A roundup of the latest ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region for the period Monday 12 December to Sunday 18 December 2022.
Monday, 12 December 2021
FTX liquidators being ‘frustrated’
Bahamas – FTX Bahamas’ liquidators on Friday filed an emergency motion asking a Delaware bankruptcy judge for access to certain electronic records related to FTX Digital’s property and financial affairs… more
Former FTX CEO arrested
Bahamas – Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was arrested by local authorities today, according to a statement from Attorney General Ryan Pinder… more
The tech Christmas gift advisory
Trinidad and Tobago – GETTING A Christmas gift for a technology-obsessed loved one is a challenge. I know this, because the household management read the tea leaves and gave up decades ago… more
Tuesday, 13 December 2021
AG: ‘No go’ for $100m FTX Bahamian returns
Bahamas – The Attorney General last night denied that he or any government official gave permission for FTX’s now-arrested founder to violate a freeze order by returning $100m in assets to 1,500 purported “Bahamian” clients… more
Bahamas battles for control over $256m FTX properties
Bahamas – A major legal battle was brewing last night for control of $256.3m worth of Bahamian real estate assets as FTX’s local liquidators sought to extract them from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the US… more
Bringing public health to the digital age
Bahamas – The COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on our lives and on our societies. It has also reinforced the power and potential of digital technologies to advance public health… more
Digital pass to drive jitney unity for 90k
Bahamas – Digital technology was yesterday hailed as a key element in driving New Providence’s jitney industry towards the long-promised unified transportation system through an initiative that will launch in early 2023… more
EDITORIAL: Questions remain after FTX founder’s arrest
Bahamas – THE news of the arrest of Sam Bankman-Fried’s arrest feels as if it has been both inevitable and strangely overdue… more
FTX founder in Bahamas court
Bahamas – Police this morning brought FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt at the Magistrate’s Court on South Street in Nassau… more
Magistrate to rule on whether to grant bail to SBF
Bahamas – Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt this afternoon heard arguments on whether to grant bail to FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried… more
New FTX CEO to testify at US House committee hearing today
Bahamas – FTX’s absence of corporate controls for a company its size continues to be a central theme in the understanding of how the company collapsed… more
SBF arrested
Bahamas – Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, whose billion-dollar company went bust last month, was arrested late yesterday, Attorney General Ryan Pinder announced… more
SBF contesting extradition
Bahamas – FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), who appeared in a Magistrate’s Court this morning on a provisional warrant of arrest for extradition to the United States, is contesting the extradition… more
TRC renews licenses of telecoms providers
British Virgin Islands – Four telecommunications licences, namely unitary licences, were recently renewed by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of the Virgin Islands… more
Tech Talk: A ‘huge error’ shutting down CARIFS
Caribbean – The shutting down of the Caribbean Integrated Financial Services Inc. or CARIFS system was a huge error on the part of financial institutions in Barbados… more
E-Networks rebrands as ENet – “Your Everything Network”
Guyana – E-Networks on Monday announced that it has rebranded and shall now be called ENet as it prepares to make major moves in the telecommunications sector… more
Gov’t to create cybersecurity authority and academy
Jamaica – Minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister Floyd Green said the Government is in the process of creating a cybersecurity authority and academy as it moves to accelerate its digital transformation agenda and strengthen its capacity to address rising incidence of cybersecurity breaches… more
Wednesday, 14 December 2021
Aliv and Sun Cash launch new digital wallet and loyalty app
Bahamas – Aliv and Sun Cash have officially launched a new wallet called Lotus, that includes payment processing and a loyalty app for both consumers and small businesses… more
EDITORIAL: The fall of Sam Bankman-Fried
Bahamas – IT is a remarkable fall from grace. In a matter of weeks, Sam Bankman-Fried has gone from living in a luxury penthouse to finding himself in a Fox Hill prison cell… more
FTX liquidators seek to have Chapter 11 petition dismissed
Bahamas – FTX Bahamas’ liquidators are seeking the dismissal of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition of FTX Property Holdings, which purchased over $250 million worth of real estate in The Bahamas… more
FTX spotlight on Bahamas again
Bahamas – The eyes of the world are refocused on The Bahamas as the saga of the fall of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which was headquartered in The Bahamas, and its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, gets ever more complicated… more
FTX’s US chief hits PM, AG over ‘total stonewall’
Bahamas – FTX’s new US chief has accused the Prime Minister and Attorney General of “a complete stonewall” over his push for The Bahamas to embrace the US legal system as the primary venue for solving the collapsed crypto exchange’s woes… more
New FTX CEO: Bahamas is not transparent
Bahamas – FTX CEO John Ray III said the Chapter 11 process in Delaware is the only clear option that gives visibility to customers about what happened to the fallen crypto giant and a chance to recoup their money, as he lambasted the process in The Bahamas as not transparent… more
SBF deal with Deltec chief’s US bank ‘highly irregular’
