Antigua Breaking News

Category: Business

  • Antigua PM accuses Barbados and St. Vincent of creating ‘artificial impediments’ for LIAT

    Antigua PM accuses Barbados and St. Vincent of creating ‘artificial impediments’ for LIAT

    SOURCE: Caribbean News Service (CNS) — Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has accused fellow Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, of deliberate attempts to block Antigua-based regional carrier LIAT. On Saturday LIAT said it was forced to suspend services to two of its previously announced destinations while it…

  • LIAT forced to suspend services to Barbados and St. Vincent

    LIAT forced to suspend services to Barbados and St. Vincent

    LIAT has been forced to suspend services to two of its previously announced destinations while it awaits the approval from the relevant authorities in Barbados and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The airline had previously announced services to Barbados and St Vincent & the Grenadines and was scheduled to begin flights as of November 30.…

  • Asot Michael Improves School System in Antigua and Barbuda

    Asot Michael Improves School System in Antigua and Barbuda

    By David Jackson When Asot Michael was born in December 1969, he had no idea just how deeply ingrained political activism would influence his life. He was born in Guadalupe, French West Indies to a family that was already heavily active on the political front. His grandfather, for whom he was named after, dealt with…

  • Local resorts earn World Travel Awards

    Local resorts earn World Travel Awards

    Two Antiguan resorts have received World Travel Awards. Sandals Grande Antigua, for the seventh consecutive year, has been awarded the Caribbean’s Most Romantic Resort. The local hotel first won this award in 2014. Meanwhile Curtain Bluff, the country’s oldest running resort, was named the Caribbean’s Leading Green Resort. This is the fourth occasion on which…

  • St. Kitts and Nevis writes off LIAT’s $11 million debt

    St. Kitts and Nevis writes off LIAT’s $11 million debt

    The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has made a decision to cancel the $11 million debt owed to the Federation by LIAT, the Caribbean Airline. Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, said that the debt relief was made following a request by the liquidator. According to its Facebook Page, LIAT is currently under administration and is…

  • Virgin Atlantic launches COVID-19 testing trial on Heathrow-Antigua service

    Virgin Atlantic launches COVID-19 testing trial on Heathrow-Antigua service

    Virgin Atlantic has announced plans for a pre-departure Covid-19 testing trial on selected services from Heathrow to Barbados, Antigua and Grenada. For six weeks from December 9, customers travelling on selected flights to Barbados (which continue onto Antigua and Grenada) will be required to take a rapid, point of care, lateral flow antigen test before…

  • LIAT resumes service with limited destinations today

    LIAT resumes service with limited destinations today

    LIAT, the Caribbean’s island hopping airline, is scheduled to return to the skies from today. The airline, which has played a pivotal role in boosting travel around the Caribbean, including travel to and from Barbados, had its operations scaled back in the aftermath of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and border closure. In returning…

  • Recall of machine readable passport extends to Dec. 31

    Recall of machine readable passport extends to Dec. 31

    The Passport and Citizenship Division of Antigua and Barbuda on Monday 30th November 2020 announced that through a Decision of the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda, it has extended the deadline for the mandatory recall period for all Antigua and Barbuda Machine Readable Passports to 31st December 2021. This decision was taken in light of the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on…

  • Dominican airline Sky resumes flights to Antigua and 7 Caribbean destinations

    Dominican airline Sky resumes flights to Antigua and 7 Caribbean destinations

    The Dominican airline Sky High Aviation Services announced that it will resume operations to eight destinations in the Caribbean since the suspension of flights in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline is now taking bookings for flights to eight destinations from Santo Domingo’s Las Americas Airport to Curacao, Aruba, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Anguilla,…

  • Antigua and Barbuda joins region in temporary ban on poultry from the United Kingdom

    Antigua and Barbuda joins region in temporary ban on poultry from the United Kingdom

    There has been an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N8) in the United Kingdom (UK). It has therefore been decided by the CARICOM Chief Veterinary Officers that a temporary regional ban shall be imposed on all poultry from the UK. Antigua and Barbuda was represented at this meeting by Dr. Nneka Hull James of…

  • LIAT to charge US$10 for 1st checked bag, US$60 for 2nd back each way

    LIAT to charge US$10 for 1st checked bag, US$60 for 2nd back each way

    LIAT has introduced its new baggage policy effective Nov. 30 when it returns to commercial service. While customers will be allowed to carry on a small bag and personal item for free, their 1st Checked bag will cost US$10. The second checked bag will cost US$60 and the airline said these prices will apply for…

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]