Antigua Breaking News

Top Trusted News Source in Antigua

Search
Previous slide
Next slide

Embassy in Switzerland under consideration

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has welcomed Urs Schnider, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to Antigua and Barbuda. The Swiss Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Browne on Thursday at the Office of the Prime Minister on Queen Elizabeth Highway.

“Thank you very much for this courtesy call and your country, for providing the very generous assistance with establishing an embassy in Switzerland, it is certainly an offer that we intend to avail ourselves of,” Browne said.

Antigua and Barbuda has appointed an Honorary Consul to Switzerland, however with the creation of an embassy, it is intended that deeper relations between both countries will flourish.

Switzerland was one of the first countries to formally recognize the political independence of Antigua and Barbuda in 1981. The two nations have maintained diplomatic and friendly relations since.

Browne thanked the Ambassador, and by large the Government and People of Switzerland for the offer of an embassy space.

“We need to strengthen our presence in Europe, we have had the practice of appointing honorary consuls, however that comes with some level of risk. There is no doubt that we need to have a presence in Switzerland but we do not have the finances to maintain an office there, so this gesture by your government is most appreciated. It will now help us to put a competent Antiguan there to represent us, our interest, in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in Europe generally.”

Be part of the conversation.

Let us know what you think by adding a comment below. Click here to start now!

Browne reiterated that this move signifies the stronger and deeper bilateral relations between the two countries.

Prime Minister Browne continued by declaring support for Switzerland’s Candidacy in the International Fora. “We know that you have a candidate for the Universal Postal Union, we are inclined to support you and you can expect the support of Antigua and Barbuda generally speaking, in the international fora.”

In response, Ambassador Schnider thanked the Prime Minister for his warm welcome and support for Swiss Candidacy. The Ambassador also indicated that Switzerland maintains its offer to support Antigua and Barbuda in establishing a United Nations Mission in Geneva. “This will be essential in the first two years to come, we will provide office space, furniture and the like,” The Ambassador said. “Whenever you are ready we are ready,” Ambassador Schnider continued.

Browne thanked the Ambassador again for his commitment to strengthening the relations between Antigua and Barbuda and Switzerland and to expect continued support of the European nation moving forward.

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Join the Conversation!

Comments are closed.

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]