Antigua Breaking News

Category: Business

  • VIDEO: Fuller says latest government decision will cripple excursion companies

    VIDEO: Fuller says latest government decision will cripple excursion companies

    Eli Fuller said operators heard about the latest decision via WhatsApp.

  • British Airways reduces flights to Antigua

    British Airways reduces flights to Antigua

    UPDATE FROM CABINET: British Airways has announced the reduction of flights to two per week from Heathrow/Gatwick directly to Antigua, since the imposition of the lockdown in Britain. The BA flights will terminate here and not proceed to another Caribbean destination, as was the case before, making Antigua a highly-favored destination. The Minister of Tourism indicated…

  • Bitcoin Association unveils online learning platform Bitcoin SV Academy

    Bitcoin Association unveils online learning platform Bitcoin SV Academy

    By The Ayre Group Antigua Bitcoin Association, the global industry organization that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV data network, has recently unveiled Bitcoin SV Academy, an online learning platform built to educate businesses and individuals about the true capabilities of Bitcoin and its blockchain. Bitcoin SV Academy is the latest educational initiative…

  • Tourism Association bids farewell to Chairman Vernon Jeffers

    Tourism Association bids farewell to Chairman Vernon Jeffers

    The Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association/ABHTA bids farewell to its out-going Chairman Vernon A. Jeffers Snr. Jeffers served as Chairman of the ABHTA from May 2019 to January 2021. Jeffers stated “This past year has been one of challenges, resilience and change however for me it has been one of reflection and growth.…

  • Local agent provokes disgust with video marketing the ‘selling of passports;’ Lovell says advert damages national brand

    Local agent provokes disgust with video marketing the ‘selling of passports;’ Lovell says advert damages national brand

    Antigua & Barbuda citizens are expressing their disgust with the Gaston Browne Administration after an advertisement by a CIP passport agent went into local circulation yesterday. Many persons describe the ad as “vulgar,” with one resident likening the sales pitch to “somebody selling bread and cheese.” In the video, the agent asks: “Do you wanna…

  • Cashwiz donates 2 full computer systems to St. Johns Police Station

    Cashwiz donates 2 full computer systems to St. Johns Police Station

    Cashwiz has donated two full Computer systems for the St johns police station and one computer System for the higher crime unit. All this in the efforts of assisting our forces on their every day operations. Luis Garcia (General Manager Cashwiz) explains that its very important to take care of our forces as they are…

  • Royal Caribbean moving forward with Fort James project

    Royal Caribbean moving forward with Fort James project

    The Royal Caribbean International (RCI) will move forward with its investment project at Fort James, and the architectural and other drawings to be submitted to the Development Control Authority (DCA) are being completed. Tourism Minister Charles Max Fernandez provided the update when he discussed the matter at the recent meeting of the Cabinet. RCI will…

  • VIDEO: PM Browne meets entrepreneurial couple Naomi Joseph and Ed Darroux

    VIDEO: PM Browne meets entrepreneurial couple Naomi Joseph and Ed Darroux

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne met recently with local entrepreneurial couple, Naomi Joseph and Ed Darroux from ‘Shebahs Creations’. Shebah’s Creation is a hot sauce company on the southern side of Antigua. According to the business owners, “we were inspired by hot sauce heat-seeking enthusiasts. Our mission is producing hot sauce with a perfect balance between…

  • Major Caribbean airlines in deep financial trouble

    Major Caribbean airlines in deep financial trouble

    The major air carriers in the Caribbean Community, already drowning in debt, are sinking in the red even further with severely restricted flying activity from the COVID-19 pandemic and as reluctant governments and maxed out taxpayers attempt to dodge their demands for more financial subsidies. Bahamas Air, Suriname Airways, Antigua-based island hopper LIAT and Caribbean…

  • Cruise ships’ return still ‘several months’ away

    Cruise ships’ return still ‘several months’ away

    The once familiar sight of titanic cruise liners dwarfing the oceanfront buildings of St John’s is still several months away from returning, industry chiefs say. Information Minister Melford Nicholas told a post-Cabinet press briefing – broadcast live on national television and social media – that ships were expected back in the country by the end…

  • U.K. flights to Antigua continue

    U.K. flights to Antigua continue

    Regular commercial flights into Antigua and Barbuda by United Kingdom-based carriers are likely to continue, at least for the immediate future. There have been concerns raised within the local hotel sector on the likely impact that a cancellation of these flights could have on the sector, which is trying to regain ground it lost because…

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]