Antigua Breaking News

Category: Health

  • Vaccine for ‘silent killer’ pancreatic cancer shows promise: study

    Vaccine for ‘silent killer’ pancreatic cancer shows promise: study

    There’s hope for treating one of the deadliest forms of cancer. A pancreatic cancer vaccine has proven to be effective in half of patients treated in a small trial, according to a study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Pancreatic cancer — often called the “silent killer,” since symptoms don’t show up in most…

  • CARPHA stays alert even as pandemic wanes

    CARPHA stays alert even as pandemic wanes

    The Caribbean region was blessed with countless lives saved during the deadly COVID pandemic by the dedicated action of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and numerous public and private sector and inter-governmental partners. Health challenges such as the novel coronavirus are not easy. To overcome them requires teams of experts working together to contribute…

  • MAKEDA MIKAEL: Cannabis Is Driving Our Children Wild

    MAKEDA MIKAEL: Cannabis Is Driving Our Children Wild

    The Minister of Health needs to call an urgent meeting of Teachers and Parents of our cannabis smoking youth in an effort to remedy an out-of-control situation where our young people are killing their future with ‘weed!’ The weed brain destruction is now compounded by unscrupulous persons who are blending other hard drugs and synthetic…

  • Sugar beverages likely to increase risk of death and heart disease

    Sugar beverages likely to increase risk of death and heart disease

    By: Dr. Oswald Thomas A few years ago, the Hon: Minister of Health in Antigua and Barbuda announced the government’s intentions to ban sugary drinks in country. This was met with fierce debates and ferocious criticisms on both sides of the coin. The main concern of this public engagement was around whether the ban would…

  • French fries and other fried foods linked with higher risk of anxiety and depression

    French fries and other fried foods linked with higher risk of anxiety and depression

    Eating lots of fried foods is already linked with obesity and heart disease, but could the habit impact your mental health as well? A new study suggests that may be the case. Frequent fried food consumption — “especially fried potato consumption” like french fries — was strongly associated with a 12% higher risk of anxiety…

  • New COVID variant spreads globally. More infectious Arcturus: What you need to know

    New COVID variant spreads globally. More infectious Arcturus: What you need to know

    A new subvariant of COVID-19 is proliferating in the US and is now responsible for nearly 10% of all new cases, according to alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. The CDC estimates that Omicron strain XBB.1.16 — more commonly known as “Arcturus” — was the cause of…

  • 42 million people have HPV — It causes more cancers than you realize

    42 million people have HPV — It causes more cancers than you realize

    It’s the most common type of sexually transmitted disease — but apparently not common knowledge that it can cause various types of cancer. A survey by the American Association for Cancer Research has found a decline in awareness that human papillomavirus, or HPV, is linked to cervical cancer, as well as anal, oral and penile…

  • Animal-to-human diseases on the rise

    Animal-to-human diseases on the rise

    (AFP) – From COVID-19 to Mpox, Mers, Ebola, avian flu, Zika and HIV, diseases transmitted from animals to humans have multiplied in recent years, raising fears of new pandemics. – What is a zoonosis? – A zoonosis (plural zoonoses) is a disease or infection transmitted from vertebrate animals to people, and vice versa. The pathogens…

  • TUBERCULOSIS: What is it?

    TUBERCULOSIS: What is it?

    “Yes! We can end TB!” is the theme for World Tuberculosis Day, which will be observed on Friday 24th March 2023.  This year’s event will be the platform used to stir confidence,  boost high-level leadership, and increase investments along with faster uptake of new World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations as well as the adoption of…

  • All hormonal contraceptives increase breast cancer risk – study

    All hormonal contraceptives increase breast cancer risk – study

    (AFP) – All hormonal contraceptives carry a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, including the increasingly popular progestogen-only pills, according to a study published on Tuesday. The researchers who carried out the study stressed that the increased risk of breast cancer needs to be weighed against the benefits of hormonal contraceptives, including the protection they…

  • WHO renames monkeypox as ‘mpox’

    WHO renames monkeypox as ‘mpox’

    The World Health Organization announced Monday that “mpox” is now the preferred name for monkeypox. “Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while ‘monkeypox’ is phased out,” the organization said. Monkeypox was named in 1970, more than a decade after the virus that causes the disease was discovered in captive monkeys, the organization…

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]