TTLabs Podcasts

Circling back to earlier conversations we had on innovation in 2019, we caught up with Professor Patrick Hosein of The University of the West Indies and of TTLAB (www.lab.tt), the research laboratory he created in Trinidad and Tobago. Accompanied by two members of the TTLAB research team, Inzamam Rahaman and Nicholas Chamansingh, we discussed, amon…

In our January 2023 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Chartered Accountant and a Certified Information Systems Auditor, Allison James, and Matthew Cowen of dgtlfutures, the panel discusses: The transformation of the IT profession; Is the world going sour on big tech? Where do we see Artificial Intelligence and Machin…

Continuing with our series on fintech in the Caribbean region, we talk with Miguel Adwin of Fimi Market Inc., which is championing an important social good: inclusion. In our conversation Miguel shares, among other things, his entrepreneurship journey that resulted in Fimi Market; how the Caribbean can better leverage emerging technologies; what op…

In this our final Community Chat and final episode for 2022, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Carlton Samuels and Telojo (Telly) Valerie Onu, the panel discussed the ICT/technology trends and developments that were evident across the Caribbean region in 2022, and what might be in store in 2023. The episode, show notes and links to …

In the final instalment in our Expert insights series on cyber threats and security for 2022, and with Obika Gellineau of KPMG in Trinidad and Tobago, he discusses, among other things: what may have happened in the Massy Stores hacking incident; whether organisations are focusing on risk, reputation, and business continuity in how they approach cyb…

Cryptocurrencies and the wider crypto space have been receiving considerable attention due to the recent downturn in the market and the collapse of many crypto businesses. In this episode, we go back to basics with George Connolly, of OneLedger Technology Inc., Bitcoin enthusiast and serial Internet entrepreneur, Rohan Smith and guest cohost, Matth…

In our November 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Amit Uttamchandani, of CaribbeanSignal.com, and Internet Service Provider and Network Infrastructure Professional, Brent Mc Intosh, the panel discusses: Automation software and the threats and opportunities for the region; and Building and developing the Caribbea…

Although just five years old, Caribbean payment service provider, WiPay, has expanded its operations considerably across the Caribbean region, and into the US and Africa. In our third conversation with WiPay CEO, Aldwyn Wayne, he discusses some of the recent developments in the WiPay ecosystem, along with: how the newly launched Volt network works;…

Although data is considered a valuable resource for organisations, its value comes from the insights and intelligence that can be produced once it is collated, processed and analysed. Information Management professional, Liselle Ramcharan-Briscoe, discusses among other things: the types of data that could benefit from a data warehousing solution; w…

The concept of an open and equal internet for everyone, known as network (or net) neutrality, has been a topic of longstanding debate. But recently, it has been reported that South Korea and the European Union, in particular, are on the verge of striking down net neutrality, which is likely to cause other countries to revisit their stance on the is…

Without a doubt, Caribbean countries are going digital. But it is unclear how much progress has been made and where there are still gaps that need to be filled. USAID recently published the results of a digital ecosystem study it conducted across 11 Caribbean countries. We speak with researchers, Chelceé Brathwaite and Matthew Cowen, and USAID regi…

In our October 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Miguel Adwin, of Fimi Markets Inc. in the United States, and IT expert, Garfield Gordon, the panel discusses: how Caribbean tech can leverage the AfriCaribbean link; and a quick recap of the “forced” (digital) transformation of the past 30 months. The episode, sho…

Continuing our exploration of fintech in the Caribbean region, we speak with Davinia Bain, of Crypto Isle in The Bahamas. In our conversation, Davinia shares: what has been happening in the fintech and digital assets space in The Bahamas; her thoughts on the prospect of The Bahamas being blacklisted by the European Union; Crypto Isle’s expansion pl…

To some degree, the CARICOM Single ICT Space has been gaining some traction, as it moves to accelerate the activities outlined in the vision and roadmap for this important regional initiative. In this episode, and with a guest co-host, Gerard Best, we are joined, once again, by Jennifer Britton, of the CARICOM Secretariat, to share with us the late…

