Antigua Breaking News

Category: Business

  • Breathing new life into Digital Nomad Residence Visa Programme

    Breathing new life into Digital Nomad Residence Visa Programme

    The Antigua and Barbuda High Commission (London), in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) and the Nomad Digital Residence Programme, organised and hosted a webinar on March 16 to gain further insight into and promote the Digital Nomad Residence Visa Programme (NDRVP). Launched in November 2020, Antigua and Barbuda established a long-stay…

  • Carlisle Bay extends layoffs until May 2021

    Carlisle Bay extends layoffs until May 2021

    Letter from Brian Murphy General Manager of Carlisle Bay to staff: As you are fully aware it has nearly been one full year since Carlisle bay has been faced with challenges that Covid-19 has brought upon our shores. As a hotel and as a community we have learned to live and work side by side…

  • Bitcoin passes US$60,000 for first time

    Bitcoin passes US$60,000 for first time

    Bitcoin passed the US$60,000 mark for the first time on Saturday, with analysts saying the giant US stimulus package helped boost the world’s most popular virtual currency on its record-breaking run. The cryptocurrency hit US$60,197 at 7:34 am (local time) and continued to hover around US$60,000, according to the website CoinMarketCap. Bitcoin has tripled in…

  • Former LIAT workers get assistance from good Samaritan

    Former LIAT workers get assistance from good Samaritan

    A good Samaritan has come forward to assist some of the former Barbados-based employees of LIAT. Sometime last week, well-known social activist Kammie Holder was able to track down one of the former employees after seeing his video on social media. The heart-wrenching video resonated deeply with Holder who then pledged to assist. He sprang…

  • Barbados union hopes ex-LIAT staff will get paid

    Barbados union hopes ex-LIAT staff will get paid

    The National Union of Public Workers is hopeful that Government will soon deliver financial relief for former LIAT workers who are yet to receive their severance pay. President Akanni McDowall told the DAILY NATION yesterday that it had appeared as though Government intended to address the issue but he was not sure when. “We were…

  • Government urges Yida to start golf course project

    Government urges Yida to start golf course project

    Even as government continues to warn that the development of the Yida project will “take some while to complete”, Cabinet has asked the company to press forward with plans to develop a golf course and hotel on pristine Guiana Island. During Thursday’s Cabinet press briefing, Minister of Information Melford Nicholas said that the company continues…

  • Carib Brewery wants more concessions from government

    Carib Brewery wants more concessions from government

    Foreign and Trade Minister EP Chet Green reported to the Cabinet of Antigua this week that the Carib Beer manufacturer has submitted requests for further concessions. It also sought the permission to re-use their bottles, the Carib Beer Brewery asserts, will reduce the waste which other beers incur. They seek some consideration for their environmentally…

  • US law codifies ‘helpful’ guidelines on de-risking

    US law codifies ‘helpful’ guidelines on de-risking

    Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, as the lead on Financial Services in the quasi-Cabinet of CARICOM Heads of Government, has thanked the Chair of the Banking Committee of the US House of Representatives, Maxine Waters, for the inclusion in US law of helpful guidelines on de-risking. For several years, regulatory directives to US global banks have…

  • 7 businesses issued warning letters for non-compliance with COVID-19 protocols

    7 businesses issued warning letters for non-compliance with COVID-19 protocols

    Businesses in Antigua and Barbuda have been largely compliant to the mandatory COVID-19 restrictions being imposed by the government, but according to the Chief Health Inspector, there is still room for improvement. At present all establishments are required to ensure that patrons and staff adhere to the COVID-19 protocols to include social distancing, mask wearing,…

  • US$750,000 for regional vaccines

    US$750,000 for regional vaccines

    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…

  • ‘Bleak state’ of Barbadian LIAT ex-workers

    ‘Bleak state’ of Barbadian LIAT ex-workers

    A picture emerged Wednesday of “humiliation” and “depression” among severed LIAT employees in Barbados, many of whom have run out of cash and have been forced to beg for help, while the near year-long non-payment of severance by the failed carrier drags on. Now the two unions representing the ex-workers have declared that a speedy…

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]