Antigua Breaking News

Category: World News

  • Sir Molwyn participates in Climate and Development Ministerial meeting

    Sir Molwyn participates in Climate and Development Ministerial meeting

    Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of the Environment Sir Molwyn Joseph was today in attendance at the 2nd Climate and Development Ministerial (CDM) meeting on the margins of the 77th United Nations General Assembly. Co-hosts of the meeting are the United Kingdom and Rwanda. The main priorities of the CDM has been Responding to Climate Impacts,…

  • Hindus urge King Charles to retire the outdated title ‘Defender of the Faith’

    Hindus urge King Charles to retire the outdated title ‘Defender of the Faith’

    Hindus feel that it is time for the British monarch to drop the “Defender of the Faith” title, which was coined in the 1500s. Britain was a multi-religious, multi-denominational and pluralistic society now and there were a substantial and growing number of non-believers. For a monarch, all subjects should be equal, while titles like this…

  • Lady Gaga forced to stop show amid lightning storm

    Lady Gaga forced to stop show amid lightning storm

    Lady Gaga was forced to halt the final show of her Chromatica Ball tour in Florida after a fierce storm descended. The star was approaching the end of her show when lightning started to strike around Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. “We just got to stop the show for a minute,” she told the 65,000 fans…

  • Queen’s funeral will be marked by federal holiday on Sept. 19 in Canada

    Queen’s funeral will be marked by federal holiday on Sept. 19 in Canada

    The date of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will be marked in Canada with a national holiday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday. “We have … chosen to move forward with a federal holiday on Monday [Sept. 19],” Trudeau said in New Brunswick, where he is attending a Liberal caucus retreat. “We will be working with the…

  • New York declares state of emergency over polio

    New York declares state of emergency over polio

    BBC: The governor of New York has declared a state of emergency over polio as evidence emerges that the virus is spreading across the state. Health officials say wastewater samples in New York City and four adjacent counties have tested positive for a poliovirus that can cause paralysis. Although only one case has so far…

  • Antigua and Barbuda to hold republic referendum within three years, says PM

    Antigua and Barbuda to hold republic referendum within three years, says PM

    UK Guardian: The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, has said he will call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Browne signed a document confirming Charles III’s status as the new King, but minutes later, said he would push for…

  • Queen’s coffin travelling from Balmoral to Edinburgh

    Queen’s coffin travelling from Balmoral to Edinburgh

    The Queen’s coffin has left her beloved Balmoral Castle, with thousands of people lining the route to Edinburgh. The funeral cortege is making a six-hour journey. Silent onlookers have been throwing floral tributes in the path of the coffin as the hearse is driven to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The coffin will arrive in London…

  • Puerto Rico star Ricky Martin faces sexual assault complaint

    Puerto Rico star Ricky Martin faces sexual assault complaint

    (AP) — A sexual assault complaint has been filed against Puerto Rico pop star Ricky Martin, who recently sued his nephew over what he said were false allegations of sexual abuse. The complaint was filed Friday at a police precinct in the capital of San Juan, police spokesman Edward Ramirez told The Associated Press on…

  • Charles III proclaimed king at tradition-steeped ceremony

    Charles III proclaimed king at tradition-steeped ceremony

    LONDON (AP) — Two days after the death of his mother elevated him to the throne, King Charles III was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch Saturday, in a pomp-filled ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism — and, for the first time, broadcast live. Charles, who spent seven decades as heir apparent, automatically became king…

  • US foresees annual COVID boosters, just like flu: officials

    US foresees annual COVID boosters, just like flu: officials

    Barring the emergence of drastically different variants, COVID boosters will likely be recommended annually in a similar manner to influenza vaccines, US health officials said Tuesday. The announcement came after the Food and Drug Administration last week authorised updated bivalent shots against both the original strain of the coronavirus and the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages…

  • Liz Truss wins Tory leadership race to become Britain’s next PM

    Liz Truss wins Tory leadership race to become Britain’s next PM

    The Guardian: Liz Truss will become Britain’s next prime minister after beating Rishi Sunak in the bitterly fought Conservative leadership contest. The foreign secretary, who won 81,326 votes (57.4%) of Tory members to the former chancellor’s 60,399 (42.6%), takes over from Boris Johnson, who was ousted by his own MPs earlier this summer. But the euphoria…

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]