Chile works with ACS on Staff Development

Chile works with ACS on Staff Development

Fourteen staff members of the ACS Secretariat in Port-of-Spain have been immersing themselves in the Spanish language in classes thanks to the support and cooperation of the Government of Chile through its Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago. The course, offered by the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, is part of the institutional strengthening process and continuous training of ACS staff. Classes are being held virtually and have both written and oral components. The ACS has three official languages: English, French and Spanish and Secretariat staff are expected to be able to function in a multi-lingual environment to serve ACS Membership and execute the Association’s work programme. 

Director of Cooperation and Resource Mobilisation (DCRM) at the ACS, Ingrid Jacobs, who led the discussions with Chile said: “This is the result of the joint effort of the Embassy of Chile and its Ambassador Juan Aníbal Barria and the Directorate of Cooperation and Resource Mobilisation. It has become an initiative to strengthen and improve the excellent team at the ACS. We appreciate the support and cooperation with the Embassy of Chile in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Speaking of the initiative, Ambassador Barria said: “It’s a pioneering experience for us to do this with a regional organization and we hope that it will reinforce and strengthen the many connections and programmes that Chile has with the countries of the Caribbean and the ACS.”

Chile has been an Observer of the ACS since 1997.

About the ACS

The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.