Antigua Breaking News

Category: Health

  • CARICOM health ministers to hold emergency meeting on deadly coronavirus

    CARICOM health ministers to hold emergency meeting on deadly coronavirus

    The Region’s Health Ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Monday 3 February on the novel Coronavirus which the World Health Organisation has now classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The novel Coronavirus outbreak which originated in Wahun City, Hubei Province, China, started in December 2019 and, up to this week about…

  • The UWI activates Coronavirus Response Plan

    The UWI activates Coronavirus Response Plan

    Since the news of the Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has been closely monitoring the situation in China. The UWI has an administrative presence and 36 students enrolled in a BSc Software Engineering programme at UWI-China Institute of Information Technology (UWICIIT), which allows for two years of study at…

  • China temporarily bans wildlife trade in wake of outbreak

    China temporarily bans wildlife trade in wake of outbreak

    Chinese authorities announced a temporary ban on the trade of wild animals Sunday following a viral outbreak in Wuhan, saying they will “severely investigate and punish” violators. Local authorities will “strengthen inspections and severely investigate and punish those who are found in violation of the provisions of this announcement,” read the the ban issued by…

  • Chicago woman is 2nd US patient with new virus from China

    Chicago woman is 2nd US patient with new virus from China

    A Chicago woman has become the second US patient diagnosed with the dangerous new virus from China, health officials announced Friday. The woman in her 60s returned from China on Jan. 13 without showing any signs of illness, but three or four days later she called her doctor to report feeling sick. The patient is doing…

  • PAHO Alert: Novel Coronavirus

    PAHO Alert: Novel Coronavirus

    The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has issued an alert to its member countries on the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV), recommending that “health care workers have access to up to date information on the illness, be familiar with the principles and procedures for handling nCoV infections, and be trained to inquire about a patient’s travel history…

  • Breaking the silence on mental health in the Caribbean

    Breaking the silence on mental health in the Caribbean

    Someone you know could be silently suffering from mental illness, but due to fear of stigmatization, he or she does not access mental health services. The Equality and Justice Alliance (EJA) in conjunction with the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) and the Sweetwater Foundation based in Grenada, will be rolling out programs…

  • Antigua and Barbuda health officials warn of dengue epidemic

    Antigua and Barbuda health officials warn of dengue epidemic

    Chief Medical Officer Dr Rhonda Sealey-Thomas  has confirmed “an outbreak” of dengue in the country. There has been an increase in cases since August, with the number of cases rising from two to three cases a week to about 80 cases a month with children one to 14 years old the most affected by the…

  • PANCAP fully endorses PrEP

    PANCAP fully endorses PrEP

    The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) fully endorses the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation that Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) be offered to all population groups at substantial risk of becoming infected with HIV in order to prevent the acquisition of HIV. The WHO defines oral Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) of HIV infection as…

  • JCI Antigua donates to the Cancer Center

    JCI Antigua donates to the Cancer Center

    On Wednesday, Dec. 11, the world joined the Junior Chambers International for their annual JCI Active Citizen Day. JCI Antigua was sure to lead by example as they made a timely donation to The Cancer Center, to actively help the fight against Cancer. JCI Antigua has had a long-standing partnership with The Cancer Center which…

  • United Nations calls for urgent action to curb the rise in hunger and obesity in the Caribbean

    United Nations calls for urgent action to curb the rise in hunger and obesity in the Caribbean

    The prevalence of adult obesity in Latin America and the Caribbean has tripled since 1975, affecting one in four adults in a region where hunger has grown once again, reaching 42.5 million people, according to a new United Nations report issued today, the Panorama of Food and Nutritional Security 2019. The Food and Agriculture Organization…

  • Grenada to ban importation of e-cigarettes

    Grenada to ban importation of e-cigarettes

    The Grenada government says it will ban smoking in public spaces as well as restrict the use and sale of electronic cigarettes on the island. Legal Affairs Minister Kindra Maturine-Stewart, speaking at the end of the weekly Cabinet meeting, told reporters that the Keith Mitchell administration had taken the decision to table legislation banning the…

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]