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ABLP and UPP trade words ahead of crucial byelection

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(CMC) — The Antigua and Barbuda Government and the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) were trading allegations ahead of Monday’s Nomination Day for the crucial St Mary’s South constituency byelection.

Kelvin ‘Shugy’ Simon, who stepped down in a bid to thwart efforts by the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) to challenge his victory at the general election, will again be the UPP’s candidate, while economist Dwayne George, a former UPP member, is the ABLP’s candidate.

There are expected to be several other candidates, but political observers say the contest will be a fight between the candidates of the two main parties Prime Minister Gaston Browne had led the ABLP to a nail-biting victory in the January 18 general elections, winning nine of the 17 seats for a third consecutive term in office.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister said it had “discovered that operatives within the Opposition have become so desperate…that they have gone about creating a fake profile” of the prime minister and “using foul language and an unusual photo to vilify, slander and libel the Prime Minister”.

The statement said that the opposition has created the “fake profile in the hopes of persuading youthful electors, the people who are most likely to consume the on-line trashy material which the specific website offers, to reduce their faith in the very successful nine-year tenure of Prime Minister Browne.

“Those operatives are hoping to swing youthful voters away from the growing support won over by the ABLP candidate for St. Mary’s South, by diminishing the high standard that has characterized the Prime Minister’s appeal,” the statement said, adding that “the fake profile has been reported to the appropriate website and it is expected that it will shortly be taken down”.

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But in a statement, the UPP said that it “views with contempt the latest effort of Prime Minister Gaston Browne to gain the support of the people of Antigua and Barbuda: by claiming to be the cyber victim of Opposition operatives”.

The party said that it has “no need to resort to such low tactics to disgrace the Prime Minister, when, singlehandedly, in his recent unhinged rants and unprecedented solipsism…he brought his position and the office into disrepute.

“The Prime Minister would be better advised to look within his own camp, where there is so much dissatisfaction among his comrades, for the real culprit behind this fake profile.

Otherwise, he has the resources of the police at his disposal to investigate this alleged offence,” the opposition party said.

It said it has “absolutely no need to descend into the gutter politics of PM Browne,” adding “rather, it is “satisfied with, and proud of, the campaign” run by the candidate and the party “and we are confident that the voters in the upcoming byelection-will make the right choice based on performance and character”.

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One response to “ABLP and UPP trade words ahead of crucial byelection”

  1. There is no level that the unhinged leader of ALP wouldn’t sink to retain power. The disgraced and corrupt PM undoubtedly orchestrated the fake news highlighting the known facts about him locally, nationally and internationally.

    He is menace and disgraced to Antigua and Barbuda, and the Caribbean basin. He should do a Google search for his profile.

    The UPP signalled in January’s elections that his days are numbered and the outcomes from the pending bi election will give him diarrhoea. He better stock up on charcoal tablets to absorb the poison.

    Antigua and Barbuda has had enough of him.

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. 

 

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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
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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]