“The Caribbean needs continued investment, practical policy and strong public-private coordination to turn connectivity into long-term economic opportunity,” said Marcelo Cataldo, CEO of Digicel Group, at the 41st CANTO Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition, held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Cataldo made the call during CANTO’s CEO Dialogue, Elevating the Caribbean – Leadership, Investment and Competitiveness in a Digital Era, where he joined fellow regional telecommunications leaders for a roundtable discussion on how the sector can help drive Caribbean growth in an increasingly digital economy.

CANTO is a regional ICT association that brings together telecommunications operators, governments, regulators, technology companies and industry partners from across the Caribbean.

Connectivity as Essential Infrastructure

“When we talk about closing the digital divide, we are talking about whether students can learn online, whether small businesses can reach customers, whether families can stay connected during a storm and whether communities can fully participate in the modern economy,” Cataldo added.

He expanded on this theme in his keynote address at the Digicel-hosted panel, Closing the Digital Divide Through Investment and Inclusion, where he called for connectivity to be treated as essential infrastructure for Caribbean communities, businesses and governments.

The panel was moderated by Ana Rua, Digicel’s Group Chief External Affairs and Communications Officer, and featured Lisa Agard, Chair of CANTO C9, and Lucas Gallitto, Head of Latin America and the Caribbean at GSMA.

“Connectivity is tied to nearly every part of life in the Caribbean, from education and healthcare to financial services, tourism, public services, disaster resilience and long-term competitiveness,” Rua said. “CANTO created an important space for regional collaboration on how we connect more people in ways that are practical, sustainable, and built around the realities of Caribbean markets.”

Building Networks for Resilience

Rua also delivered a keynote address at the GSMA Technology Summit at CANTO, focusing on resilient connectivity and the Caribbean’s digital future. With many Caribbean countries classified as Small Island Developing States, the region is particularly exposed to hurricanes and other climate-related hazards. Rua called for resilience to be built into networks from the start as digital demand continues to grow.

“Recent storms, including Hurricane Melissa, have shown how critical resilient networks are to keeping communities connected to emergency services, vital information and one another when disaster strikes,” Rua said.

Strengthening Cybersecurity

The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 found that only 13% of respondents in Latin America and the Caribbean were confident in their country’s ability to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.

Against this backdrop, Stuart Hylton, Director of Assurance and Compliance at Symptai, joined a panel on strengthening cyber resilience across the Caribbean. Symptai is a Caribbean-based cybersecurity and technology advisory firm and part of Digicel Group. Hylton highlighted the need for greater preparedness and collaboration to protect the region’s businesses, governments and critical services.

Throughout CANTO, Digicel called for investment and partnerships that deliver practical results by extending mobile and fibre coverage to underserved communities, keeping networks online during disasters and protecting critical services from cyber threats. This work supports Digicel’s mission to improve lives through reliable and innovative solutions and its sustainability commitment to create long-term value for customers and communities.