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  • Former House Speaker says Court decision was expected, but the fact remains that suspension procedures were botched

Former House Speaker says Court decision was expected, but the fact remains that suspension procedures were botched

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(REAL News) — Former House Speaker Dame D.Gisele Isaac says the decision of the High Court in this latest matter involving MP Asot Michael comes as no surprise to her.

“Given the doctrine of separation of powers, I never expected the judiciary to intrude on a parliamentary matter,” Isaac says.

“However, what transpired in Parliament that day, procedurally, was dead wrong, and this fact ought not to be lost on the public nor on the other Members of the House.”

During her tenure in the Speaker’s chair, Isaac presided over the ejection of the late Sir Lester Bird and the suspension of then Opposition Member Gaston Browne. On both occasions, she says, the present attorney-general, Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin, was present.

Hence, she says, “The attorney-general knows and the prime minister knows that the suspension of MP Michael was not properly executed. And to allow that wrong to stand – simply because it suits their purpose – only compounds the problem and confirms the prevailing opinion that ‘might is right.'”

Isaac notes, too, that the Standing Orders governing the conduct of the House were revised recently by House Speaker Sir Gerald Watt; and so she expects that, he, too, is aware that the suspension was mishandled.

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“And you mean that none of them has enough principle or decency to say, ‘This needs a do-over?'” she asks.

In the final analysis, Isaac states, what this tells the public is that Parliament – often described as “the highest court in the land” – is prepared to make laws for the people to follow while it declines to follow the rules, itself.

On a related matter, Isaac says describes the ABS News report on the High Court’s ruling as “disingenuous.”

Earlier on Wednesday, ABS reported that MP Michael – ahead of the suspension – had “remonstrated loudly in response to a sotto voce remark from Government Benches.”

The Italian phrase “sotto voce” refers to something said in an undertone and not meant to be overheard.

But Isaac counters that the remarks coming from the Government side “were clearly heard by the House and the ABS-TV audience; so there was nothing sotto voce about them. Not only that, they were intended to provoke that type of response from Michael,” she charges.

During a radio interview that followed Michael’s suspension, the players involved boasted that Michael would get no redress, since – even if the Speaker was wrong – the Court would not interfere in the proceedings of the Parliament.

“All the wrong lessons are being taught in this episode,” the former Speaker concludes.

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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]