Bahamas – FTX’s new US chief yesterday confirmed he is probing a “highly irregular” transaction with Bahamas links where Sam Bankman-Fried’s hedge fund paid an “off the charts” sum to buy into a small American bank… more
SBF indicted by SEC
Bahamas – The United States Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday charged former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried with defrauding investors of the Bahamas-headquartered cryptocurrency giant… more
SCB addresses new FTX CEO’s ‘misstatements’
Bahamas – Addressing what it referred to as misstatements made by new FTX Group Chief Executive Officer John Ray, the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB) yesterday said it finds it disturbing that Ray’s filings and communications continue to wrongfully confuse the government of The Bahamas, the SCB and the joint provisional liquidators (JPLs) as one… more
SEC complaint alleges Bankman-Fried orchestrated scheme to defraud investors of billions for speculative investments and to grow crypto empire
Bahamas – The US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged disgraced former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried with orchestrating a scheme to defraud investors of billions of dollars which he diverted to his Alameda Research crypto hedge fund for his own personal benefit and to help grow his crypto empire… more
Securities Commission slams new FTX CEO over “key misstatement”
Bahamas – The Securities Commission has once again taken issue with statements by new FTX CEO John Ray III, stating that he appears intent only on making headlines and advancing “questionable agendas”… more
‘Shut down’ on FTX $300m Bahamas assets safeguard
Bahamas – FTX’s Chapter 11 chief yesterday alleged to the US Congress that efforts to obtain “clarity” over the Securities Commission’s action to safeguard $300m in client assets had been “shut down” by The Bahamas… more
Abergower expansion plan after Barbados deal
Caribbean – Digital scanning specialist Abergower is looking to expand throughout the Caribbean following a successful Scottish trade mission to Barbados… more
UAE to train 150,000 Guyanese in coding; Pres. Ali offers CARICOM similar opportunity
Guyana – Guyana, with assistance from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will be training at least 150,000 Guyanese school children in coding for Information Communications Technology (ICT), and President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday said he would be pushing for students in sister-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states to also get similar trading… more
Flow gives helping hand as Bucknor seeks change for the better
Jamaica – Famed US author and teacher Margaret Wheatley once said, “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” This sentiment embodies the vision of the Bucknor Concerned Citizens Benevolent Society (BCCBS) that has been seeking change through youth empowerment and digital literacy… more
Full speed ahead with NIDS
Jamaica – PRIME Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday assured Jamaicans that the Government has embarked on a zero-fail mission to ensure effective execution of the national identification system (NIDS)… more
Jamaica recognised for digital connectivity cooperation with US, EU
Jamaica – JAMAICA was one of two countries worldwide, along with Kenya, to be recognised for its close cooperation with the United States and the European Union (EU) on digital connectivity… more
Paymaster awaits permit
Jamaica – Digicel Financial Services, a subsidiary arm of Digicel Group, is seeking to expand services under its MyCash unit, including the addition of international money transfers in Jamaica through Paymaster… more
Thursday, 15 December 2021
Answers needed to critical questions in FTX saga
Bahamas – With the ongoing fallout of FTX’s collapse, it could be a long while before we get answers to critical questions… more
ArawakX calls for Whistleblower Act amid FTX collapse
Bahamas – Crowdfunding platform ArawakX has renewed its call for a Whistleblower Act, along with the strengthening of the regulatory power of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas and The Central Bank of The Bahamas, the company said in a statement… more
Cable Bahamas to pay dividend of $0.06 per ordinary share
Bahamas – Cable Bahamas Limited (CBL) revealed in a statement on Tuesday that the company will pay a dividend of $0.06 per ordinary share by the end of the year. This is the first time in a number of years the company has declared a dividend payout for ordinary shareholders… more
Cleare says SBF in ‘good spirits’ at prison
Bahamas – Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX, is “in good spirits” after spending his first night at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS), Acting Commissioner of Corrections Doan Cleare said yesterday… more
Commission ‘cannot condone’ FTXs $100m Bahamas payout
Bahamas – A Delaware bankruptcy judge was yesterday told that the Securities Commission’s vehement rejection of Sam Bankman-Fried’s Bahamian creditor preferential payout plan proves there was no “collusion” with the FTX founder… more
FROM FTX TO PRISON AS BAIL DENIED: Sam Bankman-Fried remanded in custody until February court date
Bahamas – DISGRACED former FTX CEO Samuel Bankman-Fried was denied bail by Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt and remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) until his next court appearance in February… more
‘FTX BAHAMAS CHIEF CONFESSED TO FRAUD’: Securities Commission director says admission led to liquidation move
Bahamas – The head of FTX’s Bahamian subsidiary sparked an “urgent” police probe into possible criminal misconduct when he confessed to local regulators about the misuse of multi-billion dollar client funds… more
Mitchell again suggests FTX firestorm overblown
