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US$750,000 for regional vaccines

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Ten countries across the region will get a major boost to their COVID-19 vaccination programmes as a result of a USD$500,000 donation from regional bank CIBC FirstCaribbean.

The donation to national vaccination programmes is being made by the bank through its charitable arm the FirstCaribbean International ComTrust Foundation, and will support the purchase of vaccines in Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

Additionally, the bank is providing separate contribution of USD$250,000 to cover the cost of vaccinating members of its 2 500 staff who wish to avail themselves of the vaccine in those countries, bringing its total contribution to the regional vaccination effort to USD$750,000.

Chief Executive Officer of the bank and Chair of the foundation Colette Delaney in announcing the donation said, “vaccination remains one of the key weapons in the arsenal against Covid-19 and we are delighted to assist governments and public health officials in ensuring that everyone who wants the vaccine can have access to it”.

She said the global community and medical experts have made great strides in the past year in response to the COVID-19 virus and they noted that an effective vaccine was “critical to protect individuals, families and communities and re-open our economies”.

The CEO noted that public health officials “advise that as many people as possible must be vaccinated to achieve a level of immunity that makes the spread of the virus from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected – not just those who are immune”.

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Delaney praised the “brave men and women working on the frontlines all across the region to stem the spread of the disease and now who are ensuring the smooth roll out of mass vaccination campaigns”.

She also praised the staff of the bank many of whom remain on the frontlines as well ensuring that clients and customers continue to have access to banking services even under very difficult circumstances.

This latest assistance to aid the COVID-19 fight in the region follows the bank’s donation last March of USD$250 000 spread across its 16-member regional footprint to assist health officials in purchasing testing supplies, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other supplies.

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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]