ICT Pulse Podcast

In our third Expert Insights update for 2022, Cybersecurity Consultant, David Gittens shares his thoughts on, among other things: key trends in the current threat landscape; the Conti ransomware and what Caribbean countries can learn from the Costa Rican experience; what does Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) mean; and the top three things businesses should be doing in 2022 to improve their network/I...

With Sébastien Celestine, of GuadeloupeTech, and Emmanuel Joseph, of LAKOUDIGITAL and MartiniqueTech, we discuss tech entrepreneurship in the French Caribbean. Some of the areas we examine are: the tech entrepreneurship landscape in Guadeloupe and Martinique;  t he investor landscape; and what could be done to foster greater collaboration between tech entrepreneurs in the French and the English-sp...

Continuing our Fintech in the Caribbean series, and with Dr. Jan Schröder of CaribCoin, and Rodney Taylor of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, we discuss fintech in the region, the opportunities and challenges that exist, along with on digital currencies, CBDCs and CaribCoin, a regional stablecoin that is currently being developed, which has the potential to transform trade and the wider Car...

Continuing with our Fintech in the Caribbean series, we are focussing on fintech in Trinidad and Tobago, with Maria Daniel, President of the FinTech Association of Trinidad and Tobago. In our conversation, Maria:  highlights the Association and discusses the state of fintech in Trinidad and Tobago, key challenges that have been hindering fintech development; and where she would like to see fintech...

In our May 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Liselle Yorke and Lianne McNaughton, the panel discusses:   *  the growing impact of ransomware attacks in the Caribbean; and   *  agile and servant leadership, and the critical role they play in creating healthy and high performing teams and cultures.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mention...

Starting and running a business is a test in resilience, and learning how to overcome the inevitable challenges that will emerge. Monique Powell, Founder and CEO of QuickCart, an e-commerce and logistics provider in Jamaica, shares, among other things:   *  her entrepreneurial journey;     *  how she navigated the e-commerce-related challenges that most start-ups and MSMEs in the Caribbean region...

We are starting a deep dive into the Caribbean tech start-up and entrepreneurship ecosystem. With Selwyn Cambridge, the Founder and Executive Director of TEN Habitat in Barbados, and Anuskha Varsha Sonai, the President of Creative Tech Hub Caribbean in Suriname, we discuss, among other things:   *  the tech entrepreneurship landscape in their respective countries;    *  the biggest challenge that...

In our April 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Simone Pasmore and Robert Forrester, the panel discusses:   *  The cost of web and app development, what should one expect; and   *  Access, the Holy Grail of ICT Development in the Caribbean region.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found at  ICT Pulse Po...

To commemorate our 200 th episode, the tables are turned, and Ingrid Riley of SiliconCaribe interviews Michele Marius, Host and Producer of the ICT Pulse Podcast. They discuss, among other things: the beginnings of the ICT Pulse Podcast; Is there really a 'Digital Caribbean'; and How can Caribbean governments better support tech entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.   The episode, show no...

The traditional commercial banks are the bedrock of countries' financial services sector, but they seem to be lagging behind and are out of step with the new and exciting developments in financial technology (fintech). With Wendy Delmar , the Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB), and in this the latest instalment in our series on fintech in the Caribbean region, we d...

Even if we do not realise it, we are interacting with Artificial Intelligence, or AI, every day, and although it may be making our lives more efficient and productive, there are several ethics issues that ought to be considered. With Gratiana Fu, of DAI, we discuss many of these issues, including: Why are we delegating critical decisions to machines? Who is responsible for AI, when it makes mistak...

We have all heard the term 'digital economy' and that countries worldwide are trying to find ways to foster its development. However, what does it mean if a country has a digital economy? In our conversation with Chelceé Brathwaite and Yacine Khelladi, we start to tackle that very question, along with: the anticipated impact or value of having a digital economy; the implications of digital skills,...

