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Former tourism authority chairman: AIA opens major economic prospects

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Former chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Ricky Skerritt has said that the coming on stream of the Argyle International Airport (AIA) in St. Vincent “opens up major economic prospects for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Skerritt, who is also former St. Kitts and Nevis’ minister of Tourism and a former West Indies senior cricket team manager, was returning to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the first time since the opening of the AIA.

The AIA, which formally opened on February 14, 2017, caught the eyes of Skerritt. He referred to the structure as “phenomenal.”

“From what I can see, it clearly was well worth the wait and the high cost,” said Skerritt, who was the keynote speaker at the annual awards and gala dinner of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Inc.

As one who has been involved in the tourism sector for many years, Skerritt, noted that it is now the turn for all stakeholders to work in unison, to recoup on the investments.

“Investing so heavily in the Argyle International Airport must just have been the start of exciting tourism entertainment wave which would have to be fuelled by the additional public and private sector investment”, he said.

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“Even if you may not yet be seeing all of the signs, my experience over the last 15 years especially, tells me that the launch of your new airport has opened a new chapter in the economic and social history of your country. In this regard, the Argyle International Airport has created a very important stimulus that has the potential to bring together public and private sector concerns to seriously explore some big ideas as a tourism destination”, Skerritt proffered.

Skerritt added: “The airlift and hotel development interest that I expect that your government is already pursuing would be a prerequisite for ushering in a new era of tourism entertainment events here.”

Giving his formula, Skerritt, in his projection stated, “The equation would basically sounds like this, new international airport, plus increase airlift, plus an increase in the number of hotel rooms, plus big event ideas, plus the right amount of investment dollars, equal an exciting future for the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

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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]