In this our final Community Chat and final episode for 2025, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, International Consultant, and an Economist, Yacine Khelladi, and International Consultant, Carlton Samuels, the panel discusses the ICT/technology trends and developments that were evident across the Caribbean region in 2025, and what might be in store in 2026.

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

---------------

To varying degrees, Caribbean countries are grappling with the issue of privacy and data protection. Countries that have more recent frameworks have been struggling to fully operationalise all of the provisions, whilst there are others that have not adopted current best practice in the space.

With information privacy specialists, Allison James of Barbados, and Rishi Maharaj of Trinidad and Tobago, we explore privacy and data protection trends and developments across the Caribbean region. During our conversation, we discuss:

* how privacy and data protection have evolved over the past few years;

* the current status of regulatory enforcement;

* areas of divergence or contradiction that multinational companies operating across the Caribbean must navigate; and

* trends or emerging developments that the Caribbean region may need to consider.

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 we are at the end of the 2025 North Atlantic Hurricane Season, we are only six months away from the start of the 2026 hurricane season. Moreover, other hazards or disasters, such as fire, earthquake, or even a utility failure due to a cyberattack, can occur at any time.

Fabian Lewis, a telecommunications, emergency medicine and disaster management specialist from Saint Lucia, joins us to discuss how we as individuals, organisations and countries can improve our telecoms resilience and increase the chances that we will be able to remain connected when we need it most. Among other things, we discuss:

* what makes the Caribbean particularly vulnerable when it comes to telecoms and ICT disruptions during disasters;

* whether amateur radio is still important in a country's disaster/emergency communication management effort; and

* common mistakes organisations make when preparing (or failing to prepare) their telecoms and ICT systems for disasters.

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

---------------

In our November 2025 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, ICT Consultant Natalie Maharaj of Trinidad and Tobago, and Dr Lyndell St. Ville of Saint Lucia and the tech firm Datashore, the panel discusses:

* the imperative of implementing digital ID systems in the Caribbean region;

* the current state of AI governance; and

* cloud versus local or on-premises facilities and services in 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

---------------

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which devastated Jamaica in October 2025, the current focus is on disaster recovery. In telecoms and ICT, much of the infrastructure was adversely affected, hence the priority is remediation and restoration.

Learning from the experience of the region, we are joined by Craig Nesty, the telecoms regulator in Dominica, and Sylvester Cadette, of the International Telecommunications Union Area Office for the Caribbean. We discuss, among other things,

* Dominica's experience following Hurricane Maria in 2017;

* why having a well-functioning National Emergency Telecommunications Plan is critical;

* innovative projects that have been implemented; and

* strategies that countries could consider implementing prior to or following a disaster to expedite recovery.

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 internet was once envisioned as a borderless, open, and unified network connecting people, information, and innovation across the globe. However, in recent years, that vision has been increasingly threatened by what experts call "internet fragmentation".

William J Drake, one of the leading experts on the subject, joins us to discuss, among other things:

* how and why internet fragmentation came to the fore on the international agenda;

* how he would define 'internet fragmentation';

* whether there are any circumstances in which internet fragmentation can be a good thing; and

* why Caribbean countries and other developing regions should be concerned about internet fragmentation.

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 almost every stage, Caribbean countries have had to justify whether their markets can support advanced digital technologies. Co-Founder and CEO of Paradise Mobile, Sam Tabbara, joins us in this episode to share his thoughts on issues including:

* the claims by major regional telcos that there was no business case for 5G in the region;

* whether it is possible and plausible for less populous or lower-income Caribbean countries to sustain advanced digital technologies;

* the role of the regulator in the emerging construct; and

* what is next for Paradise Mobile 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

---------------

Unlike other Caribbean countries that have been aggressive in developing their fintech space, Trinidad and Tobago adopted a more measured posture in which it emphasised strengthening key enablers that could eventually facilitate accelerated development.

However, in recent weeks, it appeared the country took a giant step backwards by proposing a blanket ban on all virtual asset service provider activities, though successful businesses had already been established.

With Alexander Gafoor, the President of the FinTech Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FinTechTT), we discuss, among other things:

* the proposed ban and the challenges that are likely to eventuate;

* the feedback and recommendations made to the Government by FinTechTT;

* the broader state of innovation in Trinidad and Tobago; and

* what the country needs to do to become the fintech powerhouse it was always meant to be.

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

---------------