Thirty more Peace Corps trainees arrive

The delivery of health and education is to get a further boost with the arrival of yet another batch of United States Peace Corps volunteers.

The American embassy here announced, through a press release, that 30 more Peace Corps trainees arrived in Georgetown today to complement their 35 colleagues already in service.

The new trainees will make up the 25th group of Peace Corps volunteers to serve this country and will be officially sworn in on July 3, after completing their pre-service training. During this cross-cultural exchange period they live with host families who will teach them “the Guyanese way of life”. This includes learning to prepare local dishes, negotiating in the market place and participating in community activities.

In addition, over their ten weeks of training, the new recruits will be engaged in field practicum in local schools and health centres with the aim of enhancing their abilities to meet the needs of the communities they will serve, the release stated. Upon accepting the invitation to serve, the volunteers agree to live and work in Guyana for two years.

According to the release, the Peace Corps was invited to return to Guyana in 1993 by deceased president Cheddi Jagan, after being active from 1966-1971, and the first group arrived in 1995.

Since its establishment more than 600 American Peace Corps volunteers have served here and the embassy release stated that the Peace Corps welcomed the opportunity and thanked the government and people of Guyana for affording the volunteers the opportunity.