Antigua Breaking News

Category: Agriculture

  • Poultry production on upward swing in Antigua and Barbuda

    Poultry production on upward swing in Antigua and Barbuda

    A breakthrough is underway in poultry production in Antigua and Barbuda and when fully implemented, it will make a significant impact on the importation of our most consumed meat product. Minister of Agriculture, Samantha Marshall, recently led a high-level team from the ministry on a visit to a major broiler farm project which is being…

  • Bridging the digital divide and accelerating connectivity in rural areas

    Bridging the digital divide and accelerating connectivity in rural areas

    Bringing the latest technology to the countryside, providing rural dwellers with training in the use of tools, guaranteeing quality Internet connection, ensuring equitable Internet access and making technological equipment affordable are the main challenges Latin America and the Caribbean will need to overcome in order to bridge the digital divide. This was the conclusion reached…

  • Agriculture stands as a bright light in the darkness — PM Browne

    Agriculture stands as a bright light in the darkness — PM Browne

    During the 2021 Budget Statement Presentation, Prime Minister Gaston Browne commended the growth and development of the agricultural sector during 2020. “A bright light in the nation’s economic activity – and one that illumes possibilities for the future – is agriculture,” PM Browne stated. The Prime Minister explained that although affected by the impact of…

  • US regulators OK genetically modified pig for food, drugs

    US regulators OK genetically modified pig for food, drugs

    US regulators have approved a genetically modified pig for food and medical products, making it the second such animal to get the green light for human consumption. But the company behind it says there are no imminent plans to sell it for meat. The pig is genetically engineered to eliminate the presence of alpha-gal, a…

  • IICA launches crowdfunding campaign to strengthen food security Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti in the face of COVID-19

    IICA launches crowdfunding campaign to strengthen food security Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti in the face of COVID-19

    The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) launched a collective crowdfunding or micro-financing campaign entitled #IJointheIICAChallenge to promote projects aimed at strengthening food security in rural communities of Haiti and Antigua and Barbuda, which are suffering from extreme vulnerability in the face of the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. The campaign, which targets…

  • Barbuda gets timely donation for agriculture sector

    Barbuda gets timely donation for agriculture sector

    The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) handed over a set of fencing wires to the Barbuda Council during a brief ceremony, which was held at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters, on Thursday. The wires will be used to fence five acres of land in an effort to secure a perimeter to produce a…

  • New policy coming for distribution of crown land by Ministry of Agriculture

    New policy coming for distribution of crown land by Ministry of Agriculture

    Cabinet Notes: The Cabinet examined the policies governing distribution of crown land by the Ministry of Agriculture, for planting food crops. The history reveals that many people have made application for farms but have not acted to grow the food crops. When, however, attempts are made to distribute the unused lands to legitimate farmers, there…

  • PM says he’s aware of farmers involved in ‘water theft’

    PM says he’s aware of farmers involved in ‘water theft’

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne says he’s aware that there are farmers in the country involved in the stealing of water by tampering with APUA’s equipment. “I’m aware that there’s some farmers, what they do is that they get government water but they screw off the metre and by so doing, they’re able to reduce the…

  • PM says there’s no conflict of interest as he ventures into commercial farming

    PM says there’s no conflict of interest as he ventures into commercial farming

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne is challenging his political opponents who have an issue with him venturing into commercial farming to bring proof of a conflict of interest. According to Prime Minister Browne, for him it is a matter of food security and leading by example. “I’m now looking at developing a commercial farm that has…

  • With support from IICA, Antigua and its neighbours mobilize to strengthen food security

    With support from IICA, Antigua and its neighbours mobilize to strengthen food security

    With support from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Caribbean countries are working to develop projects aimed at strengthening food security and risk management in the agriculture sector, which represent key issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects currently being implemented include the renovation of an abattoir in Grenada, the sowing of drought-resistant forage…

  • How PM Browne is leading from the front in the fight against food insecurity

    How PM Browne is leading from the front in the fight against food insecurity

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne has been busy with his backyard garden and is encouraging residents all across Antigua and Barbuda to get busy planting. “Food security begins at home,” Browne said on Sunday as he shared pictures of fruit trees and vegetables in his backyard garden. “Encouraging everyone to plant, to reduce our carbon footprint…

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]