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MAKEDA MIKAEL | Antigua aviation keeps getting it wrong

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It all started going wrong when Antigua started operating Aviation by their own opinion instead of Rules, Regulations & Transparency. When the individual opinions in Security & Safety overrule the International Organizations of which we are members in an international space where all members are equal, coded and expected to operate in unison and consideration for all.

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As a small island, Antigua always seems to be involved in international scandals, which therefore demands that the airport be held at a high Security level. The sale of a whole private airport to a banker who knew little about aviation should have raised flags at the level of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority. The non-interference approach of our regulatory bodies to the Governments agencies on islands where their headquarters are established, and where they see and know of violations, is not useful to their members. ECCAA could have engaged the Antigua Government and thereby help to preempt the international crisis which the breach of aviation consciousness caused.

As a result a private airport strategically located on a decommissioned U.S Military Air Base which served as a Caribbean surveillance headquarters became the corruption hub for what was until recently, the world’s biggest Ponzi & Money-laundering scheme in the world. Recently its reputation was overtaken by another Antigua headquartered Ponzi – the disgraced FTX cryptocurrency fraud.

A Private Airport (which lands are not owned by the Government) has now been created by the Airport Authority as an exclusive business enclave for an American company. Typically opinionated, those who should be regulating have oncemore gone into serious violations by creating FBO exclusivity which is not permitted in Aviation, and should not be embraced by U.S entities operating abroad.

It follows that Antigua’s Aviation history is clearly not in keeping with the regulatory expectations of the industry, and the new thrust to open an International Airport on the island of Barbuda, with a population of less than 1200 adults is concerning persons with aviation knowledge of all that could go wrong. Ignorance is not an excuse, as knowledge exists on the island, and within the scope of the industry which controls all ICAO airports.

The dozen or so International Service Providers who manage corporate aircraft movements around the world, and who are expected to evaluate the Safety & Security of the destination airports to which they direct their VIP aircraft, are likely to have serious concerns for their aircraft on a naked airport and under supported island. A Runway and FBO terminal do not satisfy the needs and expectations of aircraft Safety & Security; and even when the cadre of Police, Administration, Ramp Operations, Fire & Ambulance Fuel etc are all on board and ready to function, Emergency Support will still be lacking on that small island should anything go wrong.

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It will not take long for the Regulatory Authorities to advise just how the Barbuda Airport could be useful to the Rich, Famous & Royal, by continuing to use Antigua as their Support. The facilitation of small airports on small islands has been a given in the Caribbean from the beginning of LIAT, on a grass strip on the small mountainous island of Montserrat; and the launch of Caribbean Aviation from Barbuda. Daylight only airports are also the first phase of getting off the ground, so all is not lost for Barbuda Airport which will not be International without Support.

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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]