Antigua Breaking News

Category: Business

  • Digicel issues vaccination mandate to staff

    Digicel issues vaccination mandate to staff

    JAMAICA OBSERVER: On the heels of Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ prediction that mandatory vaccination will become inevitable, one of Jamaica’s largest employers has indicated that come October 15, 2021, all employees will need to present proof of partial or full vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test every 14 days, in order to continue attending work…

  • Pork price rose by 7% in August

    Pork price rose by 7% in August

    The Statistics Division, under the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Governance releases the CPI for Aug 2021. Year-on-Year Analysis The All Items index rose 1.1% for the twelve months ending August 2021, a smaller increase than the 2.3% rise for the period ending July 2021. The Food index rose 2.0% over the last twelve months.…

  • Union: Package ‘insulting, insensitive and uncaring’

    Union: Package ‘insulting, insensitive and uncaring’

    One of the unions representing severed LIAT employees in Barbados has labelled the latest settlement offer by shareholder governments as insulting, insensitive and uncaring. This strong position which was put Monday by the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) coincides with a rejection by regional unions of the same offer which proposes 50 per cent…

  • Regional trade unions reject LIAT offer

    Regional trade unions reject LIAT offer

    Regional trade unions representing former employees of the cash-strapped regional airline, LIAT, say they rejected the latest offer by Caribbean shareholder governments to meet their financial obligations to the laid off workers. The airline laid off an estimated 90 per cent of its staff last year as part of a restructuring exercise and resumed operations…

  • CAB welcomes Dominica appointments

    CAB welcomes Dominica appointments

    The Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) Inc. has extended congratulations to two veteran bankers who have been appointed to leadership positions with a CAB member organisation. The National Bank of Dominica (NBD) recently announced Annette Severin-Lestrade as its new Managing Director, and Linda Toussaint-Peter as Deputy Managing Director. This is a first for the bank,…

  • Poultry farmers defend increase in the cost of eggs

    Poultry farmers defend increase in the cost of eggs

    PRESS RELEASE FROM Antigua and Barbuda POULTRY FARMERS ASSOCIATION Several months ago, the Antigua & Barbuda Poultry Farmers Association commenced dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs to review the cost of producing eggs and broiler meat in Antigua & Barbuda. The executive of the ABPFA was charged with the responsibility of…

  • Sale of Scotiabank Antigua to ECAB Limited Finalised

    Sale of Scotiabank Antigua to ECAB Limited Finalised

    Acquisition of Bank of Nova Scotia’s Antigua and Barbuda Operations by Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank Limited Finalised The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) hereby advises that effective 1 September 2021, the Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) operations in Antigua and Barbuda will cease and the Eastern Caribbean Amalgamated Bank (ECAB’s) operations will include the previous…

  • Antigua Plumbing and Hardware requires employees provide proof of vaccination

    Antigua Plumbing and Hardware requires employees provide proof of vaccination

  • Digicel stores reopen after COVID-19 precautions

    Digicel stores reopen after COVID-19 precautions

    Digicel would like to advise the public that on Wednesday 24 August 2021, a member of staff at our Hills Park Location tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, with urgency, any potentially affected staff were tested and we immediately closed our retail stores and corporate office. During the temporary closure, we…

  • Lovell: It’s government’s responsibility to ensure LIAT workers are paid their severance

    Lovell: It’s government’s responsibility to ensure LIAT workers are paid their severance

  • Alitalia is shutting down with all future flights cancelled starting Oct. 15

    Alitalia is shutting down with all future flights cancelled starting Oct. 15

    For those who have flown Alitalia countless times, either to travel to Italy or elsewhere within Europe, it’s the end of an (imperfect) era. The Italian carrier is closing its doors on October 15, 2021, after serving as Italy’s national carrier for 75 years. Effective August 25, Alitalia is no longer selling any flights 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]