ICT Pulse Podcast

As the internet becomes more integral to economic development, cultural diplomacy, and public governance, there may be strategic value in having custom generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Active participants in the global Internet Governance space, Lance Hinds and Carlton Samuels, are back to discuss ICANN’s New gTLD Program: Next Round, which is currently open. The conversation covered, among other things:    *  the difference between country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) and gTLDs;   *  the current state of use of ccTLDs in the Caribbean region;   *  the New gTLD Program and the benefits that could be realised; and   *  the challenges to Caribbean countries and organisations to apply for new custom gTLDs.   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 ----------------

Decentralised autonomous organisations or DAOs are one of the fastest-growing segments of the blockchain space. In this episode we are revisiting an oldie but goodie: our 2022 conversation with Donald O’Brian Porter, the Founder of CaribDAO, who explains, among other things,   *  how DAOs work;   *  the parallels between DAOs and the informal cooperative savings system that has been prevalent in Caribbean countries for decades;   *  how an individual can verify the authenticity of the DAO; and   *  three (3) questions someone should ask before joining a DAO.   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 ----------------

Following up on a 2022 conversation we had about digital currencies in the Caribbean region, Dr. Jan Schröder of CaribCoin, and Rodney Taylor of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union are back to provide an update on CaribCoin, a regional stablecoin backed by Caribbean assets that will provide a faster and more cost-effective alternative for regional cross-border payments that can also foster Caribbean prosperity. Areas touched on during this conversation include:   *  the value proposition of CaribCoin and the role it could play in strengthening the resilience of the region;   *  success and risk factors associated with the integration of CaribCoin;     *  the safety measures that have been put in place to foster trust in CaribCoin; and   *  what is next for CaribCoin.   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 ----------------

Digital sovereignty has been a hot topic over the past several weeks, with data sovereignty and AI sovereignty being the subjects of such conversations. However, how does digital agency fit into the mix? With IT Specialist, Researcher and Digital Analyst, Matthew Cowen, we discuss digital sovereignty and digital agency, including:   *  Could digital sovereignty lead to increased fragmentation of the internet?   *  How can we balance the need for individual digital agency with the need for online safety and security?   *  How do the goals of digital sovereignty and digital agency intersect or conflict?   *  Can a country achieve digital sovereignty without respecting the digital agency of its citizens?   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 March 2025 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Tariq Mohammed, a PhD candidate and the Chair of the Caribbean ICT Youth Network who is based in Trinidad and Tobago, and Chad Fraser, the Founder and CEO of Sonover, headquartered in Grenada, the panel discusses the following three topics:   *  how Caribbean businesses can leverage technology to compete in a global economy;   *  fostering youth development and inclusion in ICTs in the Caribbean; and   *  is e-money a solution in search of a problem?   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 first instalment in our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security for 2025, and one again with Sean Slattery of Caribbean Solutions Lab, he discusses, among other things:   *  the changes in the threat landscape that occurred in 2024;   * the changing threat and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation in the security space;   * the security-related challenges as organisations adopt a cloud-first posture;   * key challenges being experienced by security professionals; 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 ----------------

In February 2025, the Government of Jamaica made publicly available the National Artificial Intelligence Policy Recommendations prepared by the National Artificial Intelligence Task Force. We are joined by the Chairman of the Task Force, Christopher Reckord, to discuss the policy recommendations made, including:   *  the unique, Jamaica-specific considerations that shaped the recommendations;   *  the priority action items Chris hopes will be executed; and   *  why other Caribbean countries should go through the trouble of creating a national AI policy.   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 ----------------

Without a doubt, Caribbean farming is fraught with a broad range of challenges. Chief among them is that most of the farms are smallholdings, often in difficult locations and with relatively poor soil, which can affect yield, quality, sustainability and profitability.  In our conversation with Dr Yvane Agard-Abbot, the Founder of HydroFluidics, a Deep Tech/Agritech startup, she discusses, among other things:   *  how Microfluidic Technology can address some of the problems in the Caribbean region’s agriculture sector;   *  the problem HydroFluidics is trying to solve; and   *  the next steps in bringing her solution to farmers.   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 February 2025 Community Chat, and with members of the Caribbean tech community, Kira Mohammed, an e-Commerce Strategist based in Trinidad and Tobago, and Mark Codling, a PhD Candidate in GeoInformatics from Jamaica, the panel discusses the following three topics:   *  ways AI is transforming e-commerce;    *  AI and real-time weather; and   *  cashless fraud.   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 Caribbean region ranks lowest in statistical performance compared to other regions, and studies have estimated the value of Open Data alone could contribute between 1% and 2% to the national GDP of Caribbean countries. The ‘Data Queen’ herself, Raquel Seville, is back to discuss her new start-up, Dataffluent, which is offering financial and investment insights on underserved markets, including those in the Caribbean region. During our conversation, she discusses, among other things,    *  the problem Dataffluent is trying to solve;   *  what it is like to be a woman in tech AND a woman in finance;   *  the challenges of training AI models for us in developing countries; and   *  the advice she would give to other young tech start-ups.   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 ----------------