ICT Pulse Podcast

Cryptocurrencies, digital currencies and blockchain technology have gained considerable prominence in the last two to three years, and many countries across the Caribbean region have been actively exploring how they can capitalise on the opportunities such technologies afford. Gabriel Abed, one of the co-Founders of fintech firm, Bitt, and a leading voice in the digital currency evolution in the C...

In our increasingly digital world, there has been a growing vigilance by countries worldwide, including those in the Caribbean, with respect to national security. In many jurisdictions, it has resulted in the creation of agencies that have broad and deep powers to collect and retain personal data – not only on their citizens, but on anyone who gets caught their net. Attorney at law, Grace Lindo, d...

In order to achieve Internet access for all, the Internet must be affordable for all. It is a monumental challenge that requires the support and will of many actors in a country in order to achieve that goal. The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) has been tracking the progress of countries worldwide towards improved Internet affordability. In this podcast episode, we talk with Dr Dhanaraj Th...

In this Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Bianca Welds and Angus Steele, join Michele Marius to discuss: emerging innovations, the industries being disrupted and the reaction of the incumbent players; and the state of electronic (e-)waste in the Caribbean. Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found at  ICT Pulse Do subscribe...

Caribbean telecoms and ICT carriers and service providers are crucial players in individual countries, and the region as a whole, realising the benefits of being Information Societies and d digital economies. However, over the years, there have been some contentious issues, which have not been fully resolved, but neither might we be clear on basis of the positions taken by regional telecoms and IC...

"Information Security is not an IT issue, and it can never be owned by IT. It is a management issue…" but it requires everyone across an organisation to be knowledgeable and do their part. These are just a few of the insights shared by David Gittens, President of the Barbados Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association, in this interview to commemorate cybersecurity month. Learn about:...

A common cry among global software development firms looking to establish an operation in the Caribbean, is the limited availability of suitable talent in the region. However, home-grown firms also face the same challenge. Kevin Khelawan, the Chief Operating Officer of Teleios Systems, a software development firm in Trinidad and Tobago, shares some insights on the firm, but more importantly, how i...

In this Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Nerissa Golden and Alvin Augustin, along with podcast host, Michele Marius, discuss:  why content creation is key to unlocking the Caribbean digital economy; and the regulatory challenges that the Internet of Things poses in the Caribbean.   Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found...

As it relates to tech innovation, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago tend to get much of the attention, but Saint Kitts and Nevis seems to be gearing up to be an innovation powerhouse in the Caribbean region. Dr Ricardo Neil, of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, who is leading the charge in Saint Kitts, discusses the College's robotics programme, along with the other cutting-edge work that is bein...

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria decimated several Caribbean countries, but one of the worst hit was Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean. A year on, the country is still recovering. Craig Nesty, head of the Dominica telecoms regulator talks to us about the devastation experienced at the hands of Maria, especially with respect to the telecoms and ICT infrastructure; the state of the rebuilding effo...

As our world becomes more digital, security – cybersecurity, network security, information security, to name a few – are becoming increasingly crucial, especially since inevitably we tend to be several steps behind the cybercriminals. Garfield Gordon, a security expert at Cisco, updates us on some of the trends that are being observed, along with tips and recommendations that organisations can imp...

In this our latest Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Carolyn Ferguson and Kevon Swift, the panel discusses:  the plans for the switchover from analogue (free-to-air) broadcasting to digital broadcasting in Jamaica, and the state of Internet Governance initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean.   Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during th...

It is perhaps no surprise that many of us underestimate the importance of domain names and IP addresses, although they are both crucial for us to access to the various websites and online platforms we like to frequent. Albert Daniels, the Stakeholder Engagement Senior Manager for the Caribbean region, of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which manages domain names an...

The Caribbean Single ICT Space is an ambitious undertaking that will transform the region's ICT space as we know it. However, as important as that project is, most people have no idea what it is about, or what to expect. To help us get in the know, Jennifer Britton, of the CARICOM Secretariat, explains what the Single ICT Space is all about, shares with us a few of the upcoming milestones, and why...

The development of global telecoms and ICT policy and standards is the remit of several organisations, but the most important – the one that tends to have the greatest impact – is the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). However, it is somewhat surprising that even among those who pride themselves on being versed in the tech field, many are not familiar with the ITU, nor the work it has d...

In this our latest Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Ayanna Samuels, and Gerard Best, the panel discusses:  gender equity in STEM and in the ICT sector in the Caribbean;  community networks, and whether they can benefit the region; and whether the Caribbean is as ready as it says it is for innovation. Useful links to some of the things mentioned during the episode c...

Starting a business, regardless of the field, is not for the faint of heart. It requires grit, stick-to-itiveness – to not give up when the going gets tough. Jamaican tech entrepreneur, Larren Peart, of Blue Dot Data Intelligence, has been able to build a cutting edge business – bringing first-world technologies and solutions to Caribbean businesses. In our conversation with Larren, he pulls back...

Outside of Government, the use of country code top level domains (ccTLDs), such as .ag; .lc, .jm and .tt, are not popular in the Caribbean. Further many Caribbean countries do not directly manage their own ccTLDs, and so may not fully appreciate the value of that resource. One of the exceptions is Trinidad and Tobago. In this episode, we talk to Professor Patrick Hosein, of the Trinidad and Tobago...

For many people, the career path they envisaged whilst still in high school or even university, no way resembles the journey they actually experienced. Such is the case with Peter Harrison , Chairman and President of the Palisadoes Foundation, who shares his own journey from Jamaica, to living and working in Silicon Valley at some of the biggest tech companies in the world; and how he is trying to...

With over 20 countries in the Caribbean region, it is crucial as developing countries and Small Island Developing States, which inherently are disadvantaged, that we ensure that our needs and concerns are considered in the global Internet conversations, and the decisions that ultimately are made. In our conversation with Kerrie-Ann Vassall-Richards, an Advisory Council Member of ARIN, we discuss t...

A dozen years ago, the tech entrepreneurship space in the Caribbean is not like it is now. At that time, techies were considered outliers – an exotic and raggedly bunch who were trying to make their pipe dreams come true. In Jamaica, the long-sunning event Kingston BETA, organised by Ingrid Riley, created a safe space for techies to share ideas, learn and network. Fast forward to today, technology...

The classification, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which includes most Caribbean countries, has far-reaching implications with respect to not only the broad range of vulnerabilities such countries face, but also the extent to which they can be competitive. Tracy Hackshaw, a longstanding advocate for greater SIDS recognition, helps us better understand why it is so important to focus on SID...

E-commerce has become a crucial payment channel for both online and brick-and-mortar businesses, and its use is beginning to grow across the Caribbean region. More importantly, a critical element of the ecosystem that underpins an e-commerce facility is available in the Caribbean, in the form of CX Pay, an payment gateway provider located in Curaçao. In our conversation with Luis Santine, of CX Pa...

Although many an entrepreneur can have a wonderful and exciting business idea that they swear will be the next Facebook or Google, few are prepared to plunge their lifesavings to make the idea come to life. Melarka Williams of Ingenuity Technologies in Jamaica did just that – and not only lives to tell the tale, but has also created recognised tech innovation company. In our interview with Melarka...

Change can be achieved when you lead from in front, but also when you lead from behind, as is the case with CIVIC, the Caribbean ICT Stakeholders Virtual Community. Here, Michele Marius chats with the group's moderator, Yacine Khelladi, to learn how CIVIC has become such an integral part of the region's ICT/tech scene, along with his thoughts on the affordability of Internet service in the Caribbe...