Five Ecuadorean diplomats now in SVG to learn the English language

Twenty-five Ecuadorean diplomats will, over the next few months, travel to St Vincent and the Grenadines in batches of five to learn the English Language at the community college here.

At a welcome ceremony held last Tuesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room for the first batch of diplomats, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said in addition to the diplomats, 50 teachers will soon arrive to be taught the English Language.{{more}}

He disclosed that the University of the West Indies has been included in the programme to assist with quality assurance of the programme and to provide a more regionally accepted certification.

Describing the training as “quality training” at a lower price than they would have to pay in the United States, Gonsalves said during their stay, the diplomats will be involved in many different activities.

“There will be field trips and cultural and tourist activities. They are going to have cultural classes also,” he said, joking that the diplomats would make new friends and go to dances which are school related.

Maria Bautitsa Ortiz, an Ecuadorean diplomat and participant in the ‘Ecuadorean Diplomats English Language Enhancement Programme’ made remarks on behalf of the participants.

“We are very happy to be here today….The government of President Rafael Correa, it is a government … that takes into consideration the inclusion of the minority.

“… the president has told us that we can be poor with no money in the pocket, but rich in knowledge… We should not see obstacles as we look forward and … we give thanks to St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister who have received us in a cordial manner.”

The other participants in the programme are Monica Torres Jima, Janeth Ayovi Veliz, Myrian Norona Martinez and Jorge Saavedra Espana.

On March 24, 2015, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Barbados and Ecuador signed a memorandum of understanding at the Cabinet Room in Kingstown, making way for more than 100 Central American teachers to commence the “Go Teacher” programme in the region.(AL)