Antigua Breaking News

Day: April 10, 2023

  • Hotels continue to regain pandemic-related losses

    Hotels continue to regain pandemic-related losses

    The hotel sector of the tourism industry continues to perform well as it seeks to regain ground from the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21. Latest figures from the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourist Association, show that hotel occupancy for February continues to improve, although they are still shy  of February 2019,…

  • UK-based company secures cannabis licence

    UK-based company secures cannabis licence

    (POINTE XPRESS) — Antigua Agronomics, a locally registered company whose principals are based in the United Kingdom, has received its certificate from the Medicinal Cannabis Authority, to operate in the medicinal cannabis sphere that is now being developed here in Antigua and Barbuda. Chief Executive Officer Ashley King, said the license grants his company the…

  • US announces online tool for Caribbean noncitizens to provide change of address

    US announces online tool for Caribbean noncitizens to provide change of address

    (CMC) — The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has announced an online change-of-address form for Caribbean and other noncitizens, giving them the option to update their information online in addition to the existing options of doing so by phone or in-person. “It will enable noncitizens to comply with their immigration obligations more…

  • The Digital Banking Revolution: Delivering Financial Literacy Tools to Help Customers Achieve Their Goals

    The Digital Banking Revolution: Delivering Financial Literacy Tools to Help Customers Achieve Their Goals

    Technology is driving a surge in new banking products and services that help customers better manage their money. Typically during the four-day Easter weekend, two back-to-back bank holidays would present significant challenges for personal and business banking.  But with digital banking tools, many transactions can still be completed although branch offices are closed. As part of…

  • Mental Health Activists launch new NGO with a Mental Health Awareness Brunch

    Mental Health Activists launch new NGO with a Mental Health Awareness Brunch

    The SIA Foundation is excited to announce a Mental Health Awareness Brunch during Mental Health Awareness Week on May 20, 2023, at the Greencastle Ranch. The SIA (Sustainable Innovative Action) Foundation’s mission is to create enabling environments for marginalized populations by empowering them in the areas of STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts ane Math) and…

  • 5 dead after shooting at Kentucky bank building

    5 dead after shooting at Kentucky bank building

    (The Associated Press) — Five people were killed and six others hospitalized in a shooting at a bank building Monday morning in downtown Louisville, Ky., police said. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey told reporters that officers who arrived on the scene “encountered active gunshots still being fired inside the location at that…

  • MP Watts acknowledges, but not satisfied with, Factory Road fix, likening it to ‘putting a band-aid on a sore foot’

    MP Watts acknowledges, but not satisfied with, Factory Road fix, likening it to ‘putting a band-aid on a sore foot’

    (REAL News) — MP for St. George Algernon “Serpent” Watts is pleased, but far from satisfied, that the Public Works Department has finally undertaken the repair of a dangerous section of the Factory Road. On Tuesday morning, April 4, a crew from the Ministry of Works began patching a section of Factory Road that fronts…

  • Caribbean aviation of the future

    Caribbean aviation of the future

    By Cdr. Bud Slabbaert Just imagine. A small island, or a short runway, or just a resort with ample open space. Out of the blue sky comes an airplane and lands right there, like a helicopter, and brings forty passengers. You will think that this is not just imagination, but rather hallucination pure. It would…

  • Dalai Lama regrets asking boy to ‘suck my tongue’

    Dalai Lama regrets asking boy to ‘suck my tongue’

    (BBC) — The Dalai Lama has apologised after footage showed him asking a boy if he wanted to suck the Tibetan spiritual leader’s tongue. His office said he wanted to apologise to the child and his family “for the hurt his words may have caused”. The video also shows the Dalai Lama kissing the child…

  • 4 more medals picked up as curtains came down on 2023 instalment of CARIFTA Aquatic Championships

    4 more medals picked up as curtains came down on 2023 instalment of CARIFTA Aquatic Championships

    The curtains came down on the 2023 instalment of the Carifta Aquatic Championships in Curacao Sunday evening with an exciting finish for team Antigua & Barbuda. Four more medals were picked up. The races started off with the 400 m Freestyle events and we immediately captured 2 silver medals in both the 11-12 girl’s and…

  • Dalai Lama apologizes after video asking child to ‘suck’ his tongue sparks outcry

    Dalai Lama apologizes after video asking child to ‘suck’ his tongue sparks outcry

    CNN — The Dalai Lama has apologized after a video emerged showing the spiritual leader kissing a child on the lips and then asking him to “suck my tongue” at an event in northern India. In a statement Monday, the office for the Dalai Lama said he “wishes to apologize to the boy and his…

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]