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  • ABWU continues to play politics in LIAT severance matter, PM Browne says

ABWU continues to play politics in LIAT severance matter, PM Browne says

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Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the government has all rights to withdraw the compassionate payment offer to former LIAT workers if the situation remains contentious

The government had initially offered a 50 per cent compassionate payment offer which was not welcomed by the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union; who said they needed further clarity on the offer.

That offer has since been reduced to 32 per cent but the matter is still combative.

“I’m not going to dupe anybody. And it’s not because I’m harsh. I believe in standing on the truth. We said to the LIAT workers that if they did not accept the 50%, we will withdraw it…well, we haven’t withdrawn it as yet, but we’ve since reduced it to 32%. And it is within the right of the government to withdraw it completely because we have no legal liability to the workers of LIAT,” Prime Minister Browne said.

Browne continues to maintain his stance that it would be unreasonable to expect the government to pay 100 per cent severance which amounts to over $120 million

“How long are we going to hold out on this offer? And we made it abundantly clear from the beginning that this offer is not indefinite. And again, I’m not trying to be harsh here. I’m not being uncaring. In fact, I’m probably one of the most caring politicians you find anywhere in the world… But at the same time, as a prime minister, myself and my team, my ministers, we have a governance responsibility to the entire nation, not to a group of people called LIAT workers…And again, I say this with no ill will towards the LIAT…” Browne said

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Adding, “I just hope that the reality has set in and that they will look at the offer seriously and not force us to take another position that will not necessarily be to their benefit”,

Meanwhile, since Browne made the compassionate payment offer to former LIAT workers, others who are owed severance from their former employees have come forward with demands

“The Stanford Workers who worked at Antigua Sun and some other entities within the Stanford Group recently approached the government for us to pay them the severance that was not paid by the Stanford Estate on the basis that we have no legal obligation to LIAT and we are paying the LIAT workers 32%. They are saying that they should get paid too. So, you can see the dangerous precedent that we are setting here,” he said

The government has justified its decision to offer a compassionate payment to LIAT workers because of its shares in the entity.

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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]