ICT Pulse Podcast

Nigel Cassimire, the Deputy Secretary General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union and Coordinator of the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF), joins us once again to provide an update on the Internet Governance space and the 21st staging of the CIGF, which will be held from 20—22 August 2024 in Varadero, Cuba.  During our conversation, we discussed:    *  how Internet Governance and the conversations on IG have been evolving;   *  the most prominent or topical issues in the IG space currently;   *  the likely focus areas of the upcoming CIGF; and   *  whether there are any specific issues the Caribbean region ought to be focusing on.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

At the forefront of an organisation’s relationship with its customers, the customer service department is not only critical in leading that engagement but also in driving business efficiency and effectiveness. With Michael Mullings, the CEO of ChatFlow, a Software as a Service company providing sentiment-aware customer support, Michael discusses, among other things:   *  how he got from BPO to becoming a tech entrepreneur;   *  the problem ChatFlow is trying to solve;   *  the factors that contribute to customer satisfaction; and   *  the advice he would give his younger self.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

In the third instalment in our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security for 2025, we are joined by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Godphey Sterling, the head of the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT). Our conversation with Colonel Sterling covers, among other things:   *  how JaCIRT operates and the attitude towards cybersecurity (and the CIRT) in Jamaica;   *  the cyber threat landscape in Jamaica;   *  the challenge of maintaining a uniform level of security across large organisations or bodies; and   *  what Colonel Sterling means by “security by obscurity”.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

The AI for Good Global Summit 2025 and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 High-Level Event 2025 are two major events in this year’s AI calendar. In this episode, we are joined by Christopher Reckord, the Chairman of Jamaica’s National Artificial Intelligence Task Force, who attended both events. We discuss, among other things:   *  specific objectives or goals he had in attending the events;   *  valuable takeaways he had;   *  the current posture on AI governance; and   *  topics or issues debated that should have more visibility in the Caribbean region.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

In our July 2025 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, cybersecurity and data protection expert, Jeehan Miller of Jamaica, and Halle Johnson, Systems Administrator at the UWI Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda, the panel discusses:    *  Deepfakes, deception, misinformation and cyber awareness;   *  Using technology to fight crime; and   *  Keeping kids safe online.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

In the start-up space, “fail fast" is a deeply embedded mantra, which is used to encourage an iterative mindset that moves past the perceived failure to quickly learn and adapt.   In our conversation with Alex Straun, the creator of the digital wallet platform, JAD Cash, in Saint Kitts and Nevis, he shares the highs and lows of that journey to date, along with:   *  whether JAD Cash has become fully sustainable;    *  what it is like being an entrepreneur in Saint Kitts and Nevis;   *  where he would like to see JAD Cash in the next three to five years; and t   *  he best piece of advice you would give to a young tech entrepreneur.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

We are continuing our reboot of our ‘Know Your Neighbours’ series, to get an update on our sister Caribbean countries, generally, and of course, from an ICT perspective. Part of the Dutch Caribbean, Suriname is the focus of today’s episode.  With Furgell Pinas, the Chair of the ICT Association Suriname, we discuss the current state of the country’s ICT sector, including:   *  the internet service available and its affordability;   *  the ICT vision for Suriname that is being promoted by ICT Association Suriname;    *  key strengths and challenges of the ICT/tech space in Suriname; and   *  the ICT/tech-related opportunities currently evident or emerging in Suriname.    The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

In our June 2025 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, print and web journalist, Mylène Colmar  of Guadeloupe, and Simone Passmore, the Chief Executive Officer of Webstylze in Barbados, the panel discusses:    *  whether AI is signalling the end of Caribbean blogs;   *  the AI dilemma of mitigating the risks and maximising the good; and   *  the changing social media landscape.    The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

Although data is considered the new oil, across the Caribbean region, it is becoming increasingly evident that we do not fully appreciate the value of data, as it is not comprehensively reflected in the policies and structures established in Caribbean countries. As a result, we are grappling with several issues, including data protection, privacy, data sovereignty, data ethics and management, to name just a few. With Dr Alexis Santos, a Demographer and Associate Professor at Penn State University in the United States, we discuss the state of data and statistics in the Caribbean, along with the role data should be playing in our lives and societies; what makes data authoritative, trustworthy and appropriate for us to rely on; and why Caribbean countries need to become more self-sufficient in collecting and controlling their data.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

In our continuing effort to increase our awareness of the tech scene in Africa, we chat with Caribbean Data Scientist, Kevan Rajaram, who did a short stint working as the Head of Business Intelligence for a company in West Africa, specifically Côte d’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast). During our conversation, Kevan shared with us, among other things:   *  how he ended up in Côte d'Ivoire;   *  his first impressions of the tech ecosystem and daily life;    *  what stood out for him regarding how data regulation and digital sovereignty are handled; and   *  lessons he learnt and has brought back with him to the Caribbean.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

We are relaunching our Know Your Neighbour series, in which we explore the state of the telecoms and ICT development in Caribbean countries. We kick off this 2025 update with Saint Kitts and Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. With our guest, Rodney Browne, of eCaribbean Limited, we discuss, among other things,   *  the current state of telecoms and broadband internet, including quality of service and affordability;   *  the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s ICT sector;   *  the country’s receptiveness to digital currencies/ cryptocurrencies and AI; and   *  ICT/tech-related opportunities he sees in Saint Kitts and Nevis.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

In our May 2025 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Communications Strategist, Liselle Yorke, who is based in the United States but originally from Trinidad and Tobago, and Rojane Rose, a Product Manager in Jamaica, the panel discusses the following three topics:   *  Who's watching our data?   *  AI in the Caribbean: hype or opportunity? and   *  Building Smart Islands: Why aren’t we there yet?   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

The Postal Service is an often overlooked sector in most Caribbean countries. Its potential remains untapped in the region, although it is often considered an essential service. With Mr Tracy Hackshaw of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), we discuss the evolving role of the Postal Service in our increasingly digital age, including:   *  the role of the UPU;    *  key drivers that led the UPU to prioritise cyber resilience initiatives;   *  whether Caribbean countries are using the .POST Top Level Domain; and   *  the benefits of using the .POST Top Level Domain.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez

Thanks to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Caribbean and other developing countries have the potential to accelerate their development and economic diversification, as well as increase competitiveness through technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things. With Dr Curtis Charles, of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Five Islands Campus, and a key driver of the UWI Five Islands AI Research Conference, we discuss:   *  the upcoming 2025 AI Research Conference scheduled for the end of June;   *  the AI-related opportunities that Caribbean countries should more aggressively pursue;   *  ways in which Caribbean countries can to truly capitalise on the opportunities AI brings; and   *  where Caribbean countries should be putting their AI investment dollars.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez ----------------

In the second instalment in our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security for 2025, we are joined once again by Obika Gellineau, of Fujitsu Caribbean. During this conversation, Obika shares his thoughts on, among other things:   *  the changes in the threat landscape that have occurred since our last conversation in 2024;   *   the cybersecurity job market and the expertise that is being demanded;   *   the link between digital sovereignty and cybersecurity; and   *   three things organisations should be doing in 2025 to improve their network/IT security.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez ----------------