Antigua Breaking News

Category: Business

  • Foreign Affairs Minister welcomes return of LIAT to Barbados, St. Vincent

    Foreign Affairs Minister welcomes return of LIAT to Barbados, St. Vincent

    Foreign Affairs Minister, EP Chet Greene, has welcomed the return of Antigua-based carrier LIAT to Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines, after both countries restricted the airline for a few weeks. LIAT restored commercial passenger flights across the region late last month, but announced early in December that services to Barbados and St Vincent…

  • Antigua bans travellers from Dominican Republic until March 2021

    Antigua bans travellers from Dominican Republic until March 2021

    A notice has been published by interCaribbean Airlines informing travellers of a decision by Antigua and Barbuda to deny entry to travellers whose flight originate from the Dominican Republic. Below is the notice posted on the airline’s Facebook page: interCaribbean is advised by the Antigua Authorities that all travelers whose journey originating in the Dominican…

  • Holiday pay on both Dec. 26 and 28, AG says

    Holiday pay on both Dec. 26 and 28, AG says

    Attorney General Steadroy ‘Cutie’ Benjamin has clarified what should be done with regards to salary payments following the adjustments made to the observance of Boxing Day this year. With no provisions in the country’s laws that speaks to Boxing Day falling on a Saturday, a dual celebration has been decided by the Cabinet pending a…

  • Dominica exempts excise tax on motor vehicles to improve island’s tourism

    Dominica exempts excise tax on motor vehicles to improve island’s tourism

    In the most recent assembly meeting, the Commonwealth of Dominica’s Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, announced that the government would free import duties and excise tax on motor vehicles. Under this new policy, taxi operators, who could only purchase old vehicles due to high import taxes, will now be able to buy new vehicles. According to…

  • Young professional to represent country at World Business Angels Investment Forum

    Young professional to represent country at World Business Angels Investment Forum

    Daughter of the soil, Nadine McDougal will represent Antigua and Barbuda at the Grand Assembly of the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) after being appointed an International Partner for the country. According to a press release issued by the WBAF, “with this new appointment, Antigua and Barbuda has joined the largest forum of the…

  • Caribbean Airlines to extended layoffs for three months

    Caribbean Airlines to extended layoffs for three months

    Regional carrier Caribbean Airlines has announced that it will extend layoffs for an additional three months. The period is now set to end on April 15, the original date was January 15. According to an internal memo sent to staff by Caribbean Airlines CEO Garvin Medera, the company is trying to keep costs at an…

  • St. Kitts and Nevis moving forward with medicinal cannabis industry in 2021

    St. Kitts and Nevis moving forward with medicinal cannabis industry in 2021

    St. Kitts and Nevis will move forward with the establishment of a Medicinal Cannabis Industry in the new year. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. Timothy Harris, spoke about the government’s plans to create this new industry in 2021 while presenting The Appropriation (2021) Bill, 2020 in the National Assembly on Tuesday (December 15,…

  • LIAT pilot retires after 44 years

    LIAT pilot retires after 44 years

    Wade Austin-McDonald was born a small-town boy with big dreams and aspirations that led to a brilliant 44-year career as a pilot. This reporter grew up in the same Lodge Village community in Guyana, as McDonald, who was focused from age seven after receiving a miniature PanAm toy-jet as a Christmas gift. “My elder cousin…

  • LETTER: What is going on with LIAT?

    LETTER: What is going on with LIAT?

    Dear Editor, The rise of the Phoenix was well politically aligned to Antigua’s Independence celebrations on November 1st ,with a planned restart on November 8th. Nothing happened on November 8th and there was no delay announcement, but then we heard of Nov 19th Start. Then nothing again and finally a flight on November 30th but…

  • Government to borrow $127 million to consolidate debt

    Government to borrow $127 million to consolidate debt

    After hours of debate from MPs on both sides of the Lower House, parliamentarians voted to consolidate government loans amounting to $127 million under the Loan Borrowing from Antigua Commercial Bank Bill 2020. The loan will consolidate all existing public sector borrowing with a long-term bond, and a $5 million overdraft facility at the Antigua…

  • Cabinet to discuss furloughing port workers and implementing voluntary redundancy

    Cabinet to discuss furloughing port workers and implementing voluntary redundancy

    Prime Minister Gaston Browne made some stark remarks in Parliament on Tuesday, as he scolded the Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU) for encouraging port workers to take industrial action over unpaid bonuses. As a result of the threat to withhold their services, Browne said Cabinet would be discussing reinstating voluntary redundancy and will have…

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]