Antigua Breaking News

Category: Regional News

  • Gov’t asks for public’s patience as water shortage is resolved

    Gov’t asks for public’s patience as water shortage is resolved

    The ongoing water shortage being experienced by home and business owners in Antigua and Barbuda will soon be a thing of the past. This is according to Prime Minister Gaston Browne who has reassured the public that relief is coming over the next several months, as his government has invested huge sums of money to…

  • Gonsalves hoping for amicable solution to Commonwealth secretary general candidate controversy

    Gonsalves hoping for amicable solution to Commonwealth secretary general candidate controversy

    St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves remains hopeful of consensus on a candidate for the post of Commonwealth secretary general, after Andrew Holness, the Jamaican prime minister, threw a spanner in the works with his recent announcement that he would nominate Kamina Johnson Smith, the foreign affairs and foreign trade minister,…

  • US Virgin Islands Waives Visas for Caribbean Nationals

    US Virgin Islands Waives Visas for Caribbean Nationals

    The US Congress House Judiciary Committee approved The Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act, making it possible for visitors from the Caribbean to receive a nonimmigrant visitor visa exemption to enter the US Virgin Islands, for up to 45 days. The amendment to the Act applies only to the U.S. Virgin Islands and does not allow…

  • US Virgin Islands one step closer to allowing Caribbean Nationals Visa Free Travel

    US Virgin Islands one step closer to allowing Caribbean Nationals Visa Free Travel

    The US Congress House Judiciary Committee approved The Virgin Islands Visa Waiver Act,  if this bill is approved it would allow visitors from the Caribbean to receive a nonimmigrant visitor visa exemption to enter the US Virgin Islands, for up to 45 days. The amendment to the Act would apply only to the U.S. Virgin…

  • Legendary Guyanese actor Henry Rodney dies

    Legendary Guyanese actor Henry Rodney dies

    Guyanese actor and comedian Henry Rodney has died at age 63 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease at The Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, New York City. Rodney reportedly suffered a heart attack about two days ago and was in critical condition at the hospital. Best known for his role as “Franklyn” in…

  • UWI-UNDP partnership delivers on Blue Economy initiatives for the Caribbean

    UWI-UNDP partnership delivers on Blue Economy initiatives for the Caribbean

    The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have been ‘walking the talk’ on several blue economy-related initiatives since the two entities joined forces in 2019 to drive climate change solutions for the Caribbean. Among the tangible collaboration initiatives is a joint think-tank on public policy for the…

  • CARICOM Sub-Committee to meet with 2 candidates for post of Commonwealth Secretary-General

    CARICOM Sub-Committee to meet with 2 candidates for post of Commonwealth Secretary-General

    Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) meeting, virtually in Caucus on Wednesday, reaffirmed the obligation of Member States to coordinate foreign policy as outlined in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. They noted the upcoming election at the June 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and reaffirmed the turn of the Caribbean for…

  • Antigua to serve as hub for banana trade

    Antigua to serve as hub for banana trade

    The St Lucia government says it is encouraged by the talks held with an established buyer on the possibility of using Antigua as a distribution hub for for the sale of bananas to surrounding countries in the region “Currently, we are moving between 2000 and 2500 (boxes) per week. But we have asked for the…

  • Diplomatic chess game

    Diplomatic chess game

    A diplomatic chess game, which started two years ago to oust Baroness Patricia Scotland as Commonwealth secretary general, is now playing out in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) following Jamaica’s decision to nominate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith for the post. Scotland’s reign as secretary general has been marred by allegations…

  • Unicomer welcomes new Managing Director for OECS, Johnathan Johannes

    Unicomer welcomes new Managing Director for OECS, Johnathan Johannes

    Unicomer (St. Lucia) Limited announced the appointment of a new Manager Director for Unicomer Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Johnathan Johannes. Effective April 1, Johannes assumed responsibility for the Unicomer OECS businesses operating in: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia. A results-oriented and…

  • Some CARICOM states to support Kamina Johnson Smith’s candidacy for Commonwealth Secretary General

    Some CARICOM states to support Kamina Johnson Smith’s candidacy for Commonwealth Secretary General

    Several CARICOM member states are preparing to throw their support behind the candidacy of Jamaica’s Foreign Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, to be the next Commonwealth Secretary General. Johnson Smith is seeking to oust incumbent Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland. The move comes over the objection of CARICOM’s immediate past chairman, Gaston Browne and Dominican…

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]