James retires as longest serving Peace Corps Director

Cuthbert “Mr Cool” James’s 31-year stint with the United States Peace Corps officially comes to an end, through retirement, today, Friday November 3, 2023.

The Chateaubelair resident started off on a contractual basis with the Peace Corps in 1992 doing part time training, and in February 1997 became the Associate Director of Peace Corps operations in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Grenada. The Grenada part of the job was later taken away from his portfolio, allowing him to focus on SVG.

Peace Corps Director Cuthbert James (centre) receiving his award from US Ambassador Linda Swartz Taglialatela.

He is the longest serving Associate Director of the Peace Corps in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“It was a learning and growing experience for me. I learnt a lot and I am still learning even as I retire,” James told SEARCHLIGHT in an interview on Thursday while adding, “I was dealing with a lot of people from various backgrounds from the United States and also from the region, my colleagues from the Caribbean, and it is an experience I don’t regret.”

Last month, James was recognized for his dedication, leadership and unwavering commitment to the Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean (EC) mission. He was given an inclusion One Team Approach Award in recognition of “his exemplary contribution to fostering collaboration and promoting inclusion within the Peace Corps.”

The Peace Corps noted during the recognition ceremony that he has exemplified the values of Peace Corps which are service, respect, integrity, commitment, and excellence.

James said he was delighted that the award was presented to him personally by Linda Swartz Taglialatela, the United States Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the OECS.

“It was more from the Peace Corps headquarters to recognize my contribution and I was pleased to be presented with the award,” James told SEARCHLIGHT.

He said his stint with the Peace Corps gave him the opportunity for many collaborations and as a result he has had many memorable experiences.

“…And I can tell you one of the things that speaks to my heart is when I talk to people on the ground and they would tell me ‘I am at this point of my life because of the intervention of a Peace Corps volunteer’…and they (volunteers) have no idea the impact they have made after working with people on different levels and that is what warms my heart,” James said.

He said he has followed the movements of several volunteers over the years and some of them are in high level positions in the Peace Corps and influential positions in the United States.

James also noted that during his stint, two projects, one aimed at youth and community development and the other at education have impacted many people.

“When you talk to people, in areas like education, you would hear teachers say they have learnt so much from Peace Corps. A doctor told me he became a doctor through encouragement from a Peace Corps volunteer.

“When I came in, and up to now, it was about education at the primary school level, supporting the literacy program, but we have done a lot of work with youth and community organizations,” James explained while noting that a flagship program, “Men as partners” was aimed at engaging, supporting and empowering men and young boys to be able to support the females they work with.

He said that the program started off as “Men as partners against HIV/AIDS” but the focus then changed to “Men as partners” and sought to look at all levels of support that could be given.

James said the Ministry of Social Development continued the program, but changed the name and he is proud of that project.

He also noted that it was a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1980s who encouraged him to become involved with the 4H Movement and he later became the Chairman of the 4H Leadership Council.

James, who was also the Safety and Security Manager for Peace Corps in the Eastern Caribbean, said his next step is to continue doing volunteer work, something he has been doing quietly for some time now.

“I will continue supporting my community and continue to support Peace Corps intermittently when they need by guidance, he said.

Giving some history of the organisation in SVG, James said the first Associate Director of the Peace Corps was Theodore Van Keane (served from 1972 to 1992). He was replaced by American Don Evans (served from 1992 to 1994), followed by Susan Anderson (1994 to December 1996) then James from 97 to current, making him the longest serving Associate Director.

James is married to Dora James and has one daughter Veah, an attaché at the SVG embassy in Washington.