Antigua Breaking News

Category: Health

  • Gilead virus-drug trial signals hope, and Fauci sees ‘Good News’

    Gilead virus-drug trial signals hope, and Fauci sees ‘Good News’

    Gilead Sciences Inc. said early results from a U.S.-government-run study showed its experimental drug to treat coronavirus helped patients recover more quickly than standard care, suggesting it could become the first effective treatment for an illness that has turned modern life inside-out. The company issued a news release early Wednesday commenting on the study from…

  • Several days with no new case of COVID-19 but Joseph warns the fight is not over

    Several days with no new case of COVID-19 but Joseph warns the fight is not over

    Health Minister Molywn Joseph is warning against complacency in light of the “tremendous progress” made in the fight against COVID-19. “Let me make it very clear, the fight against COVID-19 is not over, it’s not over,” Joseph said at a news conference today. “The fact that we have gone approximately 12 days without any new…

  • 5 employees of Barbados’ National Assistance Board test positive for COVID-19

    5 employees of Barbados’ National Assistance Board test positive for COVID-19

    All 255 staff members of Barbados’ National Assistance Board (NAB) are being tested for COVID-19 this weekend after five employees tested positive for the virus over the last 12 days. Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Cynthia Forde, announced at a press briefing that 40 employees had been tested so far, another 107 were…

  • No new confirmed cases of COVID-19

    No new confirmed cases of COVID-19

    The most recent results received by the Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) revealed no new laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19. The total number of persons with laboratory confirmation of the disease in Antigua and Barbuda, therefore, remains at 24. Of the five samples last sent to CARPHA,…

  • 4-year-old child dies of COVID-19 in Jamaica

    4-year-old child dies of COVID-19 in Jamaica

    A four-year-old child in Jamaica, who was tested positive for the novel coronavirus, has died. Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says the child died at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James Thursday evening. He did not immediately provide details. This is the seventh COVID-19 patient to die in Jamaica and the second for this…

  • 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…

  • Rotary Colours Fete 2020 cancelled

    Rotary Colours Fete 2020 cancelled

    By Elisa Graham The Rotary Club of Antigua (RCA) wishes to advise the general public, that it’s annual “Colours Fete Fundraiser”, is cancelled. 2020 would have been the 14th Edition of this charitable event, which was scheduled to take place on July 4th ,  under the theme “Colours-Fire and Ice -the 4th of July Edition”.…

  • Medical Musings: COVID-19 and the Caribbean

    Medical Musings: COVID-19 and the Caribbean

    By Dr. George Roberts As predicted, we have not had the dreaded surge of COVID-19 in Antigua. Nor do I think it is likely to come for now. We are now on a 12-hour curfew. What is the desired result? A considerable amount of time, effort, and money has been expended to acquire materials and…

  • UK: Social restrictions ‘to remain for rest of year’

    UK: Social restrictions ‘to remain for rest of year’

    The UK will have to live with some disruptive social measures for at least the rest of the year, the government’s chief medical adviser has said. Prof Chris Whitty said it was “wholly unrealistic” to expect life would suddenly return to normal soon. He said “in the long run” the ideal way out would be…

  • Lifting lockdowns could see virus ‘reignite,’ WHO warns

    Lifting lockdowns could see virus ‘reignite,’ WHO warns

    The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against complacency in the fight against the coronavirus, saying the disease “will be with us for a long time.” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also warned of upward trends in COVID-19 cases in Africa, Eastern Europe, Central America and South America. He said that lifting lockdowns…

  • We must leverage the ‘Commonwealth Advantage’ to counter the economic fallout of COVID-19

    We must leverage the ‘Commonwealth Advantage’ to counter the economic fallout of COVID-19

    By Patricia Scotland The world is bracing for a massive hit to the global economy in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Experts have warned of a US$1-2 trillion shortfall in global income this year, while world trade could contract by between 13 and 32 per cent. As countries take drastic measures to fight…

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]