In our September 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Samantha Sheoprashad, of Trifinity Solutions in Guyana, and Steven Williams, of Sunisle Technology Solution in Barbados, the panel discusses: gender inequality for women in the Caribbean tech industry; and the potential impact of data privacy in the Caribbean. T…

Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are two of the fastest growing areas in tech, and they are transforming how we live and work. AI and robotics entrepreneur and enthusiast, Matthew Stone, discusses, among other things: how AI and robotics are replacing current roles in the job market, whilst also opening up new opportunities; the skills and…

Regular meet-ups and get-togethers are at the core of tech communities worldwide, but they can be a challenge to maintain and sustain over the long term. Often, they lose their momentum and their vibrant participation, and may just limp along to an inevitable end. In this podcast episode, we speak with Ingrid Riley, the Founder of Kingston BETA, a …

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. Regtech expert, Jennifer Potter, gives us a primer on regtech, and discusses, among other things: the other industries, besides banking and financial services, in which regtech can be applied; …

The Commonwealth of Dominica, like many Caribbean countries, is giving more attention to developing its digital economy. However, unlike some countries, it has established a dedicated unit within the Government to focus on this area. Robert Tonge, the Coordinator of the Digital Economy of Dominica, joins us in this episode to discuss, among other t…

In our August 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Dr Denise Charles and Gerard Best, the panel discusses: parenting digital natives; and digital literacy and an emerging Caribbean digital culture: threat or promise? The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found o…

This August, at least three Internet Governance-related events are taking place in the Caribbean region: the 18th Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF), the Caribbean Youth IGF (CYIGF) Workshop, and the very first Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Internet Governance Forum (IGF). We speak with Maureen Hilyard, co-Chair of the Dynamic Coali…

Ensuring that we have a digitally-skilled population should be a top priority for the Caribbean region, as it is an area that requires comprehensive and long-term planning in order to realise measurable and meaningful improvement. Barbara Reynolds (PhD) and Carlton Samuels, the Co-Chairs of the CARICOM Digital Skills Taskforce discuss, among other …

Decentralised autonomous organisations or DAOs are one of the faster-growing segments of the blockchain space. Donald O’Brian Porter, the Founder of the recently launched Carib DAO explains, among other things, how DAOs work; the products or services Carib DAO will be bringing to market; the ways in which an individual can verify the authenticity o…

In our July 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Ian Mitchell and Vivion Scully, the panel discusses: What do we need to be ready for e-commerce in the OECS? And in what ways has the BPO sector contributed to Jamaica’s economy? The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can…

In May 2022, FramePerfect, a team of University of Guyana graduates, won the coveted 5G for Change Webby Award. Malik and Shomari Williams of FramePerfect join us to discuss: their Webby 5G for Change Hackathon experience; what are some takeaways from participating in the hackathon; and what Caribbean countries can do to better foster and support t…

Across the Caribbean region, considerable attention is being paid to financial inclusion and fintech, with digital identity (ID) taking a back seat. However, it has been argued in some quarters that digital IDs are a foundation element in countries’ digital transformation and fintech efforts. Trevor Forrest, of 876 Solutions, sheds some light on di…

Electronic sports (esports) is a growing and potentially lucrative segment of the video games industry with relatively few players in the Caribbean region. Dexton Graham, the Lead Tournament Organiser of the Jamaica eSports Initiative and the Founder of Electronic Sports Jamaica discusses: how big esports is in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean; key …

With the upsurge in cyber incidents and breaches, increasingly, organisations are considering whether they need cyber insurance. Max Pragnell, of Gallagher Insurance Brokers, discusses the good, the bad and everything in between on cyber insurance including: When is cyber insurance a good idea? What kind of coverage is usually offered? What are the…

In our June 2022 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Lateefah Smellie and Dr Lyndell St, Ville, the panel discusses: Tech communities, a potent vehicle for developing tech talent in the Caribbean; and Silicon island, creating and coordinating the right environment to nurture a technology culture for the Caribbean. The …

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 …

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; the investor landscape; and what could be done to foster greater collaboration between tec…

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 …

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 dev…

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 not…

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 st…

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 respecti…

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…

To commemorate our 200th 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…

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 ou…

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 machine…

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 di…

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 s…

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 organi…

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 fo…

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 o…

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 organi…

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 no…

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 …

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 Colomb…