ICT Pulse Podcast

The French territory of Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean region, is one that many of us know very little about generally, and even more so with respect to telecommunications and ICT. In the spirit of fostering greater awareness of our Caribbean neighbours, which could lead to opportunities for collaboration and strategic partnerships, Betty Fausta, of Guadeloupetech, provides some preliminary insight...

As businesses and countries worldwide position themselves to leverage the Internet economy, that economy is changing. In its latest Global Internet Report, the Internet Society examines the extent to which consolidation of the Internet economy has been occurring. In our discussion with Carl Gahnberg, of the Internet Society, we discuss the key findings of the report, and possible implications for...

Building software solutions that truly work is a challenge at the best of times. We talk with Dennison Daley and Manish Valechha of software development firm, Rovika, which is in Montserrat, where the population is less than 5,500. The duo seem to be punching above their weight, as they have been developing software applications that are being used by the Montserrat and British Virgin Islands Gove...

In recognition of efforts worldwide and across the Caribbean to promote Girls in ICT, and in particular, the Caribbean. Girls. Hack suite of activities, which started since April, we discuss the meaningful inclusion of girls and women in ICT with; Nicole Pitter Patterson of Caribbean. Girls. Hack; Loly Gaitán of the EQUALS Global Partnership; and Naomi Falkenburg, of the International Telecommunic...

In this our May 2019 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Claire Craig and Matthew Cowan, the panel discusses the ride-sharing/ride-hailing business model, popularised by companies, such as Uber. Can it complement the public transport system in the Caribbean, and what might be its social impact?   Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode...

The ultimate goal of telecoms/ICT regulation is to foster the economic and social development of a country. However, focussing on competition, infrastructure and prices might not be in enough. In our interview with Apollo Knights, of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, he discusses the activities the Commission has implemented, to help foster...

Perhaps thanks to people such as Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, we tend to think of innovation in terms of big, revolutionary ideas that come about maybe one or twice in a lifetime. Lorenzo Hodges of innovation strategy firm, Plain White Table, begs to differ. In this episode, Lorenzo discusses how innovation can be systematised in organisations, plus critical elements that must be in place in orde...

In this Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Shoshannah Richards and Rishi Maharaj, the panel discusses:  electronic health records and disaster resilience; and individuals' right to digital privacy and data protection. Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found at   www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/ Do subscribe and leave us...

Business intelligence, like data analytics, have become buzz words in today's workplace. But very few truly understand how to leverage business intelligence as a strategic tool. Raquel Seville of BI Brainz is of the view that every organisation should be applying business intelligence. She gives us a primer on the topic, and shares some advice to help small, through to large enterprises, to better...

As much as we might be tired of hearing about it, online threats and cybersecurity have become essential considerations in the digital space. Continuing with our longstanding Expert insight series, we discuss with Sean Slattery, of Caribbean Solutions Lab, some of the latest developments in the threat landscape, along with what Caribbean end-users and organisations can do to better manage those da...

Although the Caribbean region has made considerable strides in ensuring access to ICTs, e-commerce has remained woefully underdeveloped, which in turn has hindered tech entrepreneurship and innovation. The payment gateway, WiPay, is being seen as offering a much-welcomed e-commerce solution. In this episode, we chat with Aldwyn Wayne, WiPay Founder and CEO, on how WiPay has been able to achieve wh...

In this Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Liselle Yorke and Ian Mitchell, the panel discusses:  what will it take to go digital in the Caribbean; and the limited access to ICT tenders and projects by regional independent consultants, contractors, and service providers. Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found at   www.ict-...

At the best of times, and even for experienced entrepreneurs, starting a business is a gamble and fraught with challenges. At just 28 years old, and having started the online testing platform, EduFocal, seven years ago, Gordon Swaby is one of the few Caribbean tech entrepreneurs who has experienced considerable success in a relatively short space of time. In this podcast episode, we discuss his ro...

Although we might deny it, many of us are intensely attached to our smartphone, and spend way too much time online or on social media. Although not formally recognised as a disease, digital addiction is a growing area of concern – even in the Caribbean. Clinical neuropsychologist, Dr Rodney Stewart, sheds some light on digital addition: key signs and symptoms of which we should be aware; its conne...

At one time or another, we all get brilliant ideas for a business, or a solution to a problem; but very few of us actually have the interest, or the passion, to pursue it. The situation can be even more daunting if you would have to work in a field in which you have little or no expertise. Linda Dias, the Chief Architect for the Government of Montserrat, recently launched a booking entertainment s...

A few years ago, Open Data was one of the concepts that appeared to be driving innovation across the Caribbean region, but it seems to have disappeared off our radar. Dr Maurice McNaughton, of the University of West Indies, who has been actively involved in Open Data initiatives across the region, helps us to get to the bottom of what happened to Open Data in the Caribbean, and whether it can be r...

In this Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Nerissa Golden and Steven Williams, the panel discusses:  leveraging technology to increase job opportunities; and the opportunities and threats to the Caribbean ICT skills market, given the dynamics of a Big Data-driven world.   Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found at   www.ic...

Intellectual property and Intellectual Property Protection (IPP) are considered important inputs into the ICT/tech innovation space, which is still underdeveloped in the Caribbean. Attorney at law, Grace Lindo, gives us a quick primer on IPP, and using some examples from Jamaica, she highlights some of the challenges of the current framework, which can hinder ICT/tech innovation.   Show notes and...

Net neutrality continues to be a regulatory issue that has not been decisively resolved globally, or in the Caribbean. However, last year, the Bahamas sought to establish a policy position on the matter. We discuss that process and the final outcome with Stephen Bereaux, CEO of the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) in the Bahamas, plus the country's regulatory environment, and...

Innovation has become one of the big buzzwords in the digital age, with organisations, and even countries, aspiring to be 'more innovative'. But what does that mean and what can we do to better nurture and, ultimately leverage innovation? Based on his illustrious career in Engineering and in Education, Professor Patrick Hosein will be sharing his thoughts on education, innovation, and how innovati...

In this first Community Chat for the year, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Allison James and Steve Spence, the panel discusses: the risks and rewards of the Single Window Platform; and internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and whether or not they can Improve the business case for more data centres in the Caribbean.     Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the epi...

It should perhaps come as no surprise that blockchain, cryptocurrency, digital currency, along with other fintech products and services, are still looming large across the Caribbean region. To continue the conversation we started towards the end of 2018, but from a different perspective, and in our first interview for 2019, we discuss the fintech initiative in Barbados that is being spearheaded by...

Although the word 'entrepreneur' might sound sexy, in fact, it is anything but that. Entrepreneurs tend to face several challenges that can bring them to their knees, and even to give up. Barbadian entrepreneur, Khalil Bryan, shares is own journey – the blood sweat and tears, along with the passion, positivity and persistence – which has in resulted Caribbean Transit Solutions, and which may soon...

With 2018 coming to a close, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Ingrid Riley and Yacine Khelladi, the Community Chat panel discusses the ICT/tech trends and developments that have emerged, and those it had hoped would have gained more traction, over the past year.   Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found at  ICT Pulse Do subscribe and le...

Although Caribbean countries have been implementing e-government projects for well over a decade, generally, citizens still complain about how difficult and time-consuming it is to interact with Government. Bernadette Lewis, the Secretary General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, tells us why that is the case, and instead of e-government, why the region should be focussing on migrating to...