Bahamas – Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell opined once again yesterday that the collapse of FTX and the ensuing scrutiny over The Bahamas, where FTX was based, does not pose any significant harm to the jurisdiction and much of the commentary over the matter has been overblown… more
‘No special treatment for FTX founder in prison’
Bahamas – ACTING Commissioner of Corrections Doan Cleare said former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is getting no preferential treatment in prison, adding that “all inmates are treated equally”… more
PM defends Bahamas amid int’l attacks over FTX
Bahamas – Amid the ongoing fallout of the collapse of FTX, Prime Minister Philip Davis said yesterday it is “mind-boggling” that people are arguing that The Bahamas does not have a well-regulated industry for digital assets… more
Rolle’s letter to police chief revealed in court documents
Bahamas – In a November 9 letter to Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander, Executive Director of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas Christina Rolle advised that FTX Digital Chairman Ryan Salame had informed the commission that clients’ assets held by the company were transferred to Alameda Research and called on police to investigate FTX Digital… more
QEH services impacted by cybersecurity incident
Barbados – The extent of Tuesday’s cybersecurity incident at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) continues to emerge, with the healthcare institution being forced to temporarily halt appointments in its Radiology Department, stop dispensing medication for new prescriptions at outpatient clinics and Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), and pause home delivery of medications… more
5 reasons your brand needs a podcast
Caribbean – Many people have begun asking whether they should start a podcast, but have been on the fence about whether they should seriously pursue it… more
Cyber criminals attack conglomerate
Caribbean – The Massy Group says that on two occasions earlier this year, cyber criminals attacked the company’s systems. However, the regional company says its teams are working vigorously to ensure its data is secure from future attacks… more
DeliverMeTT creator steps up service to commuters
Trinidad and Tobago – Ida Marie Thomas, creator of the rideshare app DeliverMeTT, first had the idea for the app after being at her job at Telecommunication Services of TT (TSTT) for 27 years. She gained experience in customer service, logistics and project management… more
Friday, 16 December 2021
Bid for bail by lawyers for FTX’s founder
Bahamas – LAWYERS for former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried have filed a bail application in the Supreme Court, after the disgraced businessman was sent to prison on Tuesday… more
Fears FTX ‘a game changer’ for financial services sector
Bahamas – FTX could be “a game changer” for the Bahamian financial services industry’s growth prospects, a well-known businessman warned yesterday, with the country facing “severe attack” over its implosion… more
FTX & insider trading
Bahamas – EDITOR, The Tribune. #I believe that we first heard that FTX computers had been hacked. Then we heard that the Bahamas Government took custody of some of the FTX Assets and that was refined down to the Securities Commission had put them in Cold Storage for safe keeping… more
‘Learn from FTX collapse’
Bahamas – THE collapse of FTX serves as a crucial learning lesson and an opportunity to fight for the reputation of the country, according to representatives of the Organization for Responsible Governance… more
SBF GRANTED BAIL HEARING FOR JANUARY 2023
Bahamas – SBF granted bail hearing for January 2023… more
“We will survive”: Mitchell says FTX failure will not weigh on country’s ability to do business
Bahamas – Global discussions, speculation and accusations of corruption surround the FTX debacle, in the country along with opposition members calling for transparency from the government on the issue, where a billion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange collapsed, its owner filed for bankruptcy and was arraigned then remanded until next February… more
UNICEF & DigiWallet Partner to Provide Cash Transfers to Vulnerable Families
Belize – Today, UNICEF Belize and DigiWallet Limited formally signed off on a contract signalling the modernized provision of cash transfers to beneficiaries as part of social assistance… more
Guyana, UAE partner on coding initiative
Guyana – The Government of Guyana has partnered with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to launch the Guyana Coders Initiative (GCI), as the administration moves to transform the nation into a hub for Information and Communications Technology (ICT)… more
Residents of Veryvine, Vermont now have improved telecomms access
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Residents in Veryvine, a community in the Vermont Valley now improved telecommunications access after the launch of a project this week specifically targetting their community… more
Saturday, 17 December 2022
FTX UPDATE: SBF to drop extradition fight, sources say
Bahamas – Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried will appear in court on Monday for a hearing to reverse his decision to fight extradition to the United States, Eyewitness News can confirm… more
TSTT sending me to take memory pills
Trinidad and Tobago – THE EDITOR: My telephone landline billing cycle is the third of every month. This means that if the bill date is November 3, I have until December 2 to pay the balance… more
Sunday, 18 December 2022
Having opposed the Cyber Crime Act, the PPP/C Gov’t should immediately repeal it
Guyana – Dear Editor, I support Government’s efforts to remove vendors and their unsightly stalls at all roadsides, the Hospitals, and along Regent Streets where they sell right in front of the stores of established businesses… more
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