ICT tender: Trinidad looks for CCTV equipment – Trinidad & Tobago
Cuba’s algorithms to strengthen electric power system – Cuba
Digicel launches LTE in British Virgin Islands – Caribbean, Virgin Islands
Digitalization value depends on public-private alignment – Regional
Telefónica, IDB, ICC promote digitalization of LatAm economy – Regional

ICT tender: Trinidad looks for CCTV equipment – Trinidad & Tobago
The government of Trinidad and Tobago has received a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank to acquire a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system, integrated with a truck, to be used for sewer pipeline inspection.
“The primary function of the wastewater collection system is conveyance; the CCTV is used to assist in determining the condition of the sewers and to inform on the hydraulic capacity of the sewer system. Operational defects such as root intrusion, sediments, fats, oils, and grease, all reduce the cross-sectional area of the pipe, which in turn reduces hydraulic capacity. Major structural defects on the sewer pipes can affect the hydraulic capacity and can lead to pipe collapse,” reads a procurement notice published on the UN Development Business site.
Bidders for the three-year contract must have the following experience and/or capabilities:
● General Project Administration and Management
● Procurement of Goods and Related Services
● Incoterms and Logistics
● Mechanical/Automotive Engineering
● Electrical Engineering
● Construction and Retro-fitting
● Software Engineering and Programming
● Geographic Information System (GIS) -ESRI Applications
● CCTV Inspection Software and Applications
● Video and Image Editing
● Information Technology
Bidding will be conducted through international competitive bidding procedures as specified by the IDB, and is open to all eligible bidders as defined in the policies.
Bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes by March 3, 2pm local time, to the following address: Farm Road, St. Joseph, Trinidad, W.I.
Bidding terms and documentation can be requested at the same address.
More information can be obtained by writing to purchasingandstores@wasa.gov.tt.


Cuba’s algorithms to strengthen electric power system – Cuba

Cuban specialists have developed various algorithms for the real-time analysis of the island’s electric power system.
Universidad Central de Las Villas, Cuaje’s center of electrical and energy testing, and power utility UNE’s electricity load office collaborated to create and implement an electric power control software program that includes models for wind turbines and photovoltaic technology. These avoid the use of estimates, resulting in improved power quality and reliability, reported Cuban news outlet Radio Rebelde.
The algorithms control power flow, reactive power load, contingency analysis and power stability analysis.
Other algorithms were included for the real-time analysis of the national electric system, allowing for instant updates on grid conditions by examining the proximity between operating points and stability points.
This development contributes to improving the UNE’s management of dispatch activities while facilitating gradual investments in renewable energy sources, which need a push to achieve their potential in the Caribbean.

Digicel launches LTE in British Virgin Islands – Caribbean, Virgin Islands
Mobile operator Digicel has launched its LTE network in the British Virgin Islands, with initial coverage for parts of Tortola and Virgin Gorda and offering speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G on average, according to the company.
The network uses the spectrum in the 700MHz band that was awarded to Digicel in August last year. Digicel rival Flow (C&W Communications), which was also awarded spectrum in said band, launched its LTE network in November.
“We’re focused on always delivering the most advanced technologies to our customers, and the activation of the LTE network in BVI is another significant step in this direction,” Digicel BVI general manager Kevin Gordon was quoted as saying by BVI News.
The operator’s stores in Tortola and Virgin Gorda are now offering LTE home solutions starting at US$79 per month, as well as an array of 4G-supporting handsets. Prepaid and postpaid subscribers will be able to enjoy they service at no extra charge.


Digitalization value depends on public-private alignment – Regional
By World Economic Forum

