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Bajans told to eat more lionfish to reduce invasive species

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Barbadians are being encouraged to include the invasive lionfish species in their diet.

The advice came as Minister of the Environment and Beautification Adrian Forde disclosed that research on the species was being carried out to determine how pervasive it is in the island’s waters.

“I know we have a problem with lionfish. Lionfish have created havoc in our reefs and our oceans, eating a lot of the potential fish and destroying species, but we have started in our ministry to do research on the lionfish and its population along with the Barbados Tourism [Investment Inc.] and [other] players to make it a part of the Barbadian diet,” said Forde.

He said a part of the plan was to have chefs who are experienced in the preparation of the fish teach residents so “that which was creating havoc and is a problem we will now be able to incorporate as part of the diet”.

He suggested this could also create new business opportunities.

Forde made the comments in Parliament on Tuesday, while leading off debate on a resolution to accept the Barbados National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2020 as the guiding national policy document for the management and conservation of biodiversity in Barbados.

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He was outlining target six of the 12 priority strategies for biodiversity conservation outlined in the plan, which states that by 2030 “invasive alien species and pathways are to be identified and prioritised, with priority established species being managed and measures are in place to prevent the introduction and establishment of new invasive alien species”.

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey supported the call for Barbadians to catch and eat more lionfish as he expressed concern that some fishermen were catching juvenile dolphin fish and overfishing other species.

“I would like to encourage Barbadians to reduce the intake of pot fish, only because the pot fish is what is protecting the coral. If they want to eat fish, eat more lionfish. Take out the venomous part of the spine and eat more lionfish. Lionfish now has to become a part of the way we do our diet,” said Humphrey.

He said in addition to teaching residents how to safely prepare the fish for consumption, he wanted to see a competition in catching, preparing and serving lionfish introduced.

“…Because the lionfish is destroying all of the other fish. These things are gluttonous. They are eating everything and if we care about the biodiversity of the ocean we have to find a way to get rid of the [lionfish],” Humphrey insisted.

He said the promised Fisheries Management Regulations to tighten the parameters surrounding fishing and bring greater order to the industry were still before the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

Among other things, the new regulations will address the type of fishing gear to be used as well as the size, species and weight of fish that can be caught, and outline the opening and closing of fishing seasons.

Insisting that the draft regulations were critical, Humphrey expressed concern about the practice of catching juvenile dolphins and passing them off as “a new kind of dolphin”.

“If you go to any of the markets now you see people telling me they have dolphins in those blue crates –15 and 16 dolphins no bigger than a flying fish or the way flying fish used to be – trying to convince Barbadians that these are a new kind of dolphin . . . . They know they are catching dolphins and other fish that are undersized and they continue to catch these fish that are undersized and sell them to Barbadians under the pretence that it is a new kind of dolphin.

“The ones I am talking about are the baby ones that people are selling to Barbadians, for a lot of money too, and damaging the ocean space in so doing. Some of the fish vendors will tell you they [are] only selling it because they got to eat . . . but this new regulation will ban that,” said Humphrey.

SOURCE: Barbados TODAY

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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]