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Tracking bracelets, new COVID-19 regulations coming into effect

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New regulations to manage the spread of COVID-19 will come into effect this week. According to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the changes include amendments to the Infectious Diseases Regulations that will make it mandatory for people in quarantine to wear monitoring bracelets.

“We are introducing the bracelets on Tuesday after they have gone through a period of testing. In addition on Monday we will amend the legislation to make it mandatory to wear the bracelet if one is prescribed to undergo a period of quarantine,” he disclosed.

While the bracelets are tamper-proof, the prime minister said under the new regulations anyone who damages the bracelets will be fined.

“We want to make the fine a hefty one, first to include the cost of replacement and secondly, to act as a deterrent,” he explained.

Over the past two weeks, Browne said there has been an increase in visitors to the country and with this comes the need to strengthen health protocols with the objective of managing the COVID-19 crisis.

The prime minister also expressed satisfaction with the outcome of discussions with the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) which will revise its travel advisory related to Antigua and Barbuda effective today.

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He bemoaned the situation with Barbados’ COVID-19 classification of Antigua and Barbuda which remains at ‘medium risk’. This is a revision from its earlier classification of the country as ‘high risk’ early in November.

The prime minister said he is still unhappy with Barbados’ classification of Antigua and Barbuda. “We asked them to further review the medium risk classification as this is not what the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has recommended.

We recognised that Barbados has been ‘mum’ on this matter. We are concerned because it may influence others who may be seeking information about us. It’s a vexing matter and one that needs to be resolved,” PM Browne stated.

The latest information from the Mount St. John’s Medical Centre shows seven active cases, no hospitalisations, 141 confirmed positive cases with four deaths, one of which was an imported case. — PointeXpress

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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]