In our March 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Amit Uttamchandani and Chad Fraser, the panel discusses: Russia-Ukraine War and potential impact in the Caribbean from a cyber perspective; and thereafter, Web3 and its potential for creating new opportunities in the Caribbean.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode c...

In the second instalment in our Expert insights series on cyber threats and security for 2022, and with Deon Olton, of the Caribbean Cyber Security Centre, he discusses, among other things: the changes in the threat landscape that occurred since the pandemic; what should be the primary goal of cybersecurity in organisations; and three things organisations should be doing in 2022 to improve their n...

Decentralised Finance, or DeFi, is taking the world by storm, and seems to be among the fastest growing fintech segments. Kimberly Adams, of Bridge Network, helps us to better understand: what DeFi is and ways in which it can be leveraged; the impact DeFi could have on the Caribbean region; and at the same time, how ready the Caribbean region is for DeFI.   The episode, show notes and links to som...

Web 3.0 is the next iteration of the World Wide Web, which is expected to change not only the dynamics of the business of the internet, but also how we, as users, interact with and leverage that medium. Costanza Gallo, the Ecosystem Manager at Swarm, discusses Web 3.0 and among other things: how it is expected to change the current power dynamics of the internet; policy issues that still need to b...

In the first instalment in our Expert insights series on cyber threats and security   for 2022, and with Sean Slattery of Caribbean Solutions Lab, he discusses, among other things: the changes in the threat landscape that occurred in 2021; cyber insurance, zero-trust models, what are the pros and cons of security-as-a-service ; and three things organisations should be doing in 2022 to improve thei...

In our February 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Bianca Welds and Naphtale Nunes, the panel discusses, Is Jamaica ready to be the innovation hub of the Caribbean, or are we missing some steps? And thereafter, the potential impact of Microsoft cloud retail product to the Caribbean region .   The episode and show notes and links to some of the things mentioned d...

Continuing with our deep dive into the Caribbean region's financial technology (fintech) space, we discuss blockchain technology, which is key technology that is underpins many fintech products and services.  In this episode, we chat with Stefen Deleveaux about: the Caribbean Blockchain Alliance, for which he is President; blockchain technology and how it is being applied in the Caribbean region;...

Do you have what it takes to be a digital nomad? We discuss the digital nomad experience with the following intrepid travellers: Juleen Gentles, who is from Jamaica, but spoke with us from Ghana; Marsiya Issah who is from Ghana, but has been living in Barbados; and Andres Phillips, who is from Barbados, but recently ended a 10-month stint in Colombia and Mexico. During the episode, Andres, Juleen...

Over the past two or so years, fintech, or financial technology, has been growing in the Caribbean. In the first of our new series on Fintech in the Caribbean, and with financial innovator, private banker and serial entrepreneur, Telly Valerie Onu, we discuss: the state of fintech in the Caribbean region; key challenges that might be affecting innovation and development (supply), and adoption and...

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is not as far removed from your life as you think. If you use Siri, Alexa, or any of the other virtual assistants, or if you have an Apple Watch, for example, you are engaging with AI. With Matthew Cowen, of dgtlfutures, we discuss the opportunities of AI, along with a number of issues that have begun to emerge, including: bias and discrimination; the impact of AI o...

In this our January 2022 Community Chat, and with two members of the Caribbean tech community, Mylène Colmar and Andrew Olton, the panel discusses:  what are essential tools, formats, subjects, trends for Caribbean content (media) creators in 2022; and thereafter, opportunities in fintech within the Caribbean.   The episode and show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episod...

The instances of online abuse and harassment are growing worldwide, but remain underreported and with very little support for victims, particularly in the Caribbean region. Ashell Forde, the Founder and President of No! to Online Abuse and Harassment (NOAH): discusses the state of online abuse and harassment in the region; along with the successes that NOAH has been able to realise to date; and ev...

In this our final Community Chat and final episode for 2021, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Ingrid Riley and Telojo (Telly) Valerie Onu, the panel discussed the ICT/technology trends and developments that were evident across the Caribbean region in 2021, and what might be in store for 2022.   The episode and show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode...