Category: Commentary

  • Cholera in Haiti: Gone but not forgotten

    Cholera in Haiti: Gone but not forgotten

    By Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, Director, Pan American Health Organization The cholera outbreak that began in Haiti in October 2010 caused some 820,000 cases and killed 9,792 people. Thanks to the hard work of the government and people of Haiti, in partnership with PAHO and other agencies, there have been no confirmed cases of cholera…

  • Are you a time saver or a time waster?

    Are you a time saver or a time waster?

    We are a planet of time-saving and time-wasting fanatics. Remember the tale about the race between the tortoise and the hare? While the arrogant hare goofed around and napped, the slow but steady tortoise crossed the finish line first. In the days of old, consumers visited the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. They chatted,…

  • Extreme events are reversing development goals

    Extreme events are reversing development goals

    By Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General Cyclones in the Caribbean and Pacific, devastating bushfires in Australia, recurrent floods and droughts in Asia and Africa, increasingly bring tragic loss of life to our nations and communities, inflicting physical and mental trauma on survivors, and causing irreparable damage to centuries old ways of life and undermining prospects for…

  • China, the Caribbean and the West: serving whose interest?

    China, the Caribbean and the West: serving whose interest?

    By Sir Ronald Sanders Caribbean countries are being warned by the government of the United States of America (U.S.) and U.S. writers that they should limit their dealings with China.  In the course of these warnings, several allegations are made, suggesting sinister Chinese motives and even corrupt relations between Chinese institutions and local politicians who…

  • A solution to myriad 2020 Appreciation Days

    A solution to myriad 2020 Appreciation Days

    Around the globe, there are many national awareness days in any given month. Many of these bring awareness to health concerns and important issues. However, some are official or unofficial days probably declared by the bored, irked or goofy, I assume. Some celebrations are silly, some weird, and some ridiculous. Many revolve around glorifying food.…

  • Contest for OAS Secretary-General: The Caribbean’s interest

    Contest for OAS Secretary-General: The Caribbean’s interest

    By Sir Ronald Sanders The contest for the post of Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS) is now well and truly joined. The election for the post will be held on March 20, and there are three contestants whose nominations were submitted by December 15, 2019 – the date set by the Permanent…

  • Musings on 2020

    Musings on 2020

    By Sir Shridath Ramphal QC The Year 2000, we knew, began a new Millennium. It marked a measurable change. 2020 feels like the start of a new immeasurable era. At that midnight hour 20 years ago, our mood was one of hopeful challenge as we looked to the new period ahead. Tonight, our disposition is…

  • A weak, worn-out Caribbean will not serve its people in 2020

    A weak, worn-out Caribbean will not serve its people in 2020

    By Sir Ronald Sanders As 2019 ends and the new year dawns, the world faces a troubling period of uncertainty. This precariousness will affect international and regional organizations as some powerful governments pursue a policy of de-linking from the established international system, encouraging fragmentation of regional groups and imposing their own agenda through various methods…

  • CARICOM finds its winning voice

    CARICOM finds its winning voice

    By Sir Ronald Sanders It is a valid criticism of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that they have more often failed than succeeded in coordinating their foreign policy actions. This tendency has been displayed in the Organization of American States (OAS) over the last three years, causing celebration among those countries that fear the voting…

  • Withdrawal of Canadian banks: opportunity to remedy, not repeat mistakes

    Withdrawal of Canadian banks: opportunity to remedy, not repeat mistakes

    By Sir Ronald Sanders The untidy and muddled way in which Canadian banks are withdrawing from the countries of the Commonwealth Caribbean is a direct result of insufficient attention being paid by governments to the terms of their entry at the time. Commonwealth Caribbean countries are those that were former colonies, or are still territories…

  • Foreign and local investment: fairness for all

    Foreign and local investment: fairness for all

    By Sir Ronald Sanders There has always been tension between encouraging foreign investment and promoting local entrepreneurship. In many countries, local businesses are expected to pay a range of domestic taxes while governments exempt foreign investors from obligation for the same taxes in order to attract their money, knowledge and, in some cases their technological…

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]