17 January 2017, Davos-Klosters, Switzerland – Much of the value that digitalization can potentially generate for society will remain trapped unless efforts are stepped up to align private-sector investment incentives with the long-term public good, according to findings of the World Economic Forum Digital Transformation Initiative (DTI). The DTI analysis estimates that more than half of the value that digitalization offers is in the form of societal benefits. These include net job creation and reduced income inequality, improved health outcomes and fewer accidents, reduced carbon emissions and time and cost savings for consumers.
“The majority of the benefits of digital will accrue to society, but only if collective action is taken to assess the potential, using consistent criteria to evaluate the outcomes of specific policy actions,” said Bruce Weinelt, Head of the Digital Transformation Initiative at the World Economic Forum. “A greater change in the mindset of business will also be necessary. The private sector will have to go beyond measuring performance by growth and profit, and begin to embed sustainable and trust-based business models at the heart of their strategies.”
The DTI project, undertaken in collaboration with Accenture, has completed value-at-stake analyses in 10 industries to help the private sector identify opportunities for growth. It has complemented this with a new societal value framework enabling the private and public sectors to understand and measure wider societal benefits in financial terms. This provides a consistent evidence base that helps governments and businesses design regulatory and policy changes that remove investment barriers at national and regional levels.
The new societal value model has been tried in India, the UK and Denmark to engage dialogue with policy-makers. In the Indian state of Telangana, the four digital initiative models demonstrated that value generated in the next decade could be equal to 40% of India’s GDP in 2015. Of the benefits of digitalization, 94% could accrue to society and the environment, as opposed to industry. For example, digital payment solutions could improve access to financial services for small businesses, creating 4.5 million jobs and $410 billion in value to society. This will require measures to spur more investment in broadband and wider adoption of digital applications.
Mature OECD economies could see even greater social benefits from digitalization than the global average. For example, the higher costs in sectors such as healthcare could result in greater savings and productivity improvements. In the UK, improved safety mechanisms in vehicles could reduce road fatalities by 9% a year, while advanced driver assistance systems could save consumers $25 billion in insurance and accident-related costs. Progress would depend on mandated supply of such systems in cars and in automotive services. More broadly, further incentives and policy changes could allow digitalization to deliver $9 trillion in economic benefits globally by addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to combat poverty, inequality and climate change.
The societal value framework includes a staged approach to help companies identify the initiatives that allow them to deliver greatest value to society while achieving long-term commercial benefits. This comprises steps to identify the social trends of greatest relevance to companies, track the potential value at enterprise level and execute strategies to achieve them.
“To unlock the digital revolution’s full value to society, governments, businesses need to shape strategies that measure the value of innovation and investment,” said Mark Knickrehm, Group Chief Executive, Accenture Strategy. “More than just paying lip-service to shared value, this means leaders applying hard-nosed economic tools to fully understand the costs and benefits of digital transformation for business and society, while committing to enhance the role of people at work.”
The World Economic Forum DTI reports recommend a range of actions, including rapid reskilling and greater alignment of education with the new demands of fast-changing markets. Other action areas include public-sector investment, tax incentives, simplified regulation and measures to improve transparency in the use of data so as to encourage wider adoption of new technologies.
The reports note that while new technologies have the potential to increase economic growth, reduce inequality and promote inclusivity, they could be jeopardized by retreat of globalization, the rise of political populism and social instability. Concluding that business and political leaders are at a crossroads, the reports call for responsive and responsible leadership to proactively counter forces that would constrain innovation, trade and growth.
The 47th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is taking place on 17-20 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, under the theme Responsive and Responsible Leadership. More than 3,000 participants from nearly 100 countries will participate in over 400 sessions.


Telefónica, IDB, ICC promote digitalization of LatAm economy – Regional

Press release
By Telefónica
January 13, 2017
Telefónia, and the International Development Bank (IDB) signed today a renewal for their strategic alliance to continue promoting digital transformation and socio-economic development programs in Latin America through 2017-2020. Also pledging participation in the agreement is the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC), the IDB branch responsible for promoting development in Latin America and the Caribbean by means of the private sector. With this addition, the scope of the alliance noticeably broadens, as well as the possibilities for joint action on economic, social and digital development projects in countries where Telefónica, the IDB and the IIC operate, in collaboration with governments, civil agents and the private sector as well.
Participating at the signing today in Madrid were José María Álvarez-Pallete, Chairman and CEO of Telefónica, and Luis Alberto Moreno, president of the IDB.
With the signing of this new agreement, Telefónica, the IDB and the IIC will increase their collaboration projects along six, different courses of action. These lines of action are framed within Smart Cities projects under the IDB’s Emerging and Sustainable Cities Program; Big Data projects focused on data analysis and public interest solutions; digital economy; Internet accessibility and development of appropriate regulatory policies; entrepreneurial support as framed within the Telefónica Open Future program; and development initiatives including the areas of education, health and security.
During the first period of the Strategic Alliance (2012-2015), various development projects in diverse areas were implemented, such as ICTs and microfinance, education, Smart Cities, internationalisation of SMEs and social entrepreneurship, in addition to collaboration on regulatory studies and publications.

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