“Friction is not culture, it’s a choice.” Cloud Carib’s Olivia Dorsett challenges legacy thinking during The Digital Shift forum, urging The Bahamas to abandon “digital cosplay” and paper-first workflows in favor of real modernization.

At a standing-room-only forum held at the Harry C. Moore Library auditorium, Cloud Carib Director of Marketing and Communications Olivia Dorsett argued that the nation’s biggest barrier isn’t access to technology, but paper-based rituals and “digital cosplay” that pull modern tasks back into outdated workflows, quietly imposing a “friction tax” in cost and security risk as global standards rise. 

The event, “The Digital Shift: Embracing Technology in the Workplace”, was co-hosted by the University of The Bahamas (UB) and DigiLearn Bahamas, a national initiative designed to enhance digital literacy across the archipelago. The forum drew a diverse crowd of all ages, from university students and faculty to entrepreneurs, senior citizens, and veteran business leaders, reflecting the broad demographic impact of the digital revolution. 

A packed Harry C. Moore Library auditorium listens in as experts and digital leaders explore how outdated processes silently cost the nation in productivity, talent retention, and trust. The Digital Shift forum drew a cross-generational audience, from students to seasoned professionals.

“The problem isn’t technology. It’s ritual,” Dorsett declared. “We keep calling friction ‘normal,’ and we pay for it every day: in time, in talent, and in trust.” She added, “Our biggest national export isn’t tourism. It’s time, and we waste it in lines, forms, and ‘come back tomorrow.’” 

During the conversation, attendees learned from real-life experience, AI-supported research, and Cloud Carib’s own operational model to share tangible, scalable strategies that individuals, businesses, and governments can adopt immediately. 

Cloud Carib, a leading regional provider of secure cloud infrastructure and managed IT services, continues to play a critical role in enabling digital transformation across the Caribbean. From helping governments modernize core systems to guiding enterprises through secure, scalable tech adoption, the company is a trusted partner in building digital resilience. 

“We’re not behind because we’re a small country,” Dorsett emphasized. “We’re behind because we tolerate friction. But we don’t have to stay

Collaboration in action: (L–R) Patrick Davis, National Coordinator of Information Security – DICT; Cloud Carib’s Director of Marketing & Communications Oliva Dorsett and UB’s Dr. Willissa Mackey, Training Specialist at The University of the Bahamas Private and Public Sector Training Department stand united behind DigiLearn Bahamas, a national initiative redefining access and building a more inclusive digital future.

there.” 

Dr. Willissa Mackey, Training Specialist at UB’s Private and Public Sector Training Department, emphasized the initiative’s role in creating an equitable future. “At the University of The Bahamas, we see digital literacy as a fundamental right. Through DigiLearn, we are redefining access and ensuring that no Bahamian, whether a student refining their resume or a grandmother learning online banking, is left behind in this digital revolution.” 

The forum provided attendees with a practical framework for escaping legacy systems in favor of modern tools. By positioning a security-first mindset, attendees were urged to take personal ownership of the shift, arguing that modernization is not a government-only project, but a daily set of choices made by employees, managers, and students in how they communicate, document decisions, and protect information.