Antigua Breaking News

Day: May 8, 2020

  • BREAKING: Antigua records another sudden death

    BREAKING: Antigua records another sudden death

    Antigua has recorded yet another sudden death. The latest victim is a 64-year-old man from Skeritts Pasture. Information reaching 268 TODAY suggests he complained of shortness of breath and was rushed to hospital by ambulance, but he died.

  • BREAKING: U.S. FAA downgrades safety rating of Eastern Caribbean aviation system rating

    BREAKING: U.S. FAA downgrades safety rating of Eastern Caribbean aviation system rating

    The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it had downgraded the safety rating for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), a move that means carriers from those island nations cannot start new service. The “Category 2” rating covers Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, as well as St. Vincent and…

  • Air Canada sends letter to travel agents offering flights to 2 Caribbean countries in June

    Air Canada sends letter to travel agents offering flights to 2 Caribbean countries in June

    Air Canada Vacations are returning in June to popular locations such as Mexico, Cuba and Jamaica. The following letter was sent to travel agents Thursday night from Nino Montagnese. Managing Director at Air Canada Vacations. “Over the last few months, we’ve all been dealing with the unprecedented circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the…

  • Colombian company creates bed that can double as coffin

    Colombian company creates bed that can double as coffin

    A Colombian advertising company is pitching a novel, if morbid, solution to shortages of hospital beds and coffins during the coronavirus pandemic: combine them. ABC Displays has created a cardboard bed with metal railings that designers say can double as a casket if a patient dies. Company manager Rodolfo Gómez said he was inspired to…

  • UPDATED: Gunman robs Parham supermarket in broad daylight

    UPDATED: Gunman robs Parham supermarket in broad daylight

    Police are probing an armed robbery at a supermarket in Parham this afternoon Friday. A lone gunman with a t-shirt tied around his head barged into the supermarket where he robbed workers of cash totalling more than $5,000. The gunman also made off with other valuables. No one was hurt in the incident. The assailant…

  • Caribbean has achieved COVID-19 containment, says researcher

    Caribbean has achieved COVID-19 containment, says researcher

    The coronavirus (COVID-19) has been contained in the English-speaking Caribbean and Haiti, according to a leading researcher and academic. However, Dr. Clive Landis, pro-vice-chancellor for undergraduate studies and research, and professor of cardiovascular research at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill campus in Barbados, and the chairman of the UWI COVID-19 task…

  • Tourism stakeholders discuss plans for re-opening

    Tourism stakeholders discuss plans for re-opening

    As Tourism Officials prepare for the restarting of tourism activity in Antigua and Barbuda, the Ministry of Tourism is meeting with tourism stakeholders to discuss the development of protocols required to ensure the safety of the Antigua and Barbuda population and future visitors. “The impact of COVID-19, has been felt directly by most if not…

  • Caribbean Airlines plans to fly past COVID-19

    Caribbean Airlines plans to fly past COVID-19

    With global travel restrictions imposed due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which led to the significant decline of air travel, CAPA – Centre for Aviation forecast that by the end of May 2020 most airlines in the world will be bankrupted. However, Zachary Harding, board director of Caribbean Airlines (CA), contended that this does…

  • CARICOM’s Trade and Economic Council approves strategy for the re-opening of regional economies

    CARICOM’s Trade and Economic Council approves strategy for the re-opening of regional economies

    The fiftieth meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) this week approved a strategy for the re-opening of economies in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The Council, which is made up of Trade Ministers and officials, agreed to a framework centered on the development and adherence to defined metrics related to the Covid-19…

  • New curfew guidelines

    New curfew guidelines

    Curfew continues from 12:01 a.m. April 23 to 12 Midnight May 14, 2020 Official Guidelines • The government of Antigua and Barbuda has declared a State of Emergency in an effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus – COVID 19 • A curfew has been enacted from Thursday 23rd April – 12:01 a.m. to…

  • UK provides £5M to help Caribbean address COVID-19 impact

    UK provides £5M to help Caribbean address COVID-19 impact

    The Government of the United Kingdom announced today new support to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in the Caribbean. This support includes £3 million to the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) for the provision of essential medical supplies and management support to help public health systems around the region combat the virus. A further £2…

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]