2008.07.03: July 3, 2008: Headlines: COS - Kiribati: Safety: Pacific Magazine: Peace Corps To Quit Kiribati
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Kiribati:
Peace Corps Kiribati :
Peace Corps Kiribati: Newest Stories:
2008.07.03: July 3, 2008: Headlines: COS - Kiribati: Safety: Pacific Magazine: Peace Corps To Quit Kiribati
Peace Corps To Quit Kiribati
Country Director Michael Koffman says the frequent cancellation of domestic flights to some islands where Peace Corps volunteers work does not provide the conditions agreed in order for PCVs to serve the country. Koffman emphasized that when a volunteers get sick or need medical attention, it will not be possible to provide assistance because the plane will be unable to land on that island.
Peace Corps To Quit Kiribati
Peace Corps To Quit Kiribati
By Batiri Bataua on Tarawa
Thursday: July 03, 2008
The American Peace Corps program is pulling out of Kiribati in November after 35 years because of poor domestic air service.
Country Director Michael Koffman says the frequent cancellation of domestic flights to some islands where Peace Corps volunteers work does not provide the conditions agreed in order for PCVs to serve the country.
Koffman emphasized that when a volunteers get sick or need medical attention, it will not be possible to provide assistance because the plane will be unable to land on that island.
He adds the life of all Peace Corps Volunteers wherever they are is paramount, and it’s the duty of his office in Tarawa to make sure that they are always in good health and to react immediately if they need medical care.
There are about 50 US volunteers currently serving in Kiribati in the field of education, health and local government. Koffman said these volunteers will be distributed to other parts of the world where Peace Corp serve.
Along with these personnel, funds allocated for Kiribati for Peace Corps program will be shifted to other countries.
The country director says if the situation in domestic air service returns to normal, Peace Corps can consider returning to Kiribati.
During the 35 years of Peace Corps in Kiribati, more than 500 young American volunteers have served in Kiribati. They speak the language fluently, they understand the culture and even joined the locals in their daily lives — cutting toddies, going out fishing and cultivating 'babai pits.'
They respect the 'maneaba system', where the old men rule and make decisions and they even sing and dance. Some of them also fell in love with the locals, married and had children. Some I-Kiribati are now in USA with their Peace Corps wives or husbands.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: July, 2008; Peace Corps Kiribati; Directory of Kiribati RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Kiribati RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers
When this story was posted in July 2008, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Dodd vows to filibuster Surveillance Act Senator Chris Dodd vowed to filibuster the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that helped this administration violate the civil liberties of Americans. "It is time to say: No more. No more trampling on our Constitution. No more excusing those who violate the rule of law. These are fundamental, basic, eternal principles. They have been around, some of them, for as long as the Magna Carta. They are enduring. What they are not is temporary. And what we do not do in a time where our country is at risk is abandon them." |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Pacific Magazine
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Kiribati; Safety
PCOL41526
51