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Tourism sector feeling effects of COVID’s 2nd wave

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The resurgence of the COVID-19 virus in the major tourism source markets for Antigua and Barbuda is already being felt in the local tourism sector.

General Manager of the Blue Waters Hotel and former President of the Hotel Association, Alex De Brito, has reported that most hotels began to reopen from October 15 with the expectation all would be back in business by the end of the month, however, just a few weeks into the season, the sector now facing cancellations because of new lockdowns in the United Kingdom where that government has banned all non-essential travel.

“In the next few days, we are anticipating that the major airlines serving the UK market will announce their reduction, or even elimination of flights to the Caribbean, because of what’s happening there,” he revealed.

According to De Brito, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are expected to make an announcement on their schedule in the coming days.

This move by the airlines will likely last until the middle of December when the UK emerges from the lockdown.

Up to Thursday afternoon, Antigua and Barbuda hotel officials were engaged in meetings with representatives of Virgin Atlantic to determine the way forward.

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The hotelier said several resorts plan to remain open although it is likely that they will lose money.

“We don’t want a situation where we are forced to close so soon after reopening, nobody wants a repeat of the lockdown that we experienced earlier in the year,” he said.

“We were just getting excited about the prospects for the season hoping that we will soon be returning to some sense of normality. We are also concerned about the outcome of the US elections as it may portend whether or not that country goes into a stricter lockdown and restrict travel as well. It is quite concerning,” De Brito cautioned.

De Brito did, however, report one bright spot in an otherwise gloomy situation: some UK visitors brought forward their travel plans which caused them to arrive in the Antigua and Barbuda ahead of the announcement of the most recent UK lockdown.

While he was unable to give precise figures, De Brito noted that these individuals said they preferred to spend their time on vacation in Antigua and Barbuda and wait out the lockdown at home here.

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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]