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BBC journalist asks Barbados PM if people should be ‘allowed’ to be gay

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A BBC journalist asked the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, if people should be “allowed” to be gay – and she did not hold back.

Mottley appeared on BBC News to discuss revived plans for the Caribbean island to remove the queen as its head of state and become a republic.

In the interview with BBC journalist Christian Fraser, Mottley spoke about constitutional reform in Barbados, and the topic of LGBT+ rights came up.

Barbados recently agreed to recognise same-sex civil unions, as the tiny island nation unpicks its colonial-era homosexuality laws.

Although the government asserted that it is not yet allowing same-sex marriage, it has agreed to put the matter to a referendum and “be guided by the vote of the public”.

Referencing the upcoming referendum, Fraser asked the prime minister: “For that next generation, should they be allowed to be gay in Barbados?”

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Looking incredulous, Mottley said: “Sorry?”

But Fraser persisted with the question, repeating more slowly: “Should people in Barbados be allowed to be gay, to be homosexual?”

Mottley, who has taken a progressive stance on LGBT+ rights in Barbados, was quick to put the journalist in his place.

She said: “Is that a question you would ask the United Kingdom?”

Fraser refused to back down, adding: “Well, we have laws on gay marriage and you’re having a referendum on gay marriage.”

The irony that the colonial-era laws which oppress LGBT+ people in Barbados were put in place by the British escaped the BBC journalist.

Mottley continued: “I think that is a most inappropriate question as to whether a person should be ‘allowed’ to be gay.

“I think the question is, should we discriminate against people because they’re gay? And we will not.

“We are absolutely clear that Barbados became the first Black slave society, and a country that has known what it is to discriminate against citizens for centuries cannot in today’s world be discriminating against any human being for any reason whatsoever.”

Explaining the referendum on same-sex marriage, she continued: “The government is resolute that marriage is a function of the church, and to that extent, a referendum will be held to allow all parties to determine whether they will speak on marriage or not.

“With respect to civil unions, we believe that that is a function of civil rights, and to that extent there shall be no discrimination against any person, whether gay, whether straight, whether Black, whether white, whether short, whether tall, for any reason in this country.”

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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]