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11 Haitians drown trying to reach Puerto Rico

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BBC: At least 11 suspected migrants have died after their boat capsized near the US territory of Puerto Rico. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP.

The US Coast Guard said there were 38 survivors so far – mostly from Haiti, with two from the Dominican Republic.

Interceptions of migrants in the waters of the Caribbean have spiked in the past year.

“The sea is dangerous,” said Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson from the US Coast Guard. “These ventures are dangerous.”

The Coast Guard first learned of the capsize after the ship – which was taking part in an “illegal voyage” – was spotted by a Customs and Border Patrol aircraft about 10 nautical miles (18km) off the coast of Desecheo, an uninhabited island in Puerto Rico.

The boat’s passengers did not appear to be wearing life jackets, the Coast Guard said. The vessel is believed to have departed from the Dominican Republic.

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In a statement on Thursday night, Rear Adm McPherson said they were searching for survivors with boats, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

“Our highest priority is saving lives and that is what my crews will exhaust themselves doing,” he said.

The Coast Guard increased the number of survivors on Friday morning, from 31 to 38. Eight are in hospital.

The number of migrants detained in the Caribbean is increasing as more people – particularly Haitians – flee instability and poverty in their own country.

Between October and March, 571 Haitians and 354 Dominicans were detained, many in the treacherous waters of the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

According to officials quoted by the Washington Post, the Coast Guard is now on track to intercept 15 times more Haitian migrants than it did in 2020.

The Coast Guard’s website notes that migrants intercepted at sea can be returned to their country of origin “without the costly processes required if they had successfully entered the United States”.

Thursday’s capsize comes less than a week after nearly 70 migrants were rescued by US and Dominican vessels in the Mona Passage.

The incident prompted the Coast Guard San Juan Sector’s acting commander, Jose Diaz, to warn migrants to not take to the seas.

“These voyages are highly dangerous, and could cost you your life, the life of a loved one or the lives of everyone else in the voyage,” he said.

In January, a similar capsize led to the disappearance of at least 38 people off the coast of Florida. One survivor was reported. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP.

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REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

 

OECS MSME Guarantee Facility Project

Loan No.: IDA-62670, IDA-62660, IDA-62640, IBRD-88830, IDA-62650

Assignment Title: Senior Operating Officer (SOO)

Reference No. KN-ECPCGC-207852-CS-INDV

 

The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received financing in the amount of US$10 million equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of establishing a partial credit guarantee scheme, and they intend to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, and consulting services to be procured under this project. 

The consultant will serve as the “Senior Operating Officer (SOO)” for the ECPCGC and should possess extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to Micro, small and medium-sized businesses, knowledge of the internal control processes necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate should possess an Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in lending, inclusive of MSME lending. The initial employment period will be for two years on a contractual basis. Renewal of the contract will be subject to a performance evaluation at the end of the contractual period. The assignment is expected to begin on September 30th, 2021.  The consultant will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the ECPCGC.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be viewed by following the attached link below. 

 

https://bit.ly/3iVannm

 

The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have:

  • An Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Finance, Banking or related field; and
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in MSME lending. Applicants should also have:
  • The ability to design and implement risk management procedures 
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to small and medium-sized businesses
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME banking operations
  • Knowledge of the internal controls necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk management procedures
  • Experience developing and presenting information in public, including responding to questions in real-time
  • Experience lending to MSMEs located in the ECCU
  • Knowledge of marketing and communicating with the MSME sector
  • Ability to draft procedures to be used in a lending operation
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a loan guarantee program
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and
  • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite.

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers July 2016, [revised November 2017] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Approved Selection Method for Individual Consultants set out in the clause 7.34 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0800 to 1700 hours:

Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation

Brid Rock, Basseterre,

St. Kitts.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form by e-mail by August 11th, 2021, to [email protected]

 

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Gomez-Trigg                                                            Bernard Thomas

Chief Executive Officer                                                          Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 868-620-8144                                                                  Tel: 869-765-2385

Email: [email protected]                                          [email protected]