There is that wise voice that reasons us out of the valley of grief. That is the voice of Dr Suchet L Loois, a man who has dedicated his life to be educator, researcher, development promoter and capacity builder in more than 25 developing countries. After our discussion, I can say that this accomplished intellectual has the heart of Mandela and the head of Marcus Garvey.

Jean Lowrie-Chin

There I was in last week's column, shaking my head at my prostrate Jamaica, when Dr Loois, country director of the US Peace Corps in Jamaica, checked her vital signs and told me that her robust constitution would pull her through.

"I regard my presence in Jamaica as destiny," says the eloquent Haitian-born American. "After having served in countries all over the world, and seen the drain of their human capacity, I believe that one day Jamaica will be a centre of black human capital impacting the developing world.

Jamaica learned self-government even before the end of colonialism. This is remarkable among former colonised countries." He was impressed by the conference on Jamaica-South Africa Cooperation held at the conference centre earlier this month and hoped that it would embrace more African countries in the future.

He is heartened by the respect shown towards Haitian refugees in Jamaica and hopes that Jamaica will assume a leadership role in Caricom to help Haiti on the road to stable democracy and good governance.

A former professor of the distinguished historically black university, the Tuskegee University, Suchet Loois was an enthusiastic participant in the implementation of Title XII Legislation promulgated by the Carter administration. This facilitated the active involvement of Land Grant universities like Tuskegee in international developmental projects.

LOOIS... sees in Jamaica much of what he hopes for Africa

He has served in Africa, Central and Latin America and the Caribbean, promoting sustainable agriculture and natural resource management and enabling farmers to benefit from agricultural research and extension, through US government-funded programmes.

Dr Loois pointed out that even before Title XII, many Land Grant universities had been involved in international development. Tuskegee became involved in 1900 in Togoland, and he was part of a delegation for the centennial celebration held in Togo in the year 2000. It was at that time he chose to end his tenure as associate vice-president for international development at Tuskegee and to return to active international development work.

His wife Mathilde is currently a professor of French at Tuskegee University.

He was delighted at the call from the Peace Corps for the post as country director for Jamaica, whose many sons and daughters he had taught at Tuskegee which honours the tradition to enrol hundreds of Jamaican students in agriculture, engineering and veterinary medicine.

"I could appreciate the quality of Jamaica's education in those students whom we seldom had to give a failing grade. One of the first top applicants I accepted as a graduate student was a Jamaican lady."

The eminently qualified Dr Loois is writing a book on what works in development, and in comparing Jamaica to the African countries he has served, says that Jamaica has been able to maintain good governance, despite her challenges.

"Lack of good governance is affecting Africa's development," he believes. "Very few African countries since their independence, have managed to maintain sustainable good governance that is accountable to the people."

A man of faith, Dr Loois expressed a deep love for the Africans he met and with whom he felt a strong connection. He lectured at universities in the Congo, Burkina Faso and Niger. "Africa's primary need is the training of human resources for agricultural research, food production and environmental sustainability," he says.

In Jamaica, Dr Loois sees much of what he hopes for Africa: freedom of the press, freedom of expression and respect for the opposition political parties. He was moved by the recent function held by Prime Minister Patterson in honour of retired Opposition Leader Edward Seaga, and hopes to see more gestures of this nature in African countries.

Dr Loois believes that the only way to achieve sustainable development and quality of life is to prioritise investments in the quality of human resources. He is glad that Jamaica built upon the investments of the colonial era, and adapted them to her evolving and changing needs.

Dr Loois eagerly embraces Jamaicans through his Peace Corps office, which has over 50 volunteers arriving each year to serve in various areas. The Peace Corps keenly studies Jamaica's changing developmental needs from agriculture, education and health to environment, information technology, water and sanitation, deaf education, and small business.

He reflects that the Peace Corps came to Jamaica 43 years ago on June 12, 1962, a few weeks before Independence. It was Norman Manley who negotiated and signed the accord with the US. "The Peace Corps has never left, and over 3,500 volunteers have served with excellence since then," says Suchet.

The Peace Corps partners with five government ministries and are also placed with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), churches and schools.
"Our volunteers are not paid. We explain to them that this is not because their work is worthless: it is because their work is priceless," says Suchet. "They must live within communities and take public transportation."

Suchet outlined the initial training for his volunteers. "Before they are sworn in, they undergo a seven-week community-based programme where they are assigned to host families. There they learn patois, and do cross-cultural training. There is a great demand for our volunteers, and we are looking at a plan to increase their number." He and the volunteers have been made to feel very welcome here.

Suchet is happy that after meeting with commerce and technology minister Phillip Paulwell in 2001, he brought the first group of IT volunteers here who transformed the lab at the Ministry of Education and various teachers colleges. He has also seen small business volunteers assist in making these enterprises profitable, and is delighted at the work in deaf education of four volunteers including one who is deaf.

I had to get Suchet's opinion of the crime situation in Jamaica. He answered simply, "Jamaica is a place of faith, religion is very important in the lives of Jamaicans. When the churches decide to share responsibility, Jamaica will change."

lowriechin@netscape.net

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