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  • UWI Five Islands Campus investment and Climate Change occupy discussions between PM Gaston Browne and Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister

UWI Five Islands Campus investment and Climate Change occupy discussions between PM Gaston Browne and Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister

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Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne on Thursday engaged in bilateral discussions with His Excellency Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly here in New York.

The meeting presented the opportunity for Prime Minister Browne to personally express gratitude to the Saudi Foreign Minister for his country’s US$80 million investment in the expansion of the Five Islands Campus of the University of the West Indies.

Prime Minister Browne noted that the investment in the future economic growth and improving the educational standards of Antigua and Barbuda is a firm sign of a strengthening of the relationship between their two countries.

With the issue of climate change being a major priority for Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Browne encouraged the support of Saudi Arabia in devising a balanced approach in achieving economic growth and development while adapting and building resiliency against the effects of climate change.

Prince Farhan was in full endorsement of Prime Minister Browne’s position noting that their countries must endeavour to work together on reducing the impact of the climate crisis, whose effects on small states like Antigua and Barbuda are made worse due to the vulnerable nature of their economies.

Prime Minister Browne also won the commitment of the Saudi Foreign Minister in providing support to Antigua and Barbuda as the twin island nation will host the SIDS4 Conference in May 2024, which will be one of the largest gatherings of island nations in the past ten years to address issues affecting their future survival.

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Prince Farhan also showed considerable interest in the Centre of Excellence, which will be launched during SIDS4, and will host a data hub that is intended to bridge a major gap in helping island nations address their data challenges.

A number of other matters intrinsic to the economic development of Antigua and Barbuda were raised by Prime Minister Browne during the bilateral engagement. Among them were the potential to explore possibilities and invest in AI and a proposal to open an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda.

Attending the meeting with Prime Minister Browne were his senior cabinet colleagues, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade EP Chet Greene and Minister for Health and the Environment, Sir Molwyn Joseph. Also, in the Antigua and Barbuda delegation were Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Walton Aubrey Webson, Deputy Permanent Representative Tumasie Blair and Claxton Duberry, First Secretary.

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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]