Guyana on World Scout Bureau for first time

Guyana’s first female Chief Commissioner of the Scout Association of Guyana (SAG), Zaida Joaquin, was on September 20, elected a member of the Inter-American Scout Committee, the World Scout Bureau Inter-American Region, becoming the first member of the SAG to be elected to the World Scout Bureau.

A release from the association said that the Inter-American Scout Region is composed of all recognised National Scout Associations located in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean while the Inter-American Scout Committee (ISC) is the body that manages and administers the Inter-American Scout Organisation on the basis of objectives, policies, and action lines established by the conference.

The Committee is composed of ten elected members so that no more than one member of the same national scout organisation is allowed to sit on the committee. These members exercise their function voluntarily for six years, renewing five of their members at the conference when it meets every three years.

Zaida Joaquin
Zaida Joaquin

Its purpose is to: approve the Regional Plan; act as an advisory body of the World Scout Committee in matters relating to the Inter-American Region; encourage, promote and support the global, regional and sub-regional events carried out in the Region; and act on behalf of the Inter-American Scout Conference between its sessions.

Joaquin joined scouting in 1994 as an Assistant Cub Scout Leader, and has served as the Group Scout Leader for St. Margaret’s Scout Group. She also served the SAG as National Treasurer, District Commissioner, International Com-missioner, and National Training Commissioner.

Apart from holding the position of Chief Commissioner, she is also the President of the Caribbean Steering Committee.