Antigua Breaking News

Category: Health

  • Your voice could reveal if you have heart problems

    Your voice could reveal if you have heart problems

    Heart problems could be heard in someone’s voice before they even know they have an issue. A new study has found heart conditions that need treatment can be picked up in how someone sounds when they talk. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the US created an artificially intelligent algorithm that catches small changes in…

  • What is aphasia? Bruce Willis’ diagnosis, explained

    What is aphasia? Bruce Willis’ diagnosis, explained

    On Wednesday, Bruce Willis’ family announced that he will be taking a step back from his career of almost 45 years due to an aphasia diagnosis. Aphasia is a medical condition that leaves patients struggling to verbally communicate. According to the Canada-based Aphasia Institute, aphasia is a language problem that masks a person’s inherent competence.…

  • Shake the Salt Habit

    Shake the Salt Habit

    “Too much salt in our diets can harm our health, leading to unnecessary deaths from heart attacks and strokes, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” stated Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at CARPHA, in observance of World Salt Awareness Week. The Caribbean is well known for its high dietary consumption of fats, salts and sugars…

  • As Ukrainians contend with Russia’s unprovoked invasion, COVID-19 is complicating the picture

    As Ukrainians contend with Russia’s unprovoked invasion, COVID-19 is complicating the picture

    CNN — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is causing a devastating humanitarian crisis in the country, with at least two million people fleeing into neighboring countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that the deteriorating conditions will make it easier for Covid-19 to spread. “Anytime you disrupt society like this and put literally millions of…

  • Are pigs the future of organ transplants?

    Are pigs the future of organ transplants?

    BBC — The frontiers of organ transplantation have been pushed further than ever before. The first organs taken from genetically engineered pigs have been put into people and the recipient of the first pig heart managed to survive for two months. So how close are we to using pigs for a limitless supply of organs…

  • Birth defects in Antigua and Barbuda

    Birth defects in Antigua and Barbuda

    Thursday 3rd March 2022 will be “World Birth Defects Day.” The theme for this year is: “Many Birth Defects, One Voice.” The primary objective of the day is to raise awareness of birth defects, their causes, and their impact on global society. Birth defects or congenital anomalies are an unpopular topic. It is one that…

  • COVID has taken severe mental health toll: WHO

    COVID has taken severe mental health toll: WHO

    GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP)— The COVID pandemic has taken a dire toll on mental health, WHO said Wednesday, indicating that cases of anxiety and depression had swelled by over 25 per cent globally. In a fresh scientific brief, the World Health Organization also found that the COVID-19 crisis had in many cases significantly impeded access to mental health…

  • Ministry on campaign to get residents to consume less sugar

    Ministry on campaign to get residents to consume less sugar

    The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment with the support from the Pan American Health Organization is launching a Sugar Sweetened Beverage campaign under the slogan, ‘Less Sugar, Longer Life’. The campaign seeks to increase public awareness of the dangers associated with excessive consumption of SSBs and promote the consumption of water and other…

  • In 2021, approximately $125M was spent on health care – Budget Statement Presentation 2022

    In 2021, approximately $125M was spent on health care – Budget Statement Presentation 2022

    The viability of the Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) and the challenges it faced during the last two years were placed on display during the 2022 Budget Presentation. Prime Minister Gaston Browne disclosed that the past two years proved particularly challenging for financing health care because of increased demands for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to respond…

  • Early research indicate possible efficacy of cannabis against COVID-19 infection

    Early research indicate possible efficacy of cannabis against COVID-19 infection

    Early research is now indicating possible efficacy of cannabis against COVID-19 infection. In Christendom, over the past century, no plant has been studied, researched, and published more than has cannabis. The research is driven by a body of cultural science which speaks to the efficacy of cannabis in mood alteration, pain, nerve, and inflammatory disorders. The…

  • Expect more worrisome variants after omicron, scientists say

    Expect more worrisome variants after omicron, scientists say

    By LAURA UNGAR, Associated Press Get ready to learn more Greek letters. Scientists warn that omicron’s whirlwind advance practically ensures it won’t be the last version of the coronavirus to worry the world. Every infection provides a chance for the virus to mutate, and omicron has an edge over its predecessors: It spreads way faster…

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]