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Gov’t to limit immigration

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Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P Chet Greene, says he plans to meet with the Chief Immigration Officer and her team shortly to discuss implementing new guidelines on immigration announced by Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, over the weekend.

Greene said the meeting will discuss the methodology for implementing the edict as stated by the country’s leader.

Antigua and Barbuda has long been a haven for Caribbean nationals seeking a better way of life and its bustling economy and generally lax immigration policies have resulted in the largest concentration of non-native residents of any CARICOM territory.

Just last month, the Caribbean Court of Justice said the decision by the government to seek an exception in an expansion of the CARICOM Skills programme was permissible.

However, with the severe economic impact being felt by the country as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, PM Browne said the country wants to limit all immigration, albeit, temporarily.

“One of the things we have to do is to control the number of people coming into the country as new immigrants. I know we have a large immigrant population, but we can’t have a situation where you have high unemployment and people coming in to burden down the system,” he announced.

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The PM is urging non-national residents here to advise their relatives back in their native lands that travelling to Antigua and Barbuda, at this time, is being discouraged, temporarily.

“There is no formal ban on travel to the country…but we are appealing for those residents with families members overseas to inform them that we do not want any burdening of the system especially in light of the crisis forced upon us by the pandemic,” he stated.

Browne promised that if and when the country’s economic situation improves and there’s need for additional workers, he will have no difficulty in allowing more people in.

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12 responses to “Gov’t to limit immigration”

  5. Sure true agree especially those countries who come in and and bring their whole family members in its so unfair, I know of this but will not mention that country I’m so happy this decision has been made.

  8. It’s just the responsible thing to do now and for the foreseeable future.

  9. I wonder if he has been taking his bipolar medication. Asston Trump at it again. No one wants to migrate to Antigua. Over 65% of the country works in the Tourism industry because they are uneducated and entitled. A country full of uneducated and derelicts. They are mad because the educated foreigners built Antigua and hold the jobs they are not qualified to hold.

In Other News

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]