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Over 1,400 killed, hundreds kidnapped in Haiti this year – UN

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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk says more than 1,400 people have been killed and over 1,000 kidnapped in Haiti so far this year by gangs who also use sexual violence.

Speaking on the Friday in Switzerland, the eve of World Human Rights Day, Turk called for  a show of “political courage and responsibility at a national and international level” to address the “endemic impunity”.

The UN representative noted that Haiti – the poorest nation in the Americas – is facing an acute political, economic, security and health crisis which has paralysed the country and sparked a breakdown of law and order.

The assassination of president Jovenel Moise in July 2021 exacerbated the crises, as gangs grew in strength and territorial control

This “multifaceted and protracted crisis… cannot be ignored,” Turk said.

“This is a country where armed gangs, reportedly supported by economic and political elites, control more than 60 percent of the capital, where some 4.7 million face acute hunger,” he said. “Since the beginning of this year, a staggering 1,448 people have been killed, 1,145 injured and 1,005 kidnapped by gangs.”

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He stressed that these were not just numbers, with each victim leaving “entire families and communities… torn apart by the violence.”

Turk, who took over as the UN rights chief in October, also decried that gang members were “using sexual violence to instill fear and exert control over the population”.

A UN report published in October found that the gangs use sexual violence to “punish, subjugate, and inflict pain” on the citizens and as a coercive tool to force cooperation.

It detailed gang rapes of children as young as 10 and of elderly women, often in front of family members.

“Sexual violence is an additional factor that is very chilling for the population and one that really needs to be countered,” Turk said.

He insisted “the root causes of the crisis, especially social inequalities, rampant corruption, collusion between powerful elites and gang leaders, and endemic impunity, must be addressed.”

“It is unconscionable that there are people benefiting from this endemic insecurity and the suffering of Haitians.”

Turk hailed a recent UN Security Council decision to sanction members of Haiti’s economic and political elites who reportedly support the gangs, saying it sends “a very strong message to those threatening Haiti’s peace, security and stability.”

He called on countries to make sure that people fleeing Haiti “have access to fair and efficient asylum procedures.”

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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]