Antigua Breaking News

Category: Regional News

  • How serious is the Caribbean about reparations?

    How serious is the Caribbean about reparations?

    By Sir Ronald Sanders  (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS.  He is also Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto.   The views expressed are his own)  On March 25, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS),…

  • UPP says St. Kitts media claim about its campaign funding is ‘a malicious lie’ engineered by ALP forces

    UPP says St. Kitts media claim about its campaign funding is ‘a malicious lie’ engineered by ALP forces

    It’s a malicious lie,” says Harold Lovell, Political Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), in response to a claim out of St. Kitts & Nevis about the source of its campaign funding. A March 29 article in the SKN News reports that Lovell and Indian businessman Mehul Choksi held a meeting in which the…

  • St. Lucia to join CCJ as a full member

    St. Lucia to join CCJ as a full member

    St. Lucia Tuesday signalled its intention to become the fifth Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to have full membership of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that was established in 2001 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final court.. Acting Governor General Cyril Errol Charles, delivering the traditional Throne speech at the…

  • Soca singer Blaxx dies of COVID-19 complications

    Soca singer Blaxx dies of COVID-19 complications

    Soca star Dexter Stewart, better known as “Blaxx,” died at hospital Monday after contracting the COVID-19, his manager Giselle Gellineau-Penrose confirmed. D’All Starz of which he was the lead singer issued a statement saying his family, along with the management and members of the band D’All Starz, regretted having to announce his untimely passing. “May…

  • St Kitts and Nevis gov’t considers wage, salary increases for workers

    St Kitts and Nevis gov’t considers wage, salary increases for workers

    Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris says that his administration is currently exploring the possibility of wage and salary increases for workers in the twin-island federation. Speaking at the annual convention of the ruling People’s Labour Party (PLP) on Saturday, Harris said that he has asked the financial secretary to consider the cost of granting the…

  • CDB committed to supporting development, resilience agendas of Montserrat

    CDB committed to supporting development, resilience agendas of Montserrat

    Supporting and finding innovative solutions for countries like Montserrat that are confronted with the dual challenges of being a small state and facing significant environmental hazards, remain high on the agenda for the Caribbean Development Bank. This was the message coming from President of the Bank, Dr. Gene Leon, on the occasion of his first…

  • Guyana reduces excise tax on gasolene and diesel from 10% to 0%

    Guyana reduces excise tax on gasolene and diesel from 10% to 0%

    With the impact of the rising cost of living being felt across the country, the Government of Guyana has announced a further reduction in the excise tax on gasolene and diesel from the current 10% to 0%. It is the latest reduction in the excise tax on fuel in an attempt to cushion the effects…

  • Jamaican PM says island wants to cut ties with monarchy as he welcomes royal couple

    Jamaican PM says island wants to cut ties with monarchy as he welcomes royal couple

    Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told Prince William and Kate on Wednesday that the British Commonwealth nation intends to become a republic in an unexpected announcement that comes as other countries consider cutting ties with the monarchy. Holness also noted that there are “unresolved” issues as he greeted Prince William and Kate in front of…

  • Jah Cure sentenced to six years in prison

    Jah Cure sentenced to six years in prison

    Reggae star Jah Cure was convicted of attempted manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison in the Netherlands on Tuesday. The Behind These Prison Walls singer was found not guilty of attempted murder by the court, rejecting his self-defence claim. “The 43-years old man was sentenced to six years in prison – with credit…

  • Canada announces 700+ scholarships for CARICOM countries

    Canada announces 700+ scholarships for CARICOM countries

    In 2020, the Government of Canada announced the Canada-CARICOM Skills Training for the Green Economy Scholarships, as part of its scholarships program to enhance the skill sets required to advance the sustainable development of CARICOM countries while strengthening the linkages between post-secondary institutions in Canada and those in the region. The Scholarships program is funded…

  • Visual arts: ‘Women Carry the Weight of the World’ in images from life on Caribbean island

    Visual arts: ‘Women Carry the Weight of the World’ in images from life on Caribbean island

    In 2020, Eliana Calle-Saari, an artist and printmaker from Columbus, went to visit her daughter, who was in medical school on the island of Antigua in the Lesser Antilles. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic just getting underway, Antigua went into lockdown and Calle-Saari found herself a captive for several months on the Caribbean island. Making use…

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]