo digital transformation
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Long lines and slow transaction processes at state offices may soon be a thing of the past as government prepares to invest millions into a digital transformation initiative that will usher in the conveniences of e-governance… more
Saturday, 15 January 2022
The Cybercrime bill fails to address the importance of civil liberties
Guyana – Dear Editor, Cybersecurity is an essential element in a nation-state’s national security strategy. Cybersecurity impacts the lives of each citizen in everyday activities… more
GTT issues scammer warning
Guyana – GTT on Friday urged all subscribers to be vigilant of scammers in light of the company’s recent Christmas promotion and upcoming anniversary promotion… more
GTT Linden service hit by vandals
Guyana – Investigations have revealed that a deliberate act resulted in several GTT customers being unable to access landline and mobile data service connectivity in Linden and its surrounding areas on January 14, 2022, a release from the company said today… more
Steel invades the Internet
Trinidad and Tobago – PAN lives! Even though panyards across the country have been lying dormant since the start of the pandemic, pannists from Port of Spain and Arima, Chaguanas all the way to South Trinidad are now back in action thanks to the 2022 inaugural “Jam Yuh Set In-De-Rama” competition… more
Sunday, 16 January 2022
Regularise crypto – IMF staff
Caribbean – A new paper published by a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is pointing to the need for a global cryptocurrency framework having found an increasing correlation between these assets and stocks, which raises the risk of contagion across financial markets… more
Using technology to cope with isolation, loneliness
Caribbean – COVID-19 has immensely changed the way we do things in almost every sector, healthcare included… more
$19M in CCTV systems paid for since 2015 not delivered
Guyana – Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems, commonly known as video surveillance equipment, that were purchased by the government since 2015, by the then Ministry of the Presidency, was yet to be delivered at the time of the Auditor General’s (AG) Report in 2020… more
GTT’s services in Linden, surrounding areas disrupted by vandalism
Guyana – GTT on Saturday reported the disruption of services to its customers in Linden and surrounding areas due to a deliberate act of vandalism… more
Understanding the digital wallet
Jamaica – AS digital currencies become more popular, consumers are being bombarded with new applications and features which can be used to optimise their digital experience… more
Image credits: Jon S (flickr); Wikipedia; Facebook; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Guyana Chronicle; Wikipedia
