Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS
BUSINESS BRIEFS BUSINESS FOCUS
C&W Business Raises Security Bar With ISO 27001
According to Khan, “C&W Business will continue investing to ensure our infrastructure is safe and resilient to any potential attacks, and to honor our obligation to our customers and other stakeholders that the company will be vigilant in keeping our customers’ data safe and secure.”
“Sin Tax” Better Than NIS Increase?
NWU & Demerara Mutual Life Sign Industrial Agreement C&W Business, a division of C&W Communications (C&W), a full-service communications and entertainment provider operating in the Caribbean and Latin America, announced it has achieved compliance with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (ISO 27001). This internationally recognised information security standard has rigorous requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a Company’s Information Security Management System (ISMS). “By achieving compliance with ISO 27001, C&W continues to apply best practices in data security which demonstrates its commitment to protect the most valued asset of enterprises large and small: their information. It's part of a number of measures to meet customer and market requirements in all geographies in which C&W operates,” said Shuja Khan, Chief Commercial Officer, C&W Communications. The certification is valid for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) and Security Operations Center (SOC) services. Achievement of this standard was the result of a 12-month organization-wide effort. In preparation for the independent audit, C&W Business conducted comprehensive internal audits and risk assessments to ensure all required controls were in place. The independent audit was performed by DAS, a UK based audit firm accredited by UKAS. BusinessFocus
Sep/Oct
|
6
The Management of Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society and officials of the National Workers Union met Tuesday August 15, 2017 for the official signing of a new industrial agreement. The official ceremony took place at the Department of Labour. Clerical and technical workers employed with the said company will now benefit from a 9.5 % general wage increase spread out in the following manner: Year 1 – 5%; Year 2 – 2%; and Year 3 – 2.5%. Other provisions included are retroactive payments, Overtime Compensation, Call Out, Call Back and Acting Allowances and Maternity and Paternity Leave. All arrangements are being made for the full implementation of the new contract. The NWU has also written to the management of CPJ St. Lucia Limited, informing them that the mobilisation thrust among workers has been completed, and the union will soon submit a recognition application to the Ministry of Labour on behalf of the company’s workers.
The idea of an increase in National Insurance Corporation (NIC) tax from five to 7.5 percent is not being supported by Executive Director of the Saint Lucia Employers Federation (SLEF), Joseph Alexander, as he believes it will put too much pressure on employers, especially at a time when they are already facing a difficult economic situation. Former Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Stephen King, on a recent talk show endorsed new measures being considered to boost the healthcare sector and make primary healthcare less prohibitive for the underprivileged. The increase in NIC contributions and the institution of a “sin tax” – an excise tax normally levied on activities or goods considered physically or morally harmful, such as cigarettes and liquor – were two of the suggestions supported by Dr. King. While he is all for the introduction of a sin tax, the SLEF executive director said increasing the NIC contributions may not be a good idea. “The employer will now have to put an extra two or two-and-a-half percent [toward NIC contributions],” Alexander said. “I am not against employers contributing, I just feel that too much is being asked of employers at this difficult stage with the current economic condition.” With regard to the sin tax, he said: “I believe there should be a “sin tax” on