Ict Pulse Podcast

It is widely held that virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have the potential to transform how we interact with, and view, things around us, whilst also opening us up to a broad range of new and different experiences. However, it could be argued that we, in the Caribbean, have not yet begun to leverage those opportunities. Software development firm, 4th Dymension, has created a VR experience of Plymouth, Montserrat, before the volcanic eruption that forced the abandonment of the capital city. We learn more about that project, and discuss the ways in which the Caribbean region could leverage VR and AR, as well as whether a VR or AR-based venture can be financially viable.   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 a review!

What does it take for a country to develop its technology sector to the point where it can be an economic pillar of its economy? The Cayman Islands is trying to do just that by diversifying from their two-pillar economy. In this episode, Charlie Kirkconnell, CEO of the award-winning Cayman Enterprise City (CEC), discusses, among other things: why the CEC has been so successful in attracting technology businesses, and becoming a hotbed for innovation; the Launch Labs initiative, which aims to help tech teams build successful businesses; some of the successes and milestones achieved by the CEC; and  lessons other countries can learn from the CEC experience. 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 a review!

In this instalment of our ‘Know your neighbours’ series, James Clarke, of Global Sun Integration Management, helps us to explore the telecoms and ICT space of the Bahamas, and answers a number of questions, including The history behind the ‘Pirates of Nassau’ The extent to which the telecoms and ICT infrastructure in Abaco and Grand Bahama has been restored, since Hurricane Dorian in 2019; The degree to which is the Bahamian Government and private sector are leveraging ICT; The current state of the plans for Grand Bahama to become a smart city; and ICT and tech-related opportunities in the Bahamas that he is excited about. 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 a review!

Although the privacy and data protection space has been evolving as technology becomes even more deeply embedded in our societies, COVID-19 has thrown up a whole host of challenges and issues that we must also address. Attorney-at-law and Certified Information Privacy Professional, Grace Lindo, is back with us to discuss, among other things: how the privacy and data protection space has evolved since our last conversation in 2018; what are some of the privacy-related concerns and issues that have emerged since COVID-19; and what are some of the privacy and data protection trends that have begun to emerge. 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 a review!

These days, it is not enough to know whether an individual has been online or offline in the past 30 days, but rather, whether they enjoy meaningful connectivity to the Internet. With Ana Maria Rodriguez and Yacine Khelladi, both from the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), we discuss, among other things: the ‘Meaningful Connectivity’ targets A4AI has proposed: whether the proposed targets have been set too low or too high; and some of the challenges countries and individuals might experience in trying to achieve those targets. 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 a review!

In this our October 2020 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Liselle Yorke and Dr Lyndell St Ville, the panel discusses:  Online education and copyright law in the Caribbean. Are we making the grade?, and Too much information! Raising citizens’ awareness of the need for data sharing limits.   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 a review!

Guyana is among the most resource-rich countries in the Caribbean region, but historically, it has struggled economically. The recent discovery of oil has been opening up a broad range of opportunities that have the potential to change the trajectory of the country. Samantha Sheoprashad, of Trifinity Solutions in Guyana, shares her thoughts on, among other things: the state of telecoms and ICT in Guyana; the degree they are being leveraged in by the Government; along with the ICT/tech-related opportunities that she now sees in Guyana. 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 a review!  

Although job and the workplace has been evolving over the past several years, COVID-19 has irrevocably accelerated some of the changes. In continuing our conversation on the future of work, Certified Management Consultant, International Trade Expert, and Economist, Dr Claudius Preville, discusses among other things: how that is changing in the Caribbean region; the implications of the gig economy on the Caribbean workplace; and whether we can prevent the skills gap from widening.   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 a review!

In this our September 2020 Community Chat, and with two members of the Caribbean tech community, business intelligence expert and CEO, Raquel Seville, and Publisher and international trade executive, Loren Moss, we discuss: how can Caribbean economies/businesses become more resilient in the face of disruption; and how can Caribbean countries better leverage the growing movement to telework?   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 a review!

Back in the day, being computer literate was a specifically highlighted skill or requirement in job descriptions for a broad range of positions. Now, the requirement is digital literacy. David Soutar, of the Slashroots Foundation, and of the Caribbean School of Data (CSOD) discusses digital literacy: What it is, and why it is important How it is different from computer literacy The digital/data literacy programme offered by the CSOD; and How CSOD might evolve within the context of the future of work.   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 a review!

