Antigua Breaking News

Top Trusted News Source in Antigua

Search
Previous slide
Next slide

CARPHA stays alert even as pandemic wanes

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

The Caribbean region was blessed with countless lives saved during the deadly COVID pandemic by the dedicated action of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and numerous public and private sector and inter-governmental partners.

Health challenges such as the novel coronavirus are not easy. To overcome them requires teams of experts working together to contribute their skill and knowledge acquired over many years.

CARPHA’s public health strategies and the region’s collaboration was crucial in saving lives during the pandemic.

It’s worth remembering that during the COVID-19 pandemic, different regions of countries uncovered unique findings, often happening at different times.

So, collaboration, promoted energetically by CARPHA, enabled health care providers to prepare and also helped disseminate accurate information faster.

Given that the Caribbean is the most tourism-dependent region in the world, the health of the economies of the region is closely related to the health of the Caribbean’s travel and tourism industry.

Be part of the conversation.

Let us know what you think by adding a comment below. Click here to start now!

Last month, CARPHA’s regional Tourism and Health Program (THP) was in the spotlight at the Regional Tourism and Health Steering Committee and Stakeholders Meeting in the Bahamas.

This meeting, which preceded CARPHA’s 67th Annual Health and Research Conference, brought together local, regional and international public and private health and tourism stakeholders to discuss the impact and measures for sustainability of the THP after seven years of implementation.

The THP is one of CARPHA’s innovative programs that addresses the health, food safety and environmental sanitation (HSE) solutions to the associated threats impacting on sustainable tourism in the Caribbean through real-time, early warning and response surveillance systems, response, guidelines, capacity building, HSE standards, policy, advocacy and partnerships, and a travelers health award.

The goal is to enhance the health, safety and security of citizens and visitors while thereby contributing to the sustainability and resilience of Caribbean tourism and its economies.

Stakeholders applauded the implementation of visitor-based surveillance and quick response to illness, building capacity for preventing and controlling illnesses, guiding the tourism sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, and making the tourism product healthier and safer.

Country users and partners shared many successful outcomes and impacts as a result of implementing the THP at the country-level and regionally.

And all stakeholders unanimously agreed on the critical importance of continued implementation of the THP for improving health, regional health security and economic recovery.

Bahamas Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville, noted that since the implementation of the THP, it yielded many returns and several properties attained the Healthier, Safer Tourism (HST) Stamp.

Bahamas Director-General of Tourism Latia Duncombe said as a participating country, the Bahamas benefited from the resources and the capacity building the THP has made available.

Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of CARPHA, underscored the importance of partnership in the implementation of the program: “It is imperative that we collectively support the tourism sector as it evolves to its full potential by ensuring that these partnerships are productive and sustained for the overall safety of citizens, the sector itself, and visitors alike,” she said.

Dr. Lisa Indar, Director of CARPHA’s Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division and Head of the THP, reemphasized the need for sustainable approaches learned from the current pandemic and past outbreaks: “As we applaud the work of CARPHA’s member states, their tourism and health sectors as well as our regional and international partners, we need to think about the future; what is next. We need to create environments for the longevity of the THP that will in turn, protect the health and … tourism sustainability in the Caribbean region.”

Mechanisms for continued and sustainable implementation of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded program discussed and agreed on were improved resource mobilization; advocacy, promotion, marketing and branding; institutionalization and efficacy; and health and tourism public and private partnerships.

CARPHA has recognized that the modern way of addressing public health issues includes collaborative science, so when it assembles outstanding experts with diverse perspectives to work on common problems, public health is improved and families and regional economies have opportunities to be healthier.

Make a donation to help support ABN, via PayPal: [email protected]. Follow Antigua Breaking News on Twitter @ABNAntigua and Instgram @AntiguaBreakingNews and on Facebook. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-868-704-9864 or email us at [email protected].

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES:  CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Join the Conversation!

Comments are closed.

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]