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COVID-19 UPDATE: Zero new cases
The most recent report received by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment has revealed no new laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases in Antigua and Barbuda as of Sunday, July 19 at 6 pm. Nineteen samples were tested. Ten of the samples were repeats from which eight out of ten retested positive while two were…
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Vincentian returning home from Antigua tests positive for COVID-19
The following statement was issued on Sunday by the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), in St. Vincent and the Grenadines: St. Vincent and the Grenadines recorded six new COVID-19 cases, with the receipt of results from the CARPHA Public Health Lab late this evening. Four of the cases are from the AA945 flight, which arrived…
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Travelling to Jamaica? Here’s what you need to know
All customers travelling into Jamaica must first complete an online screening and application to receive the necessary approvals for entry to the country. It is imperative that on receipt of the approval email, applicants follow the additional instructions in the email. This allows them to download their travel authorisation document. This downloaded authorisation document presents…
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BREAKING: Gonsalves offers Antigua SVG’s LIAT shares for EC$1
Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, says he had offered to sell his Antiguan counterpart, Gaston Browne, for EC$1, Kingstown’s shareholding in doomed regional airline LIAT. Gonsalves’ offer comes at a time when the other shareholder governments in LIAT – Barbados and Dominica — have agreed to liquidate the cash-strapped carrier,…
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Visitors trying to gain entry into Antigua with fake COVID-19 certificates
Antigua and Barbuda is considering yet another revision to its protocols for entry after discovering that some visitors are trying to gain entry by using Fake COVID-19 certificates. Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the problem is not unique to Antigua & Barbuda but at other destinations where ports have reopened. Currently, visitors are expected to…
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Investigation continues into forgery of PM’s signature, customs fraud
The investigation into the alleged forgery of Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s signature and more than $3 million customs fraud is ongoing, the prime minister announced Monday. This, despite Comptroller of Customs Raju Boddu saying om state television recently that there is no active investigation. “There has been an investigation taking place for several months ……
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Caribbean doctors among experts in new COVID-19 response
Doctors from across the Caribbean have come together to lend their expertise to a new online resource for a sustainable COVID-19 response. The project aims to extract actionable insights from medical practitioners around the world, in order to build capacity in the global fight against the pandemic. Portals works closely with strategic partners such as…
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COVID-19: Oxford vaccine triggers immune response
BBC – A coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford appears safe and triggers an immune response. Trials involving 1,077 people showed the injection led to them making antibodies and T-cells that can fight coronavirus. The findings are hugely promising, but it is still too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection…
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Americans are officially banned from traveling to the Bahamas because of COVID-19
American tourists will be barred from entering the Bahamas starting Wednesday, as levels of COVID-19 resurge in the U.S. The situation in the Bahamas has deteriorated “at an exponential rate” since the reopening of international borders on July 1, the country’s prime minister, Hubert Minnis, said. Fifteen new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the…
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Renowned educator Dame Edris Bird dies
Renowned educator Dame Edris Bird has died. She was 91 years old. The legendary Educator, is a former Head of UWI Distance Education program She is survived by her three children – by the love of her life, Mr Oscar Bird, a brother of the father of the nation, Sir Vere Cornwall Bird – Dr.…
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LIAT meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. today
Shareholder prime ministers of regional carrier, LIAT, are scheduled to meet today to discuss the fate of the airline. According to the Prime Minister Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, a previously scheduled meeting was not held due to the unavailability of Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados. He said the meeting, that will also include…
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]