Antigua Breaking News

Day: April 1, 2021

  • Antigua confirms 5 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday

    Antigua confirms 5 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday

    The most recent report received by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment from the Mount St. John’s Medical Centre has revealed five (5) new laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases in Antigua and Barbuda as of Wednesday 31st March 2021 at 6pm. These new cases were as a result of one hundred and eight (108)…

  • Daren Matthew-Ward takes swipe at Knight comparing him with a ‘jackass’

    Daren Matthew-Ward takes swipe at Knight comparing him with a ‘jackass’

    It was quite evident this morning that Wednesday night’s onslaught by Dane Knight on his colleagues at Observer Media has gotten under the skin of morning host Daren Matthew-Ward. Matthew-Ward struggled to stay calm while sharing the word of the day — Impartiality.  It was clear that Matthew-Ward was taking a swipe at Knight who…

  • Dane Knight launches onslaught on his employer Observer Radio

    Dane Knight launches onslaught on his employer Observer Radio

    Observer Radio host has launched an onslaught on his employer, accusing them of “kissing the ass” of Prime Minister Gaston Browne and others in the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party. At the start of his program Wednesday evening, Knight expressed his displeasure with the Observer News Department over its placement of Minister Samantha Marshall talking…

  • State Insurance donates EC$100,000 towards Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program

    State Insurance donates EC$100,000 towards Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program

    On Thursday, April 1, 2021, Antigua and Barbuda’s oldest indigenous insurance company, State Insurance Company Limited, donated EC $100,000 towards the Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program. In a brief hand-over meeting, General Manager for State Insurance Company Limited, Lyndell Francis-Butler presented the cheque to Prime Minister Gaston Browne in his office on Queen Elizabeth Highway. Accepting…

  • Antigua and Barbuda ships samples of the Invasive Sargassum Seaweed to Finland

    Antigua and Barbuda ships samples of the Invasive Sargassum Seaweed to Finland

    The Antigua and Barbuda Department of Analytical Services shipped 202lbs of the invasive sargassum seaweed to Finland. On the receiving end will be Origin by Ocean a Finnish company being incubated within the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Global Innovation Centre (GIC) in Sweden. Today’s shipment is the first phase of a project…

  • ECCB officially launches Digital EC Dollar – DCash

    ECCB officially launches Digital EC Dollar – DCash

    The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) officially launched its digital currency -DCash on Wednesday, touting the initiative as being safer, faster and cheaper. The four pilot countries where the public can obtain DCash are  Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Saint Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis and Saint Lucia. Speaking at Wednesday’s official DCash launching ceremony,…

  • RBC successfully completes sale of its Eastern Caribbean banking operations

    RBC successfully completes sale of its Eastern Caribbean banking operations

    Today, Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) (RBC) announced that it has received the required approvals from local governments and from the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank for the sale of its Eastern Caribbean banking operations. The transaction closes today. This sale has RBC selling its Eastern Caribbean banking operations to a consortium…

  • German experts say under 60s should not get 2nd AstraZeneca vaccine

    German experts say under 60s should not get 2nd AstraZeneca vaccine

    BERLIN (Reuters) — Germany’s vaccine commission, known as STIKO, recommended on Thursday that people under 60-years old who have had a first shot of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine should receive a different product for their second dose. Earlier in the week, Germany said only people aged 60 and over should be administered the AstraZeneca vaccine due…

  • Leon Norville joins Observer as Social Media and Web Coordinator

    Leon Norville joins Observer as Social Media and Web Coordinator

    Today April 1, the Observer family officially welcomes Leon Norville to the news, sports and current affairs department of our organisation. Norville will assume the role of Social Media and Web Coordinator/Reporter and will work along with senior management to help drive Observer’s continued transformation across all areas, with a special focus on social media…

  • Yida renounces Chinese citizenship

    Yida renounces Chinese citizenship

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne says “Mr Yida has given up his Chinese citizenship and is now exclusively Antiguan and Barbuda.” Browne said Yida “is a citizen of this country and deserves the full support of all Antiguans and Barbudans.” Amidst the backlash the Yida project is receiving in sections of the public, Browne’s support for…

  • Partial opening of schools for 3rd term

    Partial opening of schools for 3rd term

    The planned re-opening of schools following the Easter break will only see students in higher classes returning for face-to-face learning. There is confirmation that Cabinet at its weekly meeting has agreed to a proposal made by Director of Education Clare Browne that 4th and 5th formers and students in Grades Five and Six return to the classrooms.…

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]