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Antigua and Barbuda issues first official medical cannabis licence

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History was made on Monday as the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, through the Medicinal Cannabis Authority (the “MCA” or “Authority”), issued the first official licence for the production of Medical Cannabis.

The Authority is a statutory body created to regulate and issue licenses for the cultivation, manufacture, processing, extraction, import, export, testing, research, distribution, and sale of medicinal cannabis goods.

The first licence was issued to Grow Antigua, a local trifold company that can boast of being the first of its kind in the Cannabis Industry.

GROW (Antigua & Barbuda) Limited is an Antiguan & Barbudan registered vertically integrated ‘seed to sale’ Medical Cannabis Company.

The company is a public/private hybrid operation that includes the government, Rastafari communities, and private enterprise as central Stakeholders.

The three entities comprising Grow Antigua are, Itopia Life (Antigua) Ltd, Rastafari Food For Life Ltd, and National Asset Management Company (NAMCO).

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Itopia Life is a respected team of Antiguan & International professionals, with modern growing practices, world-class medical genetics, and years of experience with global standing in the Medicinal Cannabis industry.

The Nyabinghi Theocracy Church Haile Selassie I Big Creek in conjunction with the Rasfreeman Foundation for the Unification of Rastafari Inc. group has joined together in unity to form the Rastafari Food For Life Ltd, while the people of Antigua & Barbuda will be represented by the country’s National Asset Management Company (NAMCO).

In offering salutations during the historic handing over ceremony, Director of GROW Antigua, Andrew Moody-Stuart said, “Today’s ceremony represents one of the most significant pivots in the cannabis industry. For the first time, a government will partner with a religious community and a private company for cannabis production that will help centralize public health outcomes, while also fostering innovation and quality. We are at the beginning of what we hope will be a remarkable journey for all of us and this little country of ours. We are aiming high and have all the ingredients to put GROW Antigua & Barbuda on the world’s Medical Cannabis stage.”

According to Ambassador Daven Joseph, Chair of the MCA, “The Cannabis Authority is pleased that Grow Antigua was able to meet the critical requirements that will enable this company to conduct a viable medicinal Cannabis business in accordance with national law and public policy. The medicinal cannabis industry is expected to contribute significantly to our post Covid-19 economic diversification program and this is just the beginning of the government’s effort to meaningfully develop this industry.”

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Hon. Samantha Marshall, Minister of

Agriculture (NAMCO Member), RFFL, Ras Osagyfu, Glasford F Mack, and Hon. Steadroy Benjamin, Attorney General gave brief remarks during the handing over ceremony.

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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]