Sydney Tair writes in the Guyana Chronicle: "a shame when we have committed Peace Corps volunteers in our community, who are dedicated to the uplifting of people’s lives and we do nothing to guarantee their safety"



Sydney Tair writes in the Guyana Chronicle: "a shame when we have committed Peace Corps volunteers in our community, who are dedicated to the uplifting of people’s lives and we do nothing to guarantee their safety"

Guarantee their safety
IT’S a shame when we have committed Peace Corps volunteers in our community, who are dedicated to the uplifting of people’s lives and we do nothing to guarantee their safety.

It’s a shame when we have Peace Corps volunteers teaching in our school whose main concern are making sure that your child could read and we do nothing to guarantee their safety.

It’s a shame when we have Peace Corps volunteers who give all their time and energy to make sure your child knows the truth and myths of HIV and AIDS and we do nothing to guarantee their safety.

It’s a shame when we have Peace Corps volunteers who use their own money and other resources to make someone’s life a little easier, and we do nothing to guarantee their safety.

It’s a shame when we have Peace Corps volunteers teaching our children Information Technology in our schools and we do nothing to guarantee their safety.

It’s a shame when we have Peace Corps volunteers teaching our business community Information Technology and we do nothing to guarantee their safety.

It’s a shame that we have Peace Corps volunteers who assist in pre and post natal care with our mothers in the community and we do nothing to guarantee their safety.

Several Peace Corps volunteers in New Amsterdam were constantly harassed, threatened and physically assaulted several times by one individual. Despite repeated efforts by the U.S. Peace Corps to resolve this situation with this particular individual, nothing was done.

Because of this issue, the Peace Corps volunteers in the area were withdrawn. There will be no more Peace Corps volunteers in the area for the foreseeable future.

Guyana is always looking outside for things. We depend on the World Bank and other lending institutions for money. Then we beg for debt forgiveness.

We depend on barrels from outside family members. Then we sit around and don’t look for jobs. We depend on volunteers. Then we rob, harass, beat up and rape them and the people in authority are reluctant to address these life-threatening issues.

It seems so simple. Why is it so complex? One individual has hampered the efforts of people who willingly come from the outside and have so much to contribute to our development as a nation and people.

While the people who are responsible to protect, enforce and assist us nonchalantly go about their business, the country continues to stand still and our children keep on suffering.

People in charge of our welfare and safety need to be decisive. Act instead of talk. Be proactive instead of reactive.

Take responsibility.
SYDNEY TAIT

When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

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RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

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Add your info now to the RPCV Directory Call Harris Publishing at 800-414-4608 right away to add your name or make changes to your listing in the newest edition of the NPCA's Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Former Staff. Then read our story on how you can get access to the book after it is published. The deadline for inclusion is May 16 so call now.

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March 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories The Coyne Column: Read Winning Essay by PCV 12 Mar Laura Germino helps Migrant Workers Advocacy Group 12 Mar Sam Farr impresses medical-pot advocacy group 11 Mar Fred O'Regan writes Op-Ed on Canada seal hunt 11 Mar Fern Holland remembered In Oklahoma 10 Mar Mountaineer Charles Houston receives honorary degree 10 Mar Elaine Chao led delegation for President's inauguration 10 Mar Chris Dodd wins Hispanic Capital Award 9 Mar Pat Waak is new Colorado Democratic Party Chair 9 Mar Chris Matthews withdraws from Florida Event 9 Mar Timothy J. O'Brien returns to Korea 8 Mar Tomas Belsky's paintings inspired by service in Brazil 7 Mar Christopher Hill to be Assistant Secretary of State 7 Mar Allen Moore is Sen Frist's Deputy Chief of Staff 7 Mar Jim Doyle heads trade delegation to Mexico 5 Mar Al Kamen says Narcissus Is Now Greek AND Roman 4 Mar Diana Gomez says to do something about Peace 4 Mar

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March 12, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar Alaska RPCVs speak for dividend 4 Mar Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar Maryland RPCVs lobby their Senators for Peace Corps 3 Mar Connecticut RPCVs hold fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar Charles Baquet speaks at Louisiana PC Breakfast on March 4 28 Feb RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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March 1: National Day of Action Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.

Make a call for the Peace Corps PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.

Peace Corps Calendar: Tempest in a Teapot? Bulgarian writer Ognyan Georgiev has written a story which has made the front page of the newspaper "Telegraf" criticizing the photo selection for his country in the 2005 "Peace Corps Calendar" published by RPCVs of Madison, Wisconsin. RPCV Betsy Sergeant Snow, who submitted the photograph for the calendar, has published her reply. Read the stories and leave your comments.

WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

Read the stories and leave your comments.