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3-year LIAT severance ordeal nears end

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Barbadian former workers of the Antigua-based LIAT (1974) Limited have begun to receive the final part of their $10 million severance payout, winding up one of the longest waits ever for a state-owned enterprise to compensate former workers.

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Barbados TODAY confirmed on Monday that the government has started honouring the bonds component of the payout after the cash element was disbursed in July last year.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley had promised just over a year ago that the administration would pay all 89 eligible Barbadian workers up to $75 000 each in cash according to their calculated severance liability and that any payment over $75 000 would be paid in bonds. The latest cash payment cost just over $4 million, while the price tag for the bonds has been put at a little under $6 million.

With the former workers having been paid the cash portion last July, the first disbursement from the bonds has now been made and will continue for another 41 consecutive months.

And the man who had been spearheading the fight for terminated Barbadian employees to be compensated, not only expressed delight at this development but showered the Barbados government with praise.

“The former staff of LIAT are finally being fully settled in terms of the bonds portion that was promised to us that was part of the ex-gratia settlement from the Government of Barbados…and once again, we are extremely grateful,” former pilot Neil Cave told Barbados TODAY.

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“The hardship we have gone through was quite significant over the last three years, and the government would have honoured the cash component in July last year, and they are in the process now of honouring the bonds which would equate to the remainder of the severance for the staff. So everybody is absolutely elated, because it happened quite suddenly.”

He pointed out that those affected can now put the whole saga of LIAT behind them, to move forward and to “really truly rebuild their lives; and that is all thanks to our government.”

But while he is over the moon for the Barbadian employees, Cave said he is hurting for his Antiguan counterparts, whose government was able to find $20 million to invest in a revived LIAT but could not reach a settlement for committed and loyal former airline workers who continue to suffer.

“The only two governments so far that have settled the matter of the former LIAT staff… some 600 of us… would be Saint Lucia and now Barbados is fully meeting its commitments,” he noted.

Prime Minister Mottley announced in Parliament in March 2023 that the government would pay the LIAT workers’ three-year-old outstanding severance.

While waiting to get their entitlements, some ex-workers lost homes, vehicles and credit cards. Many more had lost faith in the carrier’s shareholder governments of Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica.

Mottley had  explained that her administration could not have afforded to pay the Bajan employees’ severance any earlier due to insufficient funds.

SOURCE: Barbados TODAY

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One response to “3-year LIAT severance ordeal nears end”

  1. Show jackass brown this article and what true Leadership is not the “world boss bulling” nonsense he comes to the table with… Mia Mottley is a true leader and better prime minister you would ever be you Hitler looking female dog!

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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]