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PM Browne threatens to fire underperforming APUA workers

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Prime Minister Gaston Browne has told the “bad eggs” at the Antigua Public Utilities Authority’s (APUA) Water Department that they will be fired if they fail to do their jobs.

During an appearance on his weekly radio program on Sunday, Browne said he will start calling out the people that are responsible for communities in Antigua and Barbuda going weeks, in some cases, without water.

“If you don’t perform, you are going to lose your jobs. That’s the reality of it. We are not going to be making any joke with you all,” he commented.

“You can’t have a situation in which the government is investing all this money in water, and you are just coming up with a whole heap of excuses when you look at the situation with the spillway at Potworks. You’re telling me that heads are not supposed to roll for that? You sat down there for years and did nothing about securing the spillway. And when we did get a good shower to make sure that we have water in Potworks, most of the water leaked out and the body must pay for that?”

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Heads have already started rolling at APUA as General Manager Esworth Martin, who has been in the position for two decades, was told to take preretirement leave due to the government’s dissatisfaction with his ability to handle water problems that have plagued Antigua and Barbuda for several years.

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Martin has received a generous exit package which includes the payment of all benefits.

Browne, who described Martin as a friend, said the government is being forced to “have to start to take action and start to push people to perform.”

He hinted that the government is aware that people within APUA are sabotaging the water delivery system for political gain.

Browne told listeners that he was left in shock at the “nonchalant” behaviour of APUA’s management towards fixing the water woes when he attended a recent company retreat.

“This nonchalant behaviour in the public sector in which people believe that they don’t have to perform and they’re going to allow our citizens and residents to suffer. I am not putting up with that,” prime minister stated.

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The prime minister also put four senior managers at state entities on notice that they better ship up or they will be out the door.

“We are not spiteful, but we are holding people accountable,” Browne added.

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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]