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

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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 remedy the water shortage.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM over the weekend, the prime minister asked consumers to be patient a while longer as the government takes positive
steps to relieve the water shortage.

He explained that a confluence of issues have occurred that are at the heart of the water shortage.

Among them, is the severe drought that the country has experienced, with 2021 being the driest year on record with record low rainfall of only 18 inches.

The situation was further frustrated by interruptions in global supply chains and shipping delays due to the pandemic which caused membranes, purchased for the reverse osmosis plants, to become stuck in foreign ports.

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“Over the past year, we ordered two additional plants; one for Fort James and the other for Bethesda. I am told that the one for Fort James should be installed by the end of June
and the one for Bethesda by September, producing an additional 3 million gallons of water per day,” he disclosed.

Recognising that as much as 20 per cent of all water produced in the country is lost to leakages, PM Browne added that new pipes have also been ordered to replace the aged
ones.

The government has given a firm commitment that by the end of September, or by the end of the year at the very latest, the nation’s water problem will be solved.

Speaking on the same programme, Information Minister Melford Nicholas, said the three main areas of priority for the government have been health, education and water.

Nicholas, who also promised that an end to the water shortage is in sight, reported that over $1 million has been spent over several years to solve the problem.

Antigua’s daily consumption of water is approximately eight million gallons. By the end of the year, water production from reverse osmosis sources is expected to exceed 10 million
gallons daily.

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3 responses to “Gov’t asks for public’s patience as water shortage is resolved”

  1. Promises, promises. Give me a break.

    The government had YEARS to fix the water 💧 problem in Antigua and Barbuda 🇦🇬.

    Whether you fix it now or not IN GENERAL ELECTION SEASON you get zero marks from me and many many many others!

    Is Anu really gonna fall for this nonsense ‘throw a bone’ political moves?! 🤔

    Sickening

  2. Water what , coming soon where and when.Give me a break leave me alone.Me fed up ,me really tired, me tired , me weary me so weary.Oh Lawd so much promises.i thought we would get water in fourteen days but it looks like they in high places mean fourteen years instead .They just joking and fooling people in this country. Me say me tired, me want water foo wash what God gave to me.

  3. Straight … real tired a,dem nonsense and promises … if you know you did not have all the facts to fix water problem in 14 days … SHUT YA MOUTH!!!

    A silent gov also can be seen as wise sometimes.

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]