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New COVID-19 measures implemented in Dominica

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The Dominica government Tuesday announced a series of new measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including a curfew and increased fines for persons not adhering to the Public Health Act as the authorities deal with a cluster of cases arising from two events held recently.

“We will be accepting no nonsense in the country over the next seven days and beyond,” Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said, adding “the penalty for people who fail to comply with this order has been increased to EC$5,000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents).

“These measures are not intended to scare the population but to ensure that we act quickly to avoid a deterioration of the situation,” Skerrit said in an address to the nation, interrupting the closing debate of the 2021 national budget in Parliament.

Skerrit said that PCR and other tests carried out on Sunday as a result of the two public activities had showed that “an individual or individuals had entered the country illegally and took part in a bikers’ activity along with a Jam at a location in Pottersvile”, on the outskirts of the capital on July 25.

He said that testing done by the Ministry of Health on Monday indicated that “to date there are 10 confirmed cases associated with this event, plus two imported cases, bringing the total number of active cases in Dominica to 12”.

Skerrit said that 14 of the individuals who received Rapid Antigen Tests had also tested positive.

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He warned that this cluster of cases “is quite different from other clusters, mainly because a number of the people who have tested positive and their contacts are presenting flu like symptoms (and) this makes the virus much more contagious.

“Therefore to reduce the likelihood of further infection, the Ministry of Health has recommended some measures which the Cabinet has accepted,” Skerrit said, noting that they go into effect immediately.

He said the measures include a curfew that would be in effect from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. (local time) daily for the next seven days in the first instance.

“However, in the case of the weekend, the curfew will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday and will continue throughout the day on Sunday and end on Monday August 9, at 5 a.m. Curfew will then resume the night of Monday, August 9, at 6 p.m.,” Skerrit said.

Prime Minister Skerrit said that all non-essential businesses are to remain closed and that essential workers, as well as people entering or leaving the country and those conducting banking by appointments among others will be allowed to move about.

He said businesses that will be allowed to operate will do so between the hours 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. but must implement the various protocols including wearing masks and adhering to social distancing.

“All bars and nightclubs will remain closed. There will be no dining in at restaurants, take out only, no consumption of alcohol in the public, churches and other places of worship are to remain closed.

“Weddings are to be limited to five individuals, while funerals are to be no more than 10 individuals,” Skerrit said, adding that private parties, recreational and social events, group tours and loud music will not be permitted.

He said also there would be no visitations to the hospitals, prisons, infirmary or quarantine facilities or any home providing care for the elderly and children.

He said while the air and seaports will remain open “masks are mandatory by law and the police will be authorised to give you a ticket if you are seen not wearing a mask in the public.

He said he was making a special appeal to the people who are contacts of the individuals who have tested positive for the virus, or for individuals who had attended any of the two events to come forward and get tested.

“We remind all individuals to remain vigilante and adhere to the COVID-19 protocols,” he said reiterating the need for citizens to get vaccinated in order to save lives and prevent the spread of the virus.

n his broadcast, Skerrit said he was disappointed that front line workers had been receiving “much hostility and abuse by a few contacts and their families.

“We as a country must condemn this behaviour. These officials are working hard to protect us as a country and the least we could do is to be cordial and cooperative. We must all as responsible citizens play our part and adhere to the measures and protocols,” Skerrit said.

He said if everyone complies with the new rules and regulations over the next seven days “we can re-open the country fully thereafter”.

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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]