“Whether you’re managing 3,000 or you’re managing 20, the fundamentals are the same”, so says Founding Chairman and CEO of itelbpo smart solutions, Yoni Epstein.  In this episode Yoni shares his entrepreneurial journey and a few of the important lessons he has learned along way. He also discusses challenges that limit the ability of Caribbean countries to transition into higher value outsourcing services; and why Caribbean countries should continue to focus on call/contact centres into the future.   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 a review!  

Worldwide, there has been a race to see which country will launch a digital currency, with countries, such as China, the United States, Great Britain, France, South Korea and the Bahamas, all vying to be first movers. Plans are underway in the Bahamas to launch its central bank digital currency, the Sand Dollar, in October 2020. In our conversation with Cleopatra Davis and Chaozhen Bobby Chen, of the Central Bank of The Bahamas, we learn, among other things: What the impetus was for the Bahamas to develop its own digital currency; How the Sand Dollar may better serve the underbanked and unbanked in the Bahamas; and  How the Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements will be managed for this new digital currency. 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 a review!

Known as a playground for the rich, tourism and offshore financial services, not much more is really known about the Cayman Islands, especially with regard to telecoms and ICT. Dail Davis of Dart Enterprises, shares his knowledge of the Cayman Islands landscape, both in terms if telecoms and ICT space, and business environment there.   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 a review!  

In this our August 2020 Community Chat, and with two members of the Caribbean tech community, IT professional and CEO, Steven Williams, and Tech Maven, Ingrid Riley, we discuss: did SMEs let a good crisis, in COVID-19, go to waste; and can digital nomads and remote workers resuscitate the Caribbean region’s tourism industry?   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 a review!

Traditionally, online learning was the option pursued when in-person tuition was not available and/or was too expensive. However, due to COVID-19, online learning platforms have become the primary means of delivering education worldwide, and it is anticipated that it will remain a leading modality in the coming years. Ricardo Allen, Founder of One on One Educational Services, has been leading the charge with regard to personalised online learning in the Caribbean region. In this episode, our discussion with Ricardo will cover areas including: Who is Ricardo Allen and what has been entrepreneurial journey to date What One on One Educational Services is, and how it has evolved over the years How COVID-19 has been and is likely to affect the online learning space And what might be in store for One on One Educational Services in the coming years. 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 a review!

As much as we might grumble about the quality of the telecommunications services we are currently receiving in the Caribbean region, they are considerably better than what they were 10, and most definitely, 20 years ago. Much of the credit needs to go the regulatory structures that were established by many countries across the region, which created the enabling environment in those early years, resulting in the services that we currently experience. Annie Baldeo and Kirk Sookram of the Telecommunication Authority of Trinidad and Tobago discuss telecommunications regulation in the Caribbean, including: how the region’s telecommunications space has evolved over the past 20 years; the impact of the Internet on regulation; whether more competition will result in lower prices; whether the Over the Top services providers should pay/compensate Caribbean Internet Service Providers; and  what might be the future of regulation in the region. Show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can

Blogger, tech retailer, business advisor, online show host, Keron Rose has accomplished a lot in four years. In our recent conversation, Keron shares his entrepreneurial journey, and touches on, among other things: key turning points in his life that have brought him to where he is today; some of the biggest deficiencies he has found in Caribbean entrepreneurs; and why he decided to return to the Caribbean region to make his fortune. 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 a review!

Into the foreseeable future, innovation and entrepreneurship will be two essential contributors to wealth creation. In this our July 2020 Community Chat, and with two members of the Caribbean tech community, IT professional and CEO, Chad Fraser, and soon-to-be university graduate, Juleen Gentles, we discuss: Co-innovation as a model for innovation and competitiveness; and Youth empowerment to realise market-ready solutions. 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 a review!

As part of the Dutch Kingdom, Sint Maarten – not to be confused with Saint Martin, the French overseas territory – is a popular tourist destination in the Eastern Caribbean, but not much is known about the country's ICT and telecoms space. Marvio Cooks, of Altospire, and a Sint Maarten citizen, helps us better understand, among other things: what the telecoms and ICT is like there; the extent to which the infrastructure has recovered since Hurricane Irma, and some of the emerging ICT-related trends and opportunities in Sint Maarten.   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 a review!

Managed IT services is not new, but it has gained considerable prominence, thanks to COVID-19, and the need for IT systems and networks to work optimally with limited onsite support. Christopher Reckord, CEO of tTech Limited in Jamaica, provides a primer on managed IT services, including when it might not be a good fit for an organisation; and questions to ask when evaluating a managed IT service provider.   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 a review!