In this our final Community Chat and final episode for 2024, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Financial and Impact Innovator, Digital Economist and Digital Transformation Expert, Telly Valerie Onu, and International Consultant, Carlton Samuels, the panel discusses the ICT/technology trends and developments that were evident across …

Innovation continues to be a big buzzword in the digital age, with organisations, and even countries, aspiring to be ‘more innovative’. But what does that mean, and what can Caribbean countries and organisations do to better nurture and, ultimately, leverage innovation? We circle back to one of our earliest interviews and the interview that launche…

In our last instalment of the year in our series, The Internet we should want in 2024 and beyond, we are joined by Rodney Taylor, the Secretary-General (SG) of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU). In a candid conversation, the SG provides a regional perspective on the role the internet should be playing in the Caribbean region. He also sha…

In our November 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Gerry George, an ICT professional and policy expert who is based in Saint Lucia, and IT Specialist, Researcher and Digital Analyst Matthew Cowen, who is based in Martinique, the panel discusses: * Are Caribbean businesses really benefitting from online advertisin…

What are important ethical principles that should be implemented to protect users in the metaverse and other digital spaces? Jamaican social enterprise, Youth Can Do IT (YCDI), in collaboration with Jesus College (Oxford), developed some ethical guidelines for the metaverse. In this episode, we chat with members of YCDI Joel Lawson, one of the yout…

https://bit.ly/4fnDxaKTo the outsider, the internet-related issues that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is addressing can seem intimidating. But individuals, micro or small businesses, among others, are part of the end-user constituency and are critical players in ICANN’s policy development process. In our latest con…

In this podcast episode, our host, Michele Marius, is alone – no guests – and sharing her thoughts on a recent article published in the New York Times in which the writer allowed AI to make all of her decisions for a week. The article sent Michele down a rabbit hole (of sorts) and had her ponder whether, in the context of AI, we could have too much…

In our October 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Debbie Jollie, the Stammering Communicator who is based in Trinidad and Tobago, and Technology Architect and Digital Transformation Consultant, Garfield Gordon, of Jamaica, the panel discusses: * our continuing vulnerability to cyberattacks; * ESG versus CSR and t…

Globally, offshore outsourcing is a huge market and growing. By 2030, it is expected to be valued at half a trillion dollars! It is thus highly dynamic and competitive with Caribbean countries trying to maintain and even increase their size of pie. Wayne Sinclair, the current President of the Global Services Association of Jamaica, formerly the Bus…

Although we have all played video games, video games developed by Caribbean developers appear to have little or no visibility. Moreover, there is no video game development industry in the region to speak of, and the underpinning ecosystem remains underdeveloped. However, by 2023, the size of the global video games industry is expected by valued at …

Almost without exception, all Caribbean countries are net importers of technology, especially ICT. In other words, we import considerably more of the ICT goods and services we use than we export. With Vashti Maharaj, the Adviser, Digital Trade Policy, of the Commonwealth Secretariat, we discuss technology as an export and how Caribbean countries ca…

According to the research and advisory firm, Forrester, the global digital economy will reach USD 16.5 trillion and capture 17 per cent of global GDP by 2028, but how is the Caribbean region’s digital economy developing? Management Consultant and International Trade Policy Specialist, Chelceé Brathwaite, returns to the Podcast to provide an update.…

In our September 2024 Community Chat, and with a member of the Caribbean tech community, Steven Williams of Data Privacy and Management Advisory Services in Barbados, we discuss: * Can effective cybercrime laws not encroach on freedom of expression? * Job displacement: has AI already begun reshaping the Caribbean economy? * Is increased digitisatio…

Whether we realise it or not, data centres are the backbone of our online experience. All the digital services we enjoy use data centres to store, manage and process all of the data, interactions and transactions generated. Giovanni King, the CEO of Blue NAP Americas and the Chairman of the Caribbean Datacenter Association discusses, among other th…

In the fourth instalment in our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security for 2024, cybersecurity expert, David Gittens, discusses, among other things: * the latest developments in the security space; * why there ought to be a greater emphasis on cybersecurity guidelines in the Caribbean; * why ransomware is the most pressing threat; and…

Do you have what it takes to be a digital nomad? We revisit a 2022 conversation we had with the following intrepid travellers: Juleen Gentles, who is from Jamaica, but spoke with us from Ghana; Marsiya Issah who is from Ghana, but had been living in Barbados; and Andres Phillips, who is from Barbados, but had recently ended a 10-month stint in Colo…

