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  • Antigua PM talks CoinGeek Live 2020 watch party experience

Antigua PM talks CoinGeek Live 2020 watch party experience

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Antigua & Barbuda is gunning to become a global digital currency hub, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed. Browne talked to CoinGeek during a watch party held in the island nation for CoinGeek Live 2020, revealing his government’s efforts and how he believes the nation will benefit from blockchain integration.

Antigua & Barbuda passed the Digital Asset Business Act in 2018, establishing a legal framework to govern the digital currency industry. This law has led to rapid growth of the digital currency industry in the country, Browne told CoinGeek.

The Prime Minister is especially impressed with Bitcoin SV, he revealed. He attributed BSV’s growth in the island nation to the diligent efforts of Ayre Group and CoinGeek founder Calvin Ayre, a longtime resident of Antigua.

“Ambassador Calvin Ayre in particular has been providing us with a significant amount of information. As cabinet members, I think we now have a good understanding of that space.”

Browne had attended a CoinGeek Live 2020 watch party in Antigua where the attendees got the opportunity to hear from some of Bitcoin’s most elite minds. The event was one of a kind, integrating live broadcast in an engaging way that no other Bitcoin event has managed to.

One of the highlights of the event was Dr. Craig Wright who took to the stage on each of the three days. Browne cited Dr. Wright’s presentations as enlightening, stating:

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“I just watched the presentation by Dr. Craig Wright and I have to say I was impressed. I now recognize that the BSV platform is a transparent platform, one in which there’s no anonymity and thus can be utilized as an open system for various innovations, for entrepreneurs, for governments… I can see my government utilizing the platforms for its civil registry, for the land register, for the passport division. This will make sure we have the immutability and transparency that we require.”

Browne was full of praise for the nChain team and Calvin Ayre for their sustained efforts geared towards bettering the technology. Their desire to educate the world about Bitcoin, through such efforts as CoinGeek Live, is also commendable, the Prime Minister noted.

“When we don’t understand things, we tend to be negative towards them.”

Browne believes that it’s just a matter of time before blockchain technology becomes the norm around the world. As more people understand the technology and its benefits, it will be integrated into virtually every other industry, both by the public and private sectors, he told CoinGeek.

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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]