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Humanity: Best and Worst

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By Melissa Martin

“A Tale of Two Cities,” by Charles Dickens, a classic that sums up life and death from the beginning to the ending. The human history is a narrative of war and peace, but also health and disease on planet Earth. And the lesson we continue to learn is that health is wealth. And people need people.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Our world is a two-sided coin with joy and tragedy. Our world is a double-edged sword with good and evil. Angels and demons. Fear and faith. However, between the black and white dichotomy, shades of gray exist.

The worst of times. A recent story by journalist Steve Knight in The Herald-Zeitung tells the tale of shock, anguish, despair. T.J. Mendez died from complications of the COVID-19 virus, according to his family. Angela Mendez said her 44 year-old husband was a healthy man who didn’t smoke or drink. He worked out, ate healthy and took vitamins every day.

A husband, father of six children, kindergarten teacher, and a man of faith. “T.J. was a devoted Christian man,” said Pastor Ray Still of Oakwood Church. “He loved his wife and children, his Lord and the Lord’s church and served it faithfully. He will be greatly missed. All the people of Oakwood Church grieve with his wife and children and their loss.” 

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Why did T.J. Mendez die so young? I don’t know. All I know is that God is Alpha and Omega and there is an afterlife. Tears and prayers for this family.  

The worst of times. More than 600,000 people have been infected and at least 28,000 have died worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. United States has become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, with 100,000 confirmed infections and 1,600 deaths.

The worst of times. Individuals and businesses that price gouge during a disaster. “Attorneys general from California to Washington, D.C., say, companies must do more than play “whack-a-mole” and should immediately adopt policies that deter price gouging and give consumers a way to report violations. They also are urging companies to have a system in place to trigger price-gouging protections whenever there’s a natural disaster, epidemic or other emergency,” according to a recent article in USA Today.

The best of times. The Guardian Angels are stepping in to care for the city’s most vulnerable population — the homeless and emotionally disturbed —  who seem to have been forgotten as New York City shutters over coronavirus concerns, according to Craig McCarthy of The New York Post.On Saturday alone, the volunteer do-gooders helped more than 400 city vagrants clean up — and gave out 382 care packages. The supplies were donated or purchased by the group.

The best of times. Schools and organizations that pack lunches for children during pandemic. Medical professionals that work tirelessly to help patients. People helping people.

The pandemic has confirmed we are one people, on one planet, connected by life and by death. We all inhale and exhale air. We all bleed red. One race—the human race.

“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say, ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”—Fred Rogers

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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]