In our rapidly changing world, the classroom is critical in preparing upcoming generations for the life and work environment they will face in the future. Academic, former Minister for Education and international Consultant, Dr Gale Rigobert, shares her thoughts on, among other things: * the education system in the English-speaking Caribbean and ho…

In our August 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Nima Anvar, Hotelier and Chief Executive Officer of conversational AI platform GuestChat in Grenada, and Max Larson Henry, Network Engineer and Founder of the tech company, Transversal, which is based in the United States and Haiti, the panel discusses: * Community…

Starting on 21 August 2024, we are just days away from the 20th Caribbean Internet Governance Forum, the longest-running Internet Governance Forum in the world! With Nigel Cassimire, the Deputy Secretary General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union and Coordinator of the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF), we get an update on the Inter…

Agriculture is the bedrock of our societies and our ability to feed ourselves. However, with difficult terrain, climate change and more resilient pests to name just a few of the challenges that plague that sector, having ready access to accurate and relevant crop-related information could be a game changer for farmers everywhere. In this episode, D…

Across the Caribbean region, most countries are embarking on projects to implement a digital ID system. Although there are considerable national benefits to doing so, improving and increasing citizens’ access such as a broad range of services, digital IDs is a complex exercise. We revisit a 2022 interview with Trevor Forrest, of 876 Solutions on th…

In our July 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Tessa Drayton, a Brand Communication and Reputation Management Specialist based in Trinidad and Tobago, and Rodney Browne, the Founder of eCaribbean Limited in Saint Kitts and Nevis, the panel discusses: * With increasing tech-related regulation, how can organisation…

Regulatory technology (or regtech) is expected to be worth over USD 87 billion by 2028, but it is an underdeveloped fintech segment in the Caribbean region. However, as regulatory oversight increases in areas such as cybersecurity and data protection, increasingly, regtech will not be limited to the banking and fintech sectors. Circling back to a 2…

In our third instalment of the series, The internet we should want in 2024 and beyond, Matthew Cowen of dgtlfutures, shares his thoughts on the subject. Though the topic is broad, our conversation touches on, among other things: * social media; * the state of advertising on the Internet; * major trends or technological advancements that are shaping…

In the third instalment in our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security for 2024, and with Edward Millington of CariSec Global, he discusses, among other things: * the latest developments in the security space; * the relationship between the data protection and cybercrime frameworks; * some of the reasons why the Barbados House of Assem…

The readiness of businesses to operate with a ‘digital-first’ posture has become critical as we all strive to compete and remain relevant in an increasingly global marketplace. With Nadeen Matthews Blair, of Crescent Advisory Group, we discuss the results of the latest Caribbean Digital Readiness Survey conducted by PwC, including: * what it means …

In the Caribbean region, small-scale farming is the backbone of our agriculture sector, but often, it is difficult for farmers to access funding that would be open to ventures in other sectors. FarmCredibly has been working on addressing such challenges by providing simplified financial services to underbanked farmers in Jamaica. In a follow-up con…

In our June 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Aldin Crosdale, an IT Internal Auditor in Jamaica and the Community Manager for the Jamaican Developers Community/Caribbean Tech Connect, and Halle Johnson (Mr.), a Systems Administrator at the University of The West Indies Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda,…

Whether we realise it or not, the decisions C-suite executives are making are shaping our digital experiences: the way we live, work, and interact online and with technology. With Lisa-Maria Alexander, a Certified Chartered Director, and the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategist of The Leadership Xperience, and focusing on Caribbean organisa…

Thanks to technology, especially generative artificial intelligence (AI), getting into the hands of consumers, the business landscape and our societies have been evolving faster than ever. Lorenzo Hodges of Plain White Table is back again to continue the conversation we started in 2019 on innovation in organisations. Now five years later, Lorenzo s…

Being part of the global marketplace has many benefits. Though we, in the Caribbean region, are innovative and culturally rich, doing business successfully with international customers is still challenging – especially for micro, small and medium enterprises. Kadion Preston, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Caribshopper, an e-commerce …

In our May 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Allison James, a Certified Information Systems Auditor and Certified Information Privacy Professional based at KPMG in Barbados, and Rojane Rose, a Product Owner at MC Systems in Jamaica, the panel discusses: * data and digital illiteracy in a world of data privacy an…

Digital public infrastructure (DPI) is a critical enabler of the digital transformation of countries by helping them to improve the delivery of public service at scale. Our guests, David Soutar and Matthew McNaughton of the SlashRoots Foundation, discuss, among other things: * what is DPI and why it is important; * how DPI can be designed to be inc…

We celebrate our 300th episode of the Podcast with a long-time friend of the show, Trevor Forrest, experienced IT expert and Founder of 876 Technology Solutions, in which we continue the discussion we started in January 2024 on the internet we should want in 2024 and beyond. In this conversation, Trevor shares his thoughts on: * how the internet ha…

In our April 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Jordanne Elliott, a Project Manager in Jamaica, and Friend of the Show, Liselle Yorke, a Communications Strategist, originally from Tobago but based in the United States, the panel discusses: • Tech career insights, and the future of work in the Caribbean; • Content…

For the past few years, most Caribbean countries have been sitting on the sidelines of conversations on 5G, as there were no immediate plans for it to be deployed. However, within the past year, Paradise Mobile has launched operations in Bermuda, with the Cayman Islands next in line, and more Caribbean countries to come. Zlatko Zahirovic, the Chief…

Natural disasters and other emergencies are not situations that can be completely avoided, but like insurance, it is good to have access to the requisite support in times of need. As we approach the 2024 North Atlantic hurricane season, we thought it opportune to reshare a conversation we had with Sylvester Cadette, of the International Telecommuni…

In the second instalment in our Expert insights series on cyber threats and security for 2024, and with Obika Gellineau, the Cyber Services Manager of KPMG in Trinidad and Tobago, he discusses, among other things: * the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) data leak; * AI-related security risks of which we should be aware; * th…

In this our March 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Telecommunications/ICT Consultant, Lendon Telesford and Perro Perry Holloway, of the Barbados National Organisation of the Disabled (BARNOD Inc.), the panel discusses: * the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities (generally) and the inclusion of persons…

Ultra-personalisation was identified as a trend to watch in the early 2010s and it has become increasingly evident and integral in the delivery of a broad range of services, including online education. In our follow-up conversation with Ricardo Allen, the Founder and CEO of One on One Educational Services, he shares with us, among other things: * w…

Innovation. Virtually everyone hopes they are considered innovative, and organisations and our societies at large also want to be seen as being innovative, but there are several myths surrounding innovation that ought to be debunked. We revisit our 2019 interview with Lorenzo Hodges, of innovation strategy firm, Plain White Table, in which he discu…

A few years ago, blockchain technology was considered transformative – the best thing since sliced bread – but today, we have not been hearing much about it at all. With Cleve Mesidor of the Blockchain Foundation, we discuss: * the current state of blockchain technology, * how it can be leveraged in the Caribbean region, especially to improve the l…

In the first instalment in our Expert insights series on cyber threats and security for 2024, and once again with Sean Slattery of Caribbean Solutions Lab, he discusses, among other things: * the changes in the threat landscape that occurred in 2023; * the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the security space; * ethical considerations surrou…

In our February 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Media and Business Strategist, Nerissa Golden, of Goldenmedia LLC, and ICT Consultant and head of PromoTIC in Haiti, Gregory Domond, the panel discusses: * Governments and their use of influencers and content marketing as part of their communications strategy; * …

How long could our countries feed themselves if they were cut off from the rest of the world and could only depend on the resources currently within their domain? It is a question more countries are grappling with when addressing matters related to food security and sustainable agriculture. In this podcast episode, we circle back to Bevon Chadel Ch…

Without a doubt, many conversations are being had globally on artificial intelligence (AI), and one of the most important occurred during the recently held Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. Software Architect and Tech Entrepreneur, Joel Dean, who attended the meeting, joins us on this episode and shares with…

The robotics programme in Saint Kitts and Nevis has been growing from strength to strength since we last spoke to Dr. Ricardo Neil in late 2018 and even has expanded to other Caribbean countries. Now the Chairman and Founder of the Saint Kitts and Nevis Robotics Association, Professor Neil discusses, among other things: * how the Saint Kitts and Ne…

In our January 2024 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Esmeralda Levens of BearingPoint Caribbean in Curaçao, and Technology Architect and Digital Transformation Consultant, Garfield Gordon, of Jamaica, the panel discusses: * e-commerce in the Caribbean; * the resilience of our internet infrastructure; and * the Carib…

Is the internet we should want in 2024 different from the internet we wanted in 2014? The internet of 2014 has evolved considerably, but have our expectations of the internet and the ways we could be using it, kept up with the developments that have occurred? With Telecommunications/Internet Operations and Policy Strategist, Shernon Osepa, we discu…

Deep tech and impact innovation are not terms that are readily discussed in the Caribbean tech start-up space but are considered crucial and strategic if the region wants to level up and truly punch above its weight in tech innovation and entrepreneurship. Telly Valerie Onu, of Quintessence Consulting Inc., shares with us key insights